I’ve always heard of the otherworldly beauty of Joshua Tree National Park, so we made sure to visit on our recent trip to California.  We drove in at the entrance near the park’s namesake town, and were greeted by the park’s namesake tree almost immediately.

Fun fact: Joshua trees are not actually trees, nor are they cacti.  They are a member of the yucca family (like lilies!)

Lest you think that means they are small, here I am for scale.  This was not the tallest we saw, either.

Though not a practical choice for hiking, I couldn’t miss the chance to wear a dramatic dress in this wild landscape, especially with colors reminiscent of the record setting desert bloom they saw this year thanks to the uncharacteristic rain.

This was my first time wearing Christian Siriano’s high end signature label, and I was not sure what size to order.  Going by the plus size chart on RTR, I chose a size 20, even though I am typically a 16/18.  I should have stuck with my gut not to size up that much, but I was concerned that it wouldn’t fit over my bust if I didn’t.  Turns out, I had plenty of room in the bust even with the no stretch fabric, and I would definitely recommend ordering true to size.  Still, the billowing silk made me feel a bit like a desert fairy, so all was not lost.

As promised, the landscape was varied and alien, often feeling like we had landed on another planet.

The rock formations were endlessly interesting as well, and we kept stopping to ogle each new mountainous pile.

Occasionally we got up close and personal.

And occasionally the rocks themselves were oddly… personal.

*peach emoji*

Maybe the most striking of them all was the aptly named Skull Rock.  We saw the sign before the rock itself, and our conversation went something like this:

Nigel: “Skull Rock”?

Together: “Holy ****, SKULL ROCK!!!!”

Frolicking through Joshua Tree and getting up close and personal with the otherworldly desert landscape was an amazing way to spend a few hours.

We could have easily stayed longer, and will next time (with me wearing actual hiking gear), but I am very glad we got this taste of Joshua Tree’s unique natural beauty.

Thank you Christian Siriano for making your gorgeous runway gowns available in plus sizes, and for making them true to size (even if I didn’t know it when I ordered)!