Happy Birthday Gwendolyn "Diva" DeVoe

Well Family,

If you don't know or haven't heard about it yet.....let me be the first to inform you of the news.... Last night I attended one of the biggest plus sized industry events of the season - The 50th birthday celebration for Gwen "Diva" DeVoe....

Diva is the CEO of DeVoe Signature Events (http://www.dseventinc.com/) and is one of the most powerful and influential women in the plus sized industry today. With the creation of The Plus Academy a "training camp" for plus sized women and aspiring models, she has been successfully grooming and preparing young women for a career in the fashion industry for years

Anyway, the plan to put together this event was hatched back in July at a Manhattan BBQ's....some of her closest friends & colleagues met over dinner to put the party plans in motion...and it all came together on this one night, Sunday, August 24, 2008 in Brooklyn.

The party's theme was a "Midsummer Night's Dream" again...ya'll know us plus gals LOVE to dress up anyway and tonight was no different....

From the moment I arrived at Deity Lounge with my sister Karen and girlfriend Deb in tow we were enveloped in a sea of beautiful evening attire in luscious purples, blues, oranges, yellows, reds....EVERYONE looked phenomenal - absolutely phenomenal!!! The big girls were rocking some of the hottest plus sized designers in the business...Douglas Says, Monif C., Qristyl Frazier, Igigi Designs....I'm telling you family...we were NOT playing on this most special night!

Tonya "T-Boogie" Giddens was holding things down effortlessly and upon your arrival you simply HAD to stop and pose for the photographers outside the venue where the "Step & Repeat" was set up and chat with the DSE TV crew BEFORE you walked the red carpet to get inside. The security was tight and the brother out front made SURE there were no party crashers at this exclusive event!

Miss Diva arrived around 9:45pm with makeup artist Tara Taylor and was totally floored by the scene that was waiting for her when she exited her car....there were tons of us waiting for her outside and she looked absolutely stunning in an Original Douglas Says Autumnal hued evening gown. I gotta tell you, Diva & I have been BFF's since forever and I cannot remember the last time I have seen her this happy....my girl was smiling from ear to ear and seeing faces she hadn't seen in YEARS.

As she made her way into the main level the surprises just kept on coming for my girl...everyone was waiting for her arrival and as soon as she entered the room the flashbulbs started going crazy....EVERYBODY either wanted a photo or wanted to be IN a photo with the birthday girl.

People came by plane, trains, automobiles & Access A Rides.....lol.. from everywhere to celebrate with Diva and the guest list was CRAZY ya'll.... Plus sized models Terri Murray, Jese Gary, Runway Coach Alva Page, Designers Douglas Says, Just Raymona, Monif C. & Qristyl Frazier, Jennene Biggins of The Voluptuous Woman Co. (http://www.volupwoman.com/), Rhonda Wilkins (http://www.divasunlimited.com/), Natalie Sandy of Plushus, Karen & Michelle Duncan, The DSE TV Crew and Diva got a special birthday serenade from Plus Sized House Music Diva....Michelle Weeks (Boy! Can that chick can SING Ya'll!!! Whew!), who had her beautiful daughter in the house with her....DJ Rockin' Rob & his fiancee Sharon (Congrats on the upcoming nuptials ya'll...), Terronce Styyles out of Washington DC, .....and SO many other folks....I am telling you people....ALL of the movers & shakers in the plus sized industry today was at this party....it was definitely the place to be!

There was a beautiful and delicious buffet in the upstairs lounge and the cuties working the bar were holding it down lovely.....Everyone was mingling and having a great time awaiting the birthday girl's arrival.....once she got there, though....everyone began moving to the lower level where the dance floor was and.....

The PARTY WAS ON!!!!

Diva is a stone cold "house music" head (like myself) and she quickly took to the dance floor as the DJ began pulling stuff from "the back of the crates"....Those gold sparkly peek toe pumps I was wearing were killing me but it didn't stop me from snatching up a cutie named Karlos and working it out on the dance floor....Diva was in full party mode and I swear, my girl must have danced all night long....the floor was packed and EVERYBODY was loving the music...lol...except perhaps Mia & Mike (who I don't think care all that much for house music!) and it got hot and sweaty down on that dance floor real quick. After dance music diva Michelle Weeks sang Happy Birthday to the Mogul....

I made my way upstairs to begin slicing up cake for the guests to take on their way out.... When I got back upstairs my sister Karen was perched on a bar stool and holding court in a corner...lol....(I don't get to hang with my baby sis too often and we had a blast that night!)

and the suggested dress code was "Elegant Evening Attire"- Folks took the dress code seriously ya'll....(But then you KNOW the big girls NEVER sleep on an opportunity to get all dolled up...right fam?)

We partied until the wee hours of the morning and as things were winding down the last remaining few of us met back upstairs at the bar where we ended the night with a few chilled Patron shots.

The party was absolutely phenomenal and as I said earlier....I have not "seent"...lol...my girl this happy in a very long time and that's all that really mattered to me.

Happiest of Birthdays D! You know I got nothing but mad love for you mama!

Photos & Slideshows courtesy of RDE Inc., BklynGurl productions Inc. & Lucaspictures, Inc.

"Birthdays was the worst days, now we sip Champagne when we're thirsty...."