Don't Miss Our Victorian Weekend in Navasota!

DFWCG and HACS are combining efforts to plan a marvelous Victorian weekend (including a ball in a historic hotel!) in the small town of Navasota, TX.

Join us October 20-22 for an activity-packed weekend of costumed fun in historic small town Navasota! Events can be attended a la carte. Get your tickets here. Schedule of Events

• Friday, 20 Oct, 5:00 pm Guided Ghost Walk

• Friday, 20 Oct, 6:45 pm Dinner on the Rooftop, Rail & Rye Restaurant

• Saturday, 21 Oct, 1-2:30 pm Welcome Reception, Red Velvet Inn

• Saturday, 21 Oct, 4-5:30 pm Victorian Period Dance Lesson, PASmith Hotel

• Saturday, 21 Oct, 6-7 pm, Help with Hair, PASmith Penthouse

• Saturday, 21 Oct, 7-8 pm, Cocktails at Hamer’s Speakeasy (inside hotel)

• Saturday, 21 Oct, 8-11 pm, The Chandelier Ball, PASmith Hotel

• Sunday, 22 Oct, 11 am-1:30 pm, Tour Horlock House History Museum

• Sunday, 22 Oct, 2 pm Tea Luncheon at Cafe M Bloomers

Themes of Dress for the Victorian Weekend The little town of Navasota is an excellent place to wear your Victorian finery and take lots of great photos! That being said, nobody will be turned away for not having perfectly period attire. We’re an inclusive and encouraging group, so don’t be shy and come aboard! -Friday night ghost walk. In the spirit of All Hallows Eve the theme is “Masks and Capes”. In addition, Victorian walking attire is encouraged but not necessary. -Saturday afternoon dance lesson. Modern attire is perfectly acceptable, but ladies may want to wear a long skirt to get the hang of dancing with it! And of course, Victorian daywear would be fabulous! -Saturday Victorian Ball. Our theme is “Bustles and Poufs”, encompassing evening attire from the 1870’s through 1890. This is first bustle form, natural form, and return of the bustle with a vengeance! We are asking that participants not wear large crinolines or hoop skirts due to space constraints on the dance floor. Gentlemen in white tie attire, either historic or modern. Ladies may also wear modern long gowns, but with a Victorian aesthetic . (Not overly tight, shiny, sparkly or slinky). Wear your evening gloves if you have them! Well arranged hair is certainly part of the look, and if you need help with this, we’ll have a beauty parlor party in my room beforehand. -Sunday Tea Luncheon. Our theme is “Sunday Best”. Ladies in Victorian or Edwardian daywear of any style, gentlemen in jackets and ties (modern or historic). Ladies may also wear modern dresses, knee length or longer. Hats and gloves encouraged.

Help us plan our next Retreat Weekend!

We've chosen a location - Box Car Ranch Retreat in Aubrey, TX - but we need your help narrowing down a date!

Important details:

• Cost: approximately $190 per person

• Meals are included and catered

• Bedrooms are shared, with 2-3 twin beds in each room

• The venue can accommodate up to 24 attendees (we're hoping for at least 18)

• Everyone gets their own workstation with an adjustable table, separate side table, comfy chair, and plenty of power outlets

• Pressing and cutting stations in the main work room

• Fridge, freezer, microwave, coffee station, and water/ice dispenser (you can bring your own snacks!)

• On-site quilt shop and antique/general store

• Check in 12pm Friday, check out 12pm Sunday

If you plan to attend, which date(s) work best for you?

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  June 30 - July 3 (July 4th weekend)
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  September 1 - 3 (Labor Day Weekend
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  October 6 - 8

You can vote for more than one answer.

Royal orders

The history of Royal Orders is extremely rich and varied.

Royal Orders are given out for a variety of reasons, including just being born or married into a royal family (usually referred to as “Family Orders”), service to the sovereign or to the country, or as diplomatic gifts.

Some Orders are given at the sole discretion of the monarch, while others are awarded by the country’s government in consultation with the reigning king or queen.

To make things even more complicated, some Orders have different ranks within the Order!

What do the insignia of an Order look like? In general, the collars, which look much like a necklace, but are worn from shoulder to shoulder rather than around the neck, are the most formal presentation of an Order, worn for the most opulent of occasions.

Princess Mary wearing the Collar for the Order of the Elephant

Along with the Collar, you also get either a Star or a Badge to wear at lesser ceremonial occasions. So, what is the difference between these two?

A Badge is worn with a sash. Most sashes are worn from right shoulder to left hip, but not always! The Badge is then worn at the hip.

Stars are worn at the waist or at the shoulder (or even in-between).

Here is Crown Princess Victoria demonstrating how to wear three Royal Orders—a Badge, a Star at the waist and a Family Order at the shoulder.

To add to all the bling, you also may wear a small brooch on the back part of the sash to hold it in place!

And, a brooch on the front of the sash if you really need to keep your sash on tightly!

Then, there are Family Orders. These have a miniature of the sovereign (or past sovereign) in a small decorative frame. They are usually on a fabric bow and worn at the shoulder.

Here is Queen Elizabeth II’s family order:

And Norway’s Family Order:

The rules for wearing Royal Orders are extremely complicated, and vary from country to country, so we are not going to explore that topic!

So, how do you make your own Royal Order?

Let’s discuss stars, sashes and badges.

Stars: Perhaps the easiest. Find a huge blingy pin and pin it on! Or maybe sew it on your gown to keep the pin from dragging and drooping. Maltese crosses appear to be a popular motif.

From Etsy, sold

Or perhaps some other royal looking piece:

From Etsy, sold

Add a star to a sash for a sash presentation!

For a Royal Family Order, find a miniature enameled or jeweled frame and add a picture of your favorite monarch.

Frame from Etsy, sold

Add a pretty bow brooch to the top of the frame, and then your ribbon bow.

From Etsy, both sold

Okay, so how about the ribbon sash or bow? Studying images of Royal Orders, the ribbons used are usually some sort of grosgrain or moire (and, I would imagine, of silk and perhaps metal threads). Some ribbons have stripes along the edge. Since you are making up your own Royal Orders, use a complementary or contrasting color to your dress!

A great tutorial on making sashes and bows--

Beauty From Ashes: Royal Order Sash Bow Tutorial (beauty4ashes7.blogspot.com)

Here’s my Royal Family Order that I made for Costume College several years ago, in need of some straightening.

PS I have no idea where I got the bits and pieces. I think that perhaps the frame was a Christmas ornament

I found at a little boutique!

Have fun making your very o