Williamsburg Holiday Promenade

What could be more fun than a group of historical costumers getting together in Williamsburg to take photos?  Especially at the end of December, with all of the holiday decorations in the historic area.  It was so much fun!  Cold, though.

Back Row: Jessica, Katy, Taylor, Gloria
Front Row:  Jenny-Rose, Samantha, Elliot, Leia, me, Carolyn, Sara, Aubry

Gloria organized the whole thing, and her husband Mike took photos of us all day long.  All of the watermarked photos are courtesy of Mike and Gloria - thanks guys!

Gloria also lent me this awesome cap for the day!  

I had wanted to wear something new (I had grand hopes of finishing my gown from the Burnley & Trowbridge workshop I attended recently) but ran out of time.  Instead, I added more trim to my Gold Francaise and wore it along with my Pink Mantle and matching muff, and new blue wool mitts:

I felt very elegant, especially after Gloria's cap covered my rather messy attempt at hair.  And I was in such well-dressed company!

It was a cold day, but fortunately not windy or rainy or anything.  We all stayed wrapped up in our cloaks for much of the time.

It's rather amazing that we got anywhere at all, moving as we were in such a large group.  There were lots of tourists who wanted pictures of/with us!

We posed for one group photo with everyone, and afterwards Mike and Gloria took individual shots of anyone who wanted them.  

I took off my mantle for these, to better show off the gown.  It was rather amazing how much warmer I was with it on!

My earrings are by Dames a la Mode

It's so nice to finally have all of the trim on the gown that I'd originally planned!  For this outing I added the serpentine lines of pleated pinked trim to complete the circles on the petticoat and the skirt of the gown:

Four of us - Samantha, Katy, Carolyn, and myself - broke off from the main group to take a carriage ride which we'd arranged beforehand.

Purely by chance, we were riding in the same carriage that Queen Elizabeth rode in when she and Prince Philip visited Colonial Williamsburg!

The photos from the carriage ride itself are mine:

After a quick pitstop and some emergency sewing:

We rejoined part of the group for more promenading and posing:

And some more individual shots in front of the palace - a must!

Oh, and some selfies:

This is the shot I got:

We also had a dinner reservation, so after our palace promenade we walked over to the tavern.

These photos of us walking across the lawn are some of my favorites!

We had time for a quick stop at the Milliner's shop:

Samantha's calash matched the one in the window!

We got just a bit of a sunset before our dinner reservation:

We ate at Shield's Tavern, which was lovely and atmospheric.

Everyone looked so radiant in the candlelight, but it's hard to get that to show up in pictures!

This was my best attempt.  Granted, I was using my phone:

After dinner, several of us were attending a concert at the Palace!  I can't think of a more delightful way to end an evening.

On the way to the Palace, we stopped for some firelight portraits by one of the cressets on Duke of Gloucester Street.

Then on to the Palace!

No photography was allowed during the concert, but Mike got one shot before it started:

Afterwards, I changed at Samantha's house before driving home.  I was emptying my pocket hoops...

Yes, I carried my water bottle around all day...

What else have I got?  Doggo is very interested.

Oh, right - my leftovers from dinner!

How did I fit all that in there?  

Time Lord technology, my dears!  

Here is everything I managed to fit in my pocket hoops - minus the water bottle and leftovers:

Kind of wish I could wear them around everywhere - I'd never have to carry a purse!