Since Ruffle Con, the Boston community has been fairly quiet. I had heard about Tiara Tea from Boston comm. member Julia via the Boston Facebook group. There was a small turnout of New England area frilly fashionistas, but it was well worth checking out.
I was going to wear my Princess K skirt and a simple blouse, but the coord was not working well for me. I decided to coord around a bolero that I bought from Tea and Absinthe a while back. It was recommended we didn’t wear wigs because hair styling would be involved.
Tiara Tea was held at the Park Street church. It took about 20 minutes to get there via the Green Line. I was running a little last because of my last minute coord change. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about putting a wig on! I met up with Ashley and Julie. The event was held in a multi purpose room of the church. They had authentic 1890s outfits on display as well as reference guides for Belle Epoque odds and ends. There was even handmade gowns on display. This event was made in preparation for the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers’ event in January. They were planning a huge ball in Chestnut Hill. I thought this was a great way to get to know a different type of costuming community.
We were browsing through tiaras. Each guest was encouraged to try them on. Once you found a tiara you liked, they did up your hair in a 1890s sort of fashion. I was one of the last ones to have their hair done. I’m not used to having my hair up, but I do like how they framed my face with the style – there’s a mid-century classic look to it.
At about 2PM, we all gathered for afternoon tea and treats. I settled for the herbal tea. There were plenty of savory treats and sweets to go around. I had a weakness for the tiny sandwiches. However, my favorite of the dessert pile was the cream puff tiny muffin.
After afternoon tea, the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers had to clean up. For a two hour event on a Saturday, it was really nice getting to know what this community is all about. It’s nice to have a local group that’s all about historical costuming – it really encourages me to expand my costuming skills outside of cosplay. For the rest of the day, we just wandered around the shops in Newbury Street. Many thanks to LUSH for fawning over our outfits and featuring us on their Facebook page. (and thanks for recommending some dry scalp solutions when I travel to LA in a couple of weeks)
Many thanks to Julie and the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. I hope to check out your January event!
Links of Interest
Commonwealth Vintage Dancers: Tiara Tea Gallery