Costume Budget Spa Weekend Recap - First Annual

A few of us went to Williamsburg last weekend for the Costume Budget Spa Weekend!

The First Annual Budget Spa Weekend group picture

Basically this is something I've wanted to do forever, so I decided this was the year, and planned a little group trip to head to Colonial Williamsburg for costuming & spa fun! I'm calling this the First Annual, because we all agreed that this was so much fun, we needed to do this again next year! So next year...another costumed trip to Williamsburg around this time :)...yay!!

The plan for the weekend: took off work Friday to drive down...check into the Williamsburg Lodge late afternoon, dress for a Williamsburg Chamber musical concert, wake up Saturday & spend the day at the spa, costumed late 18th century tavern dinner Saturday night, a little shopping & exploring Sunday before heading out at lunch/early afternoon home.

Friday night we ran out of time to dress before the vocal & musical Chamber concert (with one exception), because some of us, *cough*, me, *cough* and a few others who shan't be named, forgot our swimsuits! So it was off to Target for swimsuits, wine/champagne & gummy bears, because uh, yeah!

So we got ready for the musical concert in like 10-15 minutes, which was basically quick hair, tiaras and fun accessories! I wore my new late 18th century pink silk hooded cape & muff, with jeans & tiara, (and American Duchess "Victoria" carriage boots) yay:

My new late 18th C hooded cape & muff by TheLadyDetalle

We had a fantastic time at the concert: it was a few of the same lovely musicians that played for us back in March of 2011, when a bunch of us met in Williamsburg around the time of the Costume Symposium, and did a costumed musical concert & tavern dinner (organized by a friend from Williamsburg. They remembered us, thanked us for coming again, and when we mentioned coming again with a big group sometime?!? Well, they were quite excited at the prospect :)...they remembered the magical night with that full room of late 18th century folks! (Hmmmm...)

The Williamsburg Spa day was Saturday: what can I say? It was AMAZING relaxation....I love, love this spa. Seriously. :)

Most of us visited the Williamsburg's DeWitt Wallace in between spa & dinner, & got a few great pics of the lovlies on display :)...

Next we ate at the King's Arms Tavern that evening in late 18th century wear:

18th century costumed dinner at The King's Arms in Williamsburg, VA

I re-wore my late 18th century cotton velvet riding habit, made in early 2008 (wow, that was long ago), which still fit...I also wore my riding habit tricorn, so 'Harry on my hat' [a little stone martin I 'rescued' from an antique store years ago]. I also wore my new short cape with hood, & my matching muff! I was amazed that the hood fit so well over big hair & also my tricorn, and also at how much warmer I felt when the hood was up (versus down): and I loved, loved wearing it, I felt so pretty & well, fluffy! LOL...

Late 18th C Riding Habit & Hooded Cape
& Muff by TheLadyDetalle

We oogled all kinds of goodies the next day the Millinery Shop after a bit of Williamsburg retail therapy (one of my favorite kinds after silk buying in the L.A. Fashion District, yay! Jenny from Williamsburg kindly showed us LOTS of lovlies, including this lovely white fox fur trimmed cloak:

Silk cloak trimmed in white fox fur (Williamsburg millinery shop)

Finally we headed home, to rejoin reality and the cold, harsh winter...*le sigh*...what a great, relaxing weekend with friends. One can only hope that others can join in the costume fun next year, for the Second Annual ;)...oh yes, the SECOND annual. Costumed musical, costumed tavern dinner, fun in Williamsburg...ah, yes, please!

I want to sincerely THANK those of you who joined in the fun this year, the weekend would not have been the same without you, so THANK YOU!! *smile*

All my pictures can be found here on Flickr: