Issue #13 - The 8 Most Interesting Events of 1884!

[Witch Weekly]

  

[Witch Weekly]

Fashion for 1885 With 1885 only a few days away, we at Witch Weekly have been busy collating all the information every lady will need to decide her attire for the coming year. Bustles reached new proportions this year, and 1885 shows this trend continuing. Paris fashion houses seem to be showing no inkling for moving away from the highly structured fashions of the recent years. Military-inspired bodices are very much in vogue, but of course with a feminine edge- brocade with gold trim and buttons in an army-inspired pattern, with a plain but complementing skirt looks to be a staple for this coming year. It is yet to be seen if ruffles and lace will make a comeback in summer again, though the ethereal fashions of the summer just past were very hit or miss in their execution, suiting very few young ladies. As far as style goes, many designers are still advocating the large shelf bustles and tight corseted waists of the past season, with the emphasis still remaining on cutting a stylised figure. Dramatic drapery looks to still be rising in popularity, though soft, floral embroidery looks to be thoroughly relegated to last season. The increased manufacture of artificial dyes means that bright, fashionable colours are becoming cheaper to afford even without the use of magic!

Are teagowns the sign of a greater change? However as many ladies will know, fashion is rarely so defined. The aesthetic dress movement up until recently has just been reserved for artists and bohemians, although last summer saw many socialites favouring the tea gown, and now it looks like the ladies of the ton may be adopting the more relaxed style even when receiving guests. Aesthetic dress, of course, places an emphasis on more natural silhouettes, with small or no bustles and the promotion of stays rather than the tight-laced corset. The dresses’ style is heavily influenced by romantic and medieval styles, rather similar to robes- this could, perhaps, be indicative of a growing renaissance in robes? Of course, robes and aesthetic dress are not at all the same. Aesthetic dresses have focus on more natural colours and floral prints, whereas robes aren’t immune to the gaudy hues of recent years. Robes also lack a defined waist and detail, whereas aesthetic dresses are often belted after medieval dresses, and can be quite heavy in their detailing. Both, however, seem to be growing in popularity even against more popular fashions, something we at Witch Weekly shall follow with interest!

  

[Witch Weekly]

When should you get married? Picking the right date is extremely important. We at Witch Weekly will show you which season is the most fitting for your wedding! Which was/is your favourite subject at Hogwarts? a. Herbology. b. Charms. c. Potions. d. Transfiguration. What’s your favourite drink? a. Tea. b. Lemonade. c. Butterbeer. d. Hot chocolate. What is your betrothed like? a. Gentle and kind. b. Energetic and fun-loving. c. Hardworking and practical. d. Intelligent and rational.

What is your dream honeymoon destination? a. Japan. b. Greece. c. France. d. Russia. Which is your favourite Jane Austen novel? a. Mansfield Park. b. Emma. c. Sense and Sensibility. d. Northanger Abbey. If you had the most As… You should get married in the spring! If you had the most Bs… You should get married in the summer! If you had the most Cs… You should get married in the autumn! If you had the most Ds… You should get married in the winter!

  

[Witch Weekly]

The 8 Most Interesting Events of 1884! Eighteen eighty-four was undoubtedly one interesting year that will surely be remembered for years to come. We at Witch Weekly have collected the eight most interesting events that happened this year - some of which will surely be included in the history books of the future! 1. Minister Darcy Potter’s Death Minister Potter’s tragic death back in February was undoubtedly the first major event that occurred this year. Followed shortly after his older brother’s wedding, it came as a shock to our community. It is true that shortly before his death there had been another attempt of his life, not to mention his abduction in 1883! What is sadder, perhaps, is that Minister Potter left two children behind, with one of them, Miss Elspeth Potter, being born after his death! To add to the tragedy, Mrs. Eulalie Potter died shortly after her daughter’s birth! We certainly hope that 1885 will be a kinder year for the remaining Potters. 2. The Elections As it was expected, they followed shortly after. After an exciting election season, Mr. Balthazar Urquart came victorious as the new Minister of Magic for Britain. He was faced with many tough contenders: Mr. Faustus Prewett, Mr. Priam Lestrange and Mr. Eugene Scamander among others. 3. The Laughing Plague Undoubtedly one of the darkest points of this year. It came along with the Summer Solstice Festival and claimed the lives of many unfortunate citizens before a cure was found in September. 4. The Great Fire of Hogsmeade As if a plague wasn’t enough, this year’s summer was tarnished by yet another dark spot: the Great Fire of Hogsmeade. It started was started in an attempt to fight off the plague, first in Wellingtonshire and quickly spreading to the high street. Many innocent wizards lost their lives between July 11th and July 16th, and many others lost property. But, like with the Laughing Plague, the fire was only proof that we, as a community, can endure just about any hardship thrown our way!

5. Pettigrew and Prewetts Imprisonment Perhaps not as big of an event as the ones mentioned above, but certainly one of the notable ones this year! The brothers Fitzroy and Frederick Prewett, along with Mr. Arthur Pettigrew were sent to Azkaban after being caught playing Creaothceann. Their imprisonment caused an uproar among Quidditch fans, which were rejoiced when all three were released from prison. 6. Cecelia Yaxley’s Return From The Dead It was surely a shock to our community when the well-respected Mr. Titan Yaxley lost his life back in February, but it was an even bigger shock when his first wife, Mrs. Cecelia Yaxley, practically returned from the dead! Her reappearance rendered Mr. Yaxley a bigamist, his marriage to his “second” wife, Miss Honoria Lestrange invalid and their three children bastards! And as if that wasn’t enough, Mrs. Cecelia Yaxley remarried to his brother Mr. Prometheus Yaxley, only a few months after his death! Currently, things seem to have cooled down for the Yaxley family - save for Miss Clementine Yaxley’s bridge accident this month - but for how long will this peace last? 7. The Debutante Killer Miss Clementine Yaxley’s bridge accident was just a small oart of a bigger picture. In a span of only five months, many debutantes lost their lives or suffered accidents that many choose to blame on a so called ‘Debutante Killer’. Nobody knows who that might be, or if it’s even just one person, but his mention is enough to chill every young debutante to the bone! We can only hope that with the new year we will see him captured! 8. The Rise of the Gold Diggers This year saw two women marry well above their station: the new Mrs. Pearl Van Rossum and Mrs. Ivy Scrivenshaft. The former previously worked as a maid for her husband’s household before the two eloped. The latter worked and continues to work as a healer for the Spell Damage department of the Hogsmeade Hospital, before she married the onwer of Scivenshaft’s Quill Shop, Mr. Silas Scrivenshaft. While those marriages can hardly compare to the Laughing Plague or the fire when it comes to negativity, they were certainly a sad example of a man’s poor choices. And with that, our count ends! With only four days left of 1884, we at Witch Weekly want to wish a happy 1885 to all of our readers! Let us hope that this time next year we will only be listing happy events!

@Darcy Potter
@Balthazar Urquart
@Faustus Prewett
@Priam Lestrange
@Eugene Scamander
@Fitzroy Prewett
@Arthur Pettigrew
@Frederick Prewett
@Cecelia Yaxley
@Prometheus Yaxley
@Honoria Yaxley
@Clementine Yaxley
@Pearl Van Rossum
@Ivy Scrivenshaft

  

[Witch Weekly]

Things You Should Aim For in the new year! The new year will arrive in only four days! Surely, a lot of you have made resolutions for the new year, but we at Witch Weekly have still compiled a list of things you could strive for in the new year! 1. Learn a new skill. There is nothing better than a lady who is skilled and talented. Haven’t we all been impressed by a particular lady’s talent in music, or her ability to draw landscapes as if they are real? Some ideas would be to learn how to play an instrument, try your hand with poetry or maybe embroidery! There is nothing you can’t do if you try hard enough. 2. Make at least one new friend. Friends are what

bring joys to our life. One should always strive to make more! 3. Help with a charity. It doesn’t matter if it is by hosting a ball or simply reading a story to the children of Alexandria Orphanage. Everyone should strive to help those less fortunate than them in any way they can! 4. Read at least five books. A well-bred lady is well-read as well. We at Witch Weekly have no doubt that you will have no difficulty in doing those, as well as achieving your personal goals for the new year. Happy 1885!

  

[Witch Weekly]