Charming is a Victorian Era Harry Potter roleplay set primarily in the village of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the non-canon village of Irvingly. Characters of all classes, both magical and muggle — and even non-human! — are welcome.
With a member driven story line, monthly games and events, and a friendly and drama-free community focused on quality over quantity, the only thing you can be sure of is fun!
"Are you always this forward?" He asked teasingly since it would be a very short thread if he just ignored her entirely. — Tobin Cartwright in Take A Peek
Did you know? Churchgoers and worshippers had to endure a foul stench during prayers due to the amount of bodies often stored within the vaults of churches and chapels.
Fashions for the new year! What better time to look ahead to what we feel will be the greatest fashion trends than at the start of a new year? Of course, styles will change with the weeks and seasons, but these, we are sure, will be around to stay for the whole year!
Sleeves should be 3/4s in length, with decoration at the shoulder. Key Styles | Aside from the fashion of topping sleeves with ribbon bows, as seen above in almost every fashion plate for the new year, there are also several other exciting fashions. Sashes, whether of ribbon or knotted cord, are most certainly desirable on any age, situated around the natural waist where it is most flattering. Tight jackets made up in solid colours of navy, grey or black are the most desirable, with visible buttoning and what may be called a masculine approach to tailoring. Sleeves remain tight, but only reach three-quarters in length.
Colours | Grey, blue and brown are the most fashionable choices for afternoon gowns and walking dresses (which continue to favour the English cut), and it is advised all other colours are reserved for evening wear at dinner or at balls. Last year’s trend for artificial scarlets and reds is thoroughly out, though some ladies may still carry off deeper burgundies. Purple remains an undesirable choice- under yellow candle or gaslight it becomes dull and drab, and lacks any warmth in daylight. Pale shades are perhaps admissible when trimmed appropriately.
For evening dresses, light and airy is the way to go! Fabrics | Velvets, whilst largely replaced by plushes for interiors, remains the best choice for fancier outerwear. Street dresses are tending towards heavy-duty bourette which resists wear for a longer lasting gown. For evening wear, shiny satins that are so easily snagged are falling out of favour, with the new generations of debutantes infinitely preferring lace, aerophane, net or other airy fabrics, over a base of silks. Stripes and tartans are very much liked this season for daywear, trimming a plain but matching fabric.
Bustle pins come in a variety of charming shapes! Jewellery | 1886 will see a continuation of the rather charming trend of placing rhinestone pins at the gathers of the bustle pleats. Recent fashion plates have shown fancier shaped pins, such as dragons, but for a safer and more prudent choice, arrows, spears, flowers, clovers and crescents and stars are all safe and fashionable. Four leaf clover bracelets are now being stocked in every fashionable jeweller’s, and we are reliably informed that the trend for emeralds and garnets is not shifting, though rubies are rapidly falling in popularity as red gowns also go out.
Accessories | Indian shawls are very fashionable, worn draped around shoulders or the crooks of elbows, not made up into jackets like has previously been the trend. Persian shawls are also desirable, and both should be worn over a simple white lace tea gown or morning dress to get the full effect of the richness of the fabrics.
Heart-shaped fans are gaining in popularity, as are ones trimmed in ostrich feathers- though care should be taken to never combine the two! Lace or net gloves are inexcusably faddish and never for the ballroom or dinner, and may render an unsightly pattern on the skin when worn outdoors, as well as not providing any warmth. Lace-trimmed is the way to go for the new year, with the addition of rich embroidery, and seed pearl beads on evening gloves.
Low grecian knots should be moved upwards to remain fashionable Hair | Fringes are continuing out of fashion, with many of society’s finest ladies already having forsaken the tedious arrangement of frizzed pin curls over the forehead in favour of gently pinned back waves or curls. The Grecian knot at the base of the neck has finally disappeared from fashion in favour of arrangements of hair on top of the head, decorated with a comb. The leading advice for hair care remains to only wash it once every five or six weeks and to complement the scalp’s natural oils with the addition of perfumed ones that are so readily purchased.
Spending New Year’s Eve by the sea was a sure way to start 1886 off right!
Ringing in the New Year at Sanditon Resort! There were a great many ways to ring in the new year in style this week, including the annual High Street celebration in Hogsmeade. This year, however, many families were enticed to Sussex to celebrate 1886’s arrival at the Sanditon Resort. By all accounts, the event was a perfect way to start the new year while also escaping the hustle and bustle of town!
Fantastic fireworks were one of many features of the evening!
The resort’s extensive boardwalk was transformed into an impressively long ice skating rink, complete with numerous stands offering hot chocolate and cider to warm the guests. The ocean and bathing machines were also magically heated, to allow for a taste of summer in the midst of chilly midwinter celebrations! The shops along the boardwalk also reopened for the day, offering all sorts of trinkets and souvenirs to remember the occasion by. The evening event boasted a sumptuous four-course banquet and dance until midnight, which was immediately followed by an extravagant fireworks display!
Not only were the Sanditon’s festivities noteworthy, but so were its guests. Mr. Garrett Wallingford and Miss Aurelia Herondale were spotted having a romantic evening on the pier as the fireworks lit up the sky. Mr. Edward Macmillan, recently featured in our pages, was also in attendance -- though it seems a healer’s work is never done, as he was spotted aiding Miss Cordelia Burke after an incident on the ice rink! All in all, Mr. and Mrs. Fudge have outdone themselves once again with this event, and Witch Weekly looks forward to seeing what they host next!
Take a peek at what 1886 might have in store for you!
New Year's Horoscopes Aries: The new year is prime time for you to take charge of your public image and excel at the work of your choice, Aries! It will need effort, but you're up to the challenge. Taurus: 1886 is the year for big, important changes, Taurus. You can reinvent yourself from the ground up if you so choose. Gemini: You're a rising star in 1886, Gemini, but it will keep constant effort to avoid slipping back down. Are you up for this? Of course you are! Cancer: This is your kind of year, Cancer, when you can turn on that moonlit charm of yours and make sure that the people in your life are the ones you want most! Leo: Let the world see more of the true you in 1886, Leo! Work hard at what you love and have more fun doing it. More people will enjoy working with you, and then your social life could be busier, too. Virgo: 1886 is brimming with bright new ideas, abundance, and charm, Virgo. They will be practical ideas, too, that you can put to good use and make progress in the work place, and connect with people who are both reasonable and pleasant. That's how people see you, too. Libra: 1886 is your lucky year, Libra, in more ways than one. Your tact and social skills will be in high demand and this will bring great satisfaction and happiness. Scorpio: This is your year to demolish any barriers that have been holding you back, Scorpio! With clear thinking and sheer force of will, you can accomplish what your heart desires and what your head knows you need. Sagittarius: 1886 is your year, Sagittarius, to cultivate talents and skills that take you far and fast. You may not be given all the situations and opportunities that you choose right off the bat, but you'll have more than enough resources and creativity to make the best use of everything that comes your way. Capricorn: This year, accomplish more than you can imagine, Capricorn, simply by sticking to your favorite mode of doing things: with slow steady efforts. It won't involve anything flashy or earth-shaking. Nor will you become dull! Aquarius: This is the year when all hard work is acknowledged and rewarded. Most of your work will be mental, and you will never lack for brilliant ideas, many of them seeming inconsequential at the time. Pisces: 1886 is a power year, Pisces, and most of what you do will happen out in public, in plain view, and probably with the help and cooperation of others.
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Sleeves should be 3/4s in length, with decoration at the shoulder.
For evening dresses, light and airy is the way to go!
Bustle pins come in a variety of charming shapes!
Low grecian knots should be moved upwards to remain fashionable
Fantastic fireworks were one of many features of the evening!
