Getting their frills

As Rachel Garber walks down Passyunk Avenue, she looks as if she stepped out of a Victorian villa of the late 1880s. Walking briskly, she’s dressed in a flowing floral dress and matching gloves, topped off with a feathered hat. Even her house was built around the start of the 20th century.

"I love that era," Garber said, explaining why she founded Philadelphia’s one and only Victorian Ladies Tea Society.

Her fellow members also treasure the fashions and heritage of the late 19th century. From corsets to fringed parasols, Victorian lovers possess a deep appreciation for this distinct style.

"Once you love Victorian, you love Victorian forever," said Bernadette Dezzii, another member of the group and the owner of Jewelry Menagerie at 1827 E. Passyunk Ave. "I’m drawn to everything Victorian. It’s the little girl inside you that loves the frills."

The now-defunct Victoria magazine, which ended in 2002 after a 15-year run, encouraged modern-day women to cherish old-fashioned styles while being themselves — independent yet lively.

Venues in the Philadelphia region, including Longwood Gardens and the University of Pennsylvania’s Furness Library, were featured in the magazine.

But Garber, of the 1600 block of South Juniper Street, knew the city lacked a Victorian tea club.

"People who were really into the magazine wanted to keep in touch with each other," she noted.

So Garber decided to start her own group. After placing an ad in the magazine’s newsletter, she received several responses.

The club started with five women and grew to more than 20 after each member invited family and friends to join them in the tradition of tea, cookies and fruit. After its first meeting on July 31, 1999, at the old-fashioned RoseLena’s Caf� at 1623 E. Passyunk Ave., the group met monthly.

Garber creates invitations for every event even if it is just tea at a member’s house.

"It’s been a fun and enjoyable time," she said.

Indeed, Philadelphia’s club has been quite active over the past five years. The women traveled to Cape May to visit the Twining Tea Room at the Emlen Physick Estate during the town’s Victorian Week.

This Sunday, the tea society will celebrate its fifth anniversary at RoseLena’s Caf�, the place the group returns each year to celebrate where it all began.

"The fifth anniversary is the biggest dream for Rachel — to have her idea of a tea society in Philadelphia come to fruition," Dezzii said.