2018 Rose Princesses Julianne Lauenstein, Lauren Buehner, Georgia Cervenka, Alexandra Artura, Sydney Pickering, and Savannah Bradley at the Pasadena Museum of History Royal Court exhibit.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
Cowboy hat worn by 2011 Rose Queen Drew Washington at Equestfest.
The Tournament of Roses Royal Court visited the Pasadena Museum of History last week to get a glimpse into what women on past Courts wore and collected during their reigns. The “town and gown” displays encompassed formal gowns and Mod hats, a cashmere sweater, sweatshirts, and houndstooth jacket, all manner of accessories, and photos, posters, and other memorabilia. It was a 100-year trip into the world of the women who served as ambassadors for Pasadena and the Tournament.
“The Royals of Pasadena” exhibit, which is open through Feb. 11, 2018, has a dozen display cases and scores of photos of past courts and events on the walls. The items were either donated to the museum or on loan from the Rose Queens and Princesses. Photos of all the gowns and wardrobes are in the gallery below. Be sure to check the 2018 Royal Court page for more articles, and “Crowning the Rose Parade Queens: Photo gallery” for the crowns worn by the Rose Queens.
After the Royal Court had toured the exhibit, we asked if they had a favorite gown. There were subdued giggles, and then, it seemed, mutual agreement. “Princess Blair’s dress” from 2007, they said, because her father Phillip Ramirez is one of the Queen and Court members.The Q&C acts as surrogate parents for the girls on the court, watching over them and getting them where they need to be.
Ad Hoc Consort, an early music ensemble, played tunes from the Renaissance, sprinkled with a few more recent holiday tunes. Instruments include the serpentine, played by leader Bob Fox, and sackbuts, rebecs, recorders, strings, and percussion.
The Pasadena Royals Town & Gown
All photos copyright 2017
1940 Rose Queen gown of ivory velvet with gold lace trim, worn by the grand dame of queens, Margaret Huntley Main. The “Camelot gown” was designed and sewn by Margie Mudgett.
1949 Rose Queen and Princess gowns of ivory satin were worn by Virginia Bower Nichols and Beverlie Anderson.
1954 blush pink Rose Princess gown with tons of tulle, designed by William Cahill, was worn by Carol Costello Bloom.
1953 and 1956 satin and tulle Rose Queen gowns designed by William Cahill were worn by Leah Feland Cullen and Joan Culver Warren.
1965 Rose Queen gown of white satin and lace was worn by Dawn Baker Stephenson and designed by William Cahill.
Rose Princess gowns designed by William Cahill: 1962 and 1967 pink velveteen (Marion Wiberg Wilks and Karen O’Kane Pagliuso), 1970 pink chiffon and velvet (Christina Nurches Plfeider), 1971 chartreuse beaded lace with lime and yellow chiffon (Cynthia Coleman Jones); 1975 Rose Queen white satin gown by House of Bianchi for Miranda Barone.
Rose Princess gowns: 1975 pink satin by House of Bianchi (Kathryn V. Andrews Waugh) and 1976 blue chiffon over taffeta by I. Magnin (Carol Hennacy Bounds); 1977 satin Rose Queen gown worn by Diane Ramaker Speer.
Right to left: 1981 burgundy chiffon Princess gown, I. Magnin (Monica Lichter Campbell); 1984 and 1985 white taffeta Queen gowns by House of Bianchi (Ann Marie Colborn Pizzinat and Kristina Smith); 1987 periwinkle blue taffeta Princess gown by Whats Up by Carol (Mary-Sandra Davis Brock); 1993 peach satin Princess gown by Tadashi Shoji (Stacy Croomes).
Tadashi Shogi gowns, right to left: 1997 lace and satin for Jennifer Halferty Johnson, 1996 forest green satin for Katherine Kingston Seley, 1999 satin and tulle for Christina Farrell Pearson.
Right to left: 2000 satin Rose Queen gown by Jessica McClintock for Sophia Bush; Tadashi Shoji gowns: 2003 red satin and 2005 purple satin with mermaid trains for Anjali Agrawal and Lisa Pallay Odigie and 2004 satin ribbon Queen gown for Megan Chinen Oakes.
Tadashi Shogi gowns, right to left: 2007 green lace and taffeta (Blair Ramirez), 2009 purple knit (Molly Novell), 2011 white chiffon (Evanne Friedmann), 2012 white chiffon (Drew Washington), 2017 blue metallic lace over knit (Shannon Larsuel)
Beige quilted skirt with black beads and fringe and black knit top by Alex Coleman from the 1954 Royal Court wardrobe, worn by Princess Carol Costello Bloom
Royal Court wardrobe pieces, right to left: 1967 orange wool coat, hat, and dress, Bullock’s Pasadena (Princess Barbara Beckley), 1970 bright pink coat by Marissa CA and pillbox hat by Leslie James (Princess Christina Nurches Pfleider), 1977 red plaid pants and vest by Patty Woodward/I. Magin and navy blazer (Queen Diane Ramaker Speer)
Peach cashmere sweater from 1970 Royal Court wardrobe by Dalton/Bullock’s (Princess Christina Nurches Pfleider) and 1960 beaded evening bag by Walborg, West Germany (Queen Margarethe Bertelson Knoblock)
1987 Rose Queen Kristin Harris McDonald wore this green pintucked two-piece silk jacquard dress by Argenti to every event during the Royal Court selection process.
Queen Kristen also wore this black and white wool houndstooth jacket by I. Magnin, pleated gabardine skirt, and red tie in 1987. From the 1990 wardrobe, red silk dress with white roses by Nipon Boutique (Queen Yasmin Delawari Johnson).
Rose Queen wardrobe pieces, right to left: 2007 silk polka dot wrap dress by Inc. (Mary McCluggage), 2010 red crepe jacket by Tahari and black pencil skirt by Jones of New York (Natalie Innocenzi), 2012 black zipper coat by American Rag (Drew Washington), 2013 pink ombré cocktail dress by JS Boutique/Macy’s (Vanessa Manjarrez)
Four event tags hang on 2012 Queen Drew’s black jacket.
2018 Rose Princesses at the Pasadena Museum of History: Georgia Cervenka, Sydney Pickering, Julianne Lauenstein, Alexandra Artura, Lauren Buehner
