Dallas-Fort Worth Cowgirls Go Rock ‘n’ Roll for Sixth Annual Desert Rose Luncheon

It’s not every day that I wear a leather bodysuit before noon. But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe!

For the past few years, Fort Worth’s Desert Rose Luncheon has taken place the day before Dallas’ Crystal Charity Ball Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas Fashion Show and Luncheon. The juxtaposition delights me; it’s a reminder that the DFW ladies who lunch have *range.* Whether we’re tasked with donning band tees and fringe or Carolina Herrera, we stay ready and willing for the sartorial task at hand.

This is the fourth consecutive year I’ve attended Desert Rose, meaning I’ve cosplayed as a disco cowgirl in 2023 and gone full patriotic for the Red, White, & Dolly theme in 2024 (RIP, Queen Dolly!). Last year, we gathered under the proverbial big top for the “Rodeo Midway” theme that included popcorn soup and cotton candy champagne.

Event co-chairs Lorene Agather and Sainty Nelsen decided to mix it up from the colorful, girly swirly palette for the sixth annual event held at River Crest Country Club in Fort Worth. Inspired by Guns N’ Roses, this year’s theme invited the sold-out crowd of 350 women to mix rock ‘n’ roll with the unapologetic spirit of the Wild West. The end result? An all-in energy and a room full of badass women with crimson lips rocking leather, fringe, band tees, and turquoise.

The most fun luncheon in Fort Worth, Desert Rose attracts plenty of Dallasites who make the I-30 pilgrimage every year. This year’s high-voltage event raised $300,000 for the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame‘s education programs that help future generations discover “the grit, grace, and enduring legacy of the cowgirl.”

“What made this year’s Desert Rose Luncheon so special was seeing every single guest fully embrace the theme. Our Fort Worth women leaned all the way in and went full rock ‘n’ roll, from the fashion to the energy they brought into the room,” Agather said. “It was such a wonderful testament to this community’s unwavering support of the Cowgirl Museum and to a cowgirl’s undeniable love of a great theme.”

Black, white, and red dominated the collective color palette, with lots of patent leather cowboy boots and statement lips. Regardless of the theme, I always see plenty of sequins at Desert Rose. In addition to the *lewks* and transforming River Crest’s ballroom into a backstage-meets-rodeo fantasy with mirrored surfaces, red roses, and moody uplighting, the edgy theme called for candy cigs at each place setting and an electric guitar performance by Matt Gumley.

In addition to support from Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott and longtime event sponsor Lucchese Bootmaker, Maverick Golf & Ranch served as Presenting Sponsor. As always, the event included a Preview Party for the marketplace that guests also shop before the luncheon. This year’s vendors included (among others) Bauble Stockings, SaPeyKa, Camp Crafty, Chasseur, COLORES Collective, IOTA Vintage, and Lela Rose. A spirited fashion show followed lunch, featuring looks from the marketplace vendors, Lucchese boots, and Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott pieces that captured the modern cowgirl spirit. 

“The Desert Rose Luncheon has become such a special celebration of the strong, bold, and extraordinary women who embody the spirit of the West, and it is truly an honor to help bring it to life each year,” said Nelsen. “This year, we turned up the volume, and seeing the room filled with incredible fashion, music, energy, and, most importantly, people coming together to support the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame was beyond anything we could have imagined,” Nelsen, who is a National Cowgirl Museum board member alongside Agather, said. 

“We wanted the luncheon to feel unexpected, joyful, and a little bit wild, and Fort Worth absolutely rocked it. We can’t wait to celebrate again next year.”

The grand opening of the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame’s expansion and the debut of the all-Western carousel that overlooks Dickies Arena is on November 7 in Fort Worth. 

PC Seen: Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, Councilwoman Macy Hill, National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame Board Member Nicole Sheridan, Katey McFarlan, Ashley West, Ashley Robertson, Catherine Cartie, Melissa Smith, Crystal Wise, Allie Turney, Kadee Blair, Elaine Agather, Fallon Appleton, Suzanne Droese, and Treasure Maddox Hannah.