Afternoon tea attire is an elegant experience.
If you didn’t know, afternoon tea was introduced back in 1840, by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford.
It was well-known that she became hungry in the late afternoon, because of which she began requesting a tray of tea with bread, butter, and sandwich fillings.
This shortly caught on among her peers and became what we now refer to as afternoon tea.
The occasion has now become a popular outing, suitable for celebrations, casual meetings, and a time for indulgence.
If you happen to have an afternoon tea outing scheduled soon, here are a few tips on what to wear.
Afternoon Tea Attire: From Casual to Royal Standards
Most afternoon tea venues usually have a relaxed, smart, and casual dress code, so there are many different ways you can dress for afternoon tea.
You could opt for a relaxed and easy look with a dress or skirt and shirt combination, or you can go slightly more formal with a trouser suit look.
Dressing for afternoon tea can be modified to however smart or casual you may feel. While you can get away with a smart top and pants, if you don’t feel like dressing up.
For the Ladies: Dresses, Skirts, and Blouses
For many women dressing up in elegant outfits is much of the fun of afternoon tea.
It’s the perfect excuse to wear hats, fascinators, and classic jewelry!
But dressing in a feminine look is not required.
Though some women will opt for a fancy dress or a long skirt, dress pants are fine if they’re well-tailored.
For garden party teas, a floral print dress and wide brimmed hat would be a great option.
But you could also dress up a simple day dress or pants outfit with a bright colored scarf.
Afternoon tea in a London, Paris, or New York hotel is a formal event.
Though both of the garden tea outfits would work (I’d remove the hat), in this fancier setting the skies the limit!
A more formal choice would be a trouser suit, which would consist of a shirt or blouse, a blazer, and trousers.
In recent years, suits really have shaken off their corporate reputation, you can dress them down to how you please.
Examples of less-formal trouser suits would include baby blues and sugary pinks, or other pastel coloured suits perfect for afternoon tea.
Another Option: Trousers, Shirts, and Blazers
Usually, the attire requested for guests to adhere to for afternoon tea is ‘smart casual’.
This will generally mean no sports-branded trainers, t-shirts, shorts, or sportswear.
A typical outfit for afternoon tea would also include smart trousers and shoes, with a blouse or a shirt.
Depending on the weather you can keep it casual with a light-coloured or patterned short-sleeve shirt, or if it’s cooler consider wearing a smart V-neck pullover or even a roll neck jumper.
The Footwear Dilemma: Flats, Heels, or Loafers?
For any high tea party, high heels, low heels, or strappy sandals all look great. Usually you should pack a pair of ballet flats as that’s better for people who don’t like heels.
Accessorizing Your Afternoon Tea Look
Almost any outfit can be fancied up with accessories.
You should wear real jewelry but at the same time make sure to have extra costume jewelry so you won’t be heartbroken if they’re lost or something happens to them.
Also, hats and scarves are a good option for you, you can get one or two scarves in fun prints, and a hair accessory and you’ve got a classy look.
Seasonal Considerations: Spring Tea vs. Winter Warmers
When it’s a little colder outside, you can just make sure to have a cardigan or a blazer and a heavy scarf to stay warm.
When it’s hot outside, the best thing to wear probably is a light flowy floral dress.
Common Faux Pas and How to Avoid Them
A few things you want to be careful not to do is wearing jeans or being too casual, try to stay a little modest, like be careful your top isn’t too low and your skirt isn’t too high.
Stay classy with your shoes, don’t wear any sneakers, flip flops, or hiking shoes for instance.
Conclusion: Your Perfect Afternoon Tea Outfit Checklist
Afternoon tea is your opportunity to have a fancy day out and dress up a little.
So stay classy with your outfit and try not to over do it.
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