How to Dress for a Tea Party: 11 Proper & Elegant Outfits (2024)

FAQs

What is appropriate dress for afternoon tea party? ›

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.

Though some women will opt for a fancy dresses or long skirts, dress pants are fine if they're well-tailored. For garden party teas, a floral print dress and wide brimmed hat would be a stylish option. Alternately you could dress up a simple day dress or pants outfit with a bright colored scarf.

It is somewhere between tight and baggy; somewhere between short and long. There is often a print – flowers, polka dots, cherries, that sort of thing. It usually has sleeves, and a deepish V neckline. The retro mood of the tea dress is part of its charm, but it is probably best to avoid overly literal styling.

The Queen always asks for at least two kinds of sandwiches with her afternoon tea. Often she chooses cucumber, smoked salmon, egg with mayonnaise, ham and mustard, or tuna.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind the no-no's for afternoon tea dressing – skin-tight, see-through, too low-cut or too short. Just remember to keep the look classic and chic and you will be just fine!

Whilst they both include tea as a beverage, afternoon tea includes delicate pastries, little sandwiches, scones and cakes. Whereas high tea is typically a more wholesome meal of meat, potatoes and vegetables served after a long hard day at work.

Along with purchasing several flavors of teas and making some finger foods, organize some games to help make your guests feel at ease and keep the conversation rolling. Board games, croquet, cards and badminton are fine ideas for a ladies' tea party, but you can also plan some games they may have never played before.

The correct order to enjoy the food that accompanies afternoon tea is savory to sweet: sandwiches first, then scones, and sweets last. You can use your fingers to eat all three courses. To eat a scone, you simply break it in half with your fingers.

It takes place by the fireplace in the salon given homage to Marcel Proust, under his watchful portrait's eyes. Proust could also be checking on the dress code: it's smart casual chic attire – so even if you do wear jeans, please be smart.

Tea dresses are probably the most universally flattering style of dress you'll find.

What is a co*cktail dress look like? ›

Typically, a co*cktail dress hemline will fall right above the knees. If you are looking for something a little longer, avoid a floor-length gown look or maxi dresses for women. Instead, opt for a midi dress that offers a more streamlined look with its length, but is not too over the top.

Tea length ranges from the mid-calf to the knee. Terms such as “below the knee”, “co*cktail length” or “above calf” are also used for this length. Although it creates a less obvious short-and-wide silhouette than the ballerina length, this style is best combined with heels to create length in the lower body.

Dressing classy requires a bit of modesty — no midriff-baring tops, revealing low décolletage, or mini skirts. Necklines are typically collared, boatneck, crew neck or V-neck. For some variety, you can also try square, cowl, and scoop necks.

Neutral colors are often the epitome of elegance in fashion. Black, white, creme, grey, beige, as well as muted tones of green and brown, are some of the best shade choices to complement an elegant outfit. Neutral colors are sophisticating.

If you're trying to be elegant, start by wearing classic styles of clothing, like knee-length skirts and tailored button-down shirts, and choosing clothes made from high-quality fabrics, like silk and satin. Never too baggy, never too tight; the clothing of an elegant woman looks like it was made to fit just her.

Dating from the days of Queen Victoria of England, afternoon garden tea parties with over 8,000 guests each have been given annually at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II carrying on the tradition even today. It's an occasion for wearing nice dresses and suits, white cotton gloves, and even hats.

Royal tea is exactly the same as afternoon tea — complete with scones, sandwiches, sweets, and tea — but it is accompanied by a glass of champagne. Royal tea and champagne tea are names that can be used interchangeably.

Black is a completely acceptable option for high tea styling.

Though these have all the appearance of evening dresses, they are called Afternoon Dresses, which meant they would have been worn for late afternoon or early evening occasions that would have been less formal than an evening event requiring full dress. They are therefore classified as Half Dress.

What is tea length fashion? ›

adjective. (of a dress or skirt) falling below the knee and above the ankle, typically three to four inches above the ankle.

So what time should you go? People usually have afternoon tea between 3 and 5pm, and 4pm is often cited as the best time for afternoon tea. Many hotels and restaurants offer it from noon until early evening, though, so you don't have to stick to the rules if you want to have it earlier or later.

An Afternoon Tea menu should include light cakes, scones and sandwiches. Traditional sandwich fillings are often cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken or egg mayonnaise. But they should always be served with the crusts cut off - Anne, the 7th duch*ess of Bedford, was quite insistent on this point!

Afternoon Tea is a tea-related ritual, introduced in Britain in the early 1840s. It evolved as a mini meal to stem the hunger and anticipation of an evening meal at 8pm. Afternoon Tea is a meal composed of sandwiches (usually cut delicately into 'fingers'), scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes.

In addition to finger sandwiches, some tea party menus include other savories, such as savory scones, soups, quiches or lighter savory snacks, like seasoned nuts or cheese and crackers. If you are throwing a themed tea party, careful selection of other savories can help add to your theme.

The Tea Party movement was an American fiscally conservative political movement within the Republican Party that began in 2009. Members of the movement called for lower taxes and for a reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit through decreased government spending.

If you're the host of a tea party, it's always a good idea to have some discussion topics planned to make sure there are no lulls in conversation. Some fun things to discuss include the history of tea, the varieties of tea, British royalty, and of course, there's that old standby—the weather.

It's not your average plated meal, so what's the appropriate gratuity? “Tea servers are working just as hard as traditional meal servers and have studied diligently to learn the different varieties of teas, the menu, the types of Champagne, etc. So, tip the same as a standard meal,” suggests Mercer.

Best Snacks for Tea

For example, simple finger sandwiches with fresh bread, light creamy cheese or avocado and salmon are a great choice, especially with green tea. Fruit salads go well with lighter white, oolong or green teas. Scrumptious scones with clotted cream go very well with traditional black tea blends.

It was so pleasant, you were so delightful and I can't say enough about the great time we had. "Thank you so much for being so accommodating and just being a gracious hostess. You were just lovely! "We had such a wonderful time!

Can you wear jeans in the Ritz Bar? ›

The Ritz London has a dress code in different areas of the hotel as follows: Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie (jeans and sportswear are not permitted for either ladies or gentlemen) for afternoon tea in The Palm Court, and for lunch and dinner in The Ritz Restaurant and The Ritz Room.

A smart pair of jeans for men or women can be included under smart casual. I would avoid wearing anything ripped or that has large logos. You are not a brand. Ideally a more tailored pair would work best and a dark wash or black.

Smart casual. No sports shoes and trainers, wearing high-cut, Bermuda or beach shorts; swimwear; athletic singlets; cycling shorts; flip flops or thong sandals; with a bare midriff or bare feet; or wearing dirty or unkempt clothing.

All black is always chic, but other dark colors are equally slimming. Give deep greens, reds, and blues a try: The monochrome look will create a long vertical line, making your body seem tall and lean.

Black never fails to make you look slim and elegant. Darker shades of colors like blue, purple and brown can also help to hide flaws and create a slimming illusion. On the other hand, lighter colors, like white and khaki, can add pounds and give the illusion of a larger frame.

Essentially, it means you should dress in relatively formal clothing—but not too formal. It's kind of an in-between place, if you will. Think: mini and midi dresses that are chic and polished, suiting that's a bit more tailored, and footwear that feels elevated (literally, if you're wearing heels).

A good rule of thumb is to select a dark color or neutral shade for your co*cktail attire. Dark colors, such as black, navy, or dark purple, are timeless because they're sultry without screaming “look at me.” For a softer look, choose neutral tones like beige, gray, and brown.

You can also choose wide-legged or cropped ankle dress pants to wear with a fancy top. Women can certainly experiment with two-piece ensembles or even a jumpsuit; however, jeans are still a no-go for co*cktail attire. Instead, choose a formal pair of trousers that make you feel comfortable and elegant all at once.

Is a tea length dress considered formal? Tea length dresses are appropriate for formal occasions due to their timeless silhouette and conservative length.

What is co*cktail dress code for ladies? ›

A co*cktail dress for women is typically a semi-formal dress that is worn for evening events like co*cktail parties, weddings, or other special occasions. Party dresses in fabrics like silk, lace, or chiffon are classic choices for co*cktail events as it is knee-length or shorter.

co*cktail Attire for Women

Floor-length gowns should be avoided since they're too formal and are better suited for black-tie weddings. The one exception here is semi-casual maxi dresses, which you can dress up with jewelry, accessories, and chic slingbacks to meet co*cktail attire requirements.

Essentially, co*cktail attire means you need to wear a suit. But remember, this is a dress code usually reserved for occasions like weddings, celebrations and of course, co*cktail parties. As such, you should be a bit more creative with it. Start with the jacket. It wouldn't be co*cktail dress without some form of blazer.

There's little wiggle room here – you'll need a tuxedo or dinner suit, a bow tie, and a white evening shirt. You can't go wrong with a classic black suit and a matching bow tie, but a tasteful navy also fits the bill here.

Essentially, it means you should dress in relatively formal clothing—but not too formal. It's kind of an in-between place, if you will. Think: mini and midi dresses that are chic and polished, suiting that's a bit more tailored, and footwear that feels elevated (literally, if you're wearing heels).

It's generally worn to special events that take place around the dinner hour, such as weddings, retirement celebrations, and of course, co*cktail parties. co*cktail attire for women includes an array of options, everything from bodycon jumpsuits and mini dresses, to maxi dresses, skirts, pantsuits, separates.

Simply stated, a co*cktail dress is a semi-formal dress intended to be worn to late-afternoon or early-evening social gatherings, events, or occasions. The answer to the transitory space between casual daytime wear and fancy evening wear, the co*cktail dress was born.

Elegant Casual

A step above resort evening, with this dress code, men are expected to wear a long-sleeve dress shirt with slacks and dress shoes—no shorts, t-shirts, or sandals. Women can wear skirts or pants with a nice top or a dress.

Maxi Dress for Happy Hour co*cktails or Dinner Date

If the fabric is more elaborate your long maxi dress is appropriate for any dressy casual event you may be going to.