Share ideas for dressing up for afternoon tea. Is your favorite tea-time outfit a silk caftan, flannel jammies, or a dress with proper hat and gloves? Do you enjoy wearing tea prints to tea? Or do you prefer something more elegant? Lace and ruffles? A feathered hat? Long pink gloves? Satins and silks? Cotton comfort? Jeans and a t-shirt you say? That's okay --- share it all here.Pictures of you in tea-time costume are welcome! But, if you are not brave enough to share a picture of 'you', simply share something you think would be FUN to wear to tea. Remember, a tea can be anything from a formal afternoon tea --- to tea in the park with a friend. It's whatever it means to you!
Whenever I think about the quintessential outfit to wear to tea, I think of something along these lines...
SourceHowever, as I am unable to afford the prices of an Edwardian lawn dress, I'll just have to move along to the 21st Century where, in truth, I'd wear jeans and a t-shirt because I adore those rustic teas such as La Tea Dah has shared. You can see what I mean right here at her Cabin-Woods Tea dated September 13, 2007. That's the post that made me a regular visitor to Gracious Hospitality.
Oh, have you all seen the Celestial Seasoning dress made from tea bags? Probably as it was featured in January of 2006 at the New York Times.
It was auctioned off to benefit research for women's heart health. That would be a stunning outfit to wear to tea. Just watch out for the tea kettle!
Most of my real life experience with tea parties has been in this capacity.
1. source
2. source
3. source
Still, I can be a young girl at heart so I've fashioned myself a tea party hat and donned my tea party dress (you'll have to take my word for that). I still couldn't bring myself to wear the heels so instead I've decided upon sensible shoes. I do have a number of blogs to visit after all!
Enjoy your time exploring La Tea Dah's Dressed-to-a-Tea!
Ah, this brings back memories of when I was just a wee girl and would have all my friends over for dress up tea parties. We would don our favorite dresses, along with some of our mother's favorite costume jewelry, and sip our "tea", being ever so proper ladies...giggling all the while! So much fun!
ReplyDeleteLove the hat dahling! : )
Jan
What a lovely lady in lavender you make Vee! Love the hat! I am more of a casual tea dresser myself as most teas I have are very small and intimate with very close friends and we go for comfort not fashion. I'll have to give this week's challenge some thought.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who moved to Florida a couple of years ago and I used to go over to her house for Sunday afternoon tea once in a while. I just went over in jeans and a tee shirt.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy those afternoons and really miss them.
I always loved paper dolls - my grandmother used to give them to me when I was little. :-)
The photos of the paper dolls brought back so many memories. Your post is wonderful. Love that victorian stuff!
ReplyDeleteI loved paper dolls as a girl and could easily sit down with the ones you've shown. From the little snips of your hat and outfit, I can see that you're the perfect tea lady today!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I've never been a tea drinker, but if you opened that Tea Room you've dreamed about I'd change my ways. Love that hat and the sensible shoes (the subject of my post for tomorrow).
ReplyDeleteThe paper dolls are wonderful and bring back memories of many long hours spent pretending. Thanks Vee.
- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife
I absolutely love your post! How creative you are. I would die to be able to wear one of those beautiful white dresses. I love the dress made out of teabags and I think every little girl in the whole world loved paper dolls. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a Phillipa Gregory book right now. I love the description of the dresses worn at court during King Henry's time. I am glad however I don't have to wear a stomacher to go with it. I'm not entirely certain what this was but it sounds dreadfull.
ReplyDeleteHaving a tea party with a proper dress sounds so delightful.
Oh and I love the peek of you under the brim.
Such a sweet post! The 'lawn' dresses --- so dainty and beautiful. Many times I've wished that it were the fashion for women to wear them yet, as I love the photo of my husband's grandmother with her sisters --- all wearing white lawn with ribbons and buttons and lace. It's a beautiful effect!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am happy that you enjoyed my cabin-woods tea. It's my firm belief that the pleasures of tea should be a part of our everyday lives. An afternoon of tea with dear friends at our cabin creates a perfect afternoon.
You look lovely dressed for tea. Have fun visiting!
LaTeaDah
Tea time is such a pleasant time of day. My husband and I have really learned a lot on our travels about the pleasures of tea. We drink several cups a day each. Usually in jeans and t-shirts or jammies. I loved this post, Vee, and your hat!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you when it comes to comfort. Great blog! Thanks for visiting mine and leaving a comment.
ReplyDeleteCatherine
My tea dress and hat has been made into a paper doll dress FOR REAL!
ReplyDeletehttp://jillthinksdifferent.blogspot.com/2008/04/look-what-i-got.html
Wheee...I AM a paper doll! I also made my own hat to go with my dress; a picture of me in my outfit inspired the paperdoll artist to render my outfit for a paper doll.
As as child I played tea party every day with the pink depression glass child's tea set that my mother had played with as a child. My daughter played with the same...now all I need is a granddaughter and we could have a four generation tea party!
And yes...we usually sipped while wearing hats and gloves.
Fun post to read! I love the elegant lawn dresses but can completely understand jeans and a t-shirt for a rustic tea. :)
ReplyDeleteThe paper dolls were fun to see and the hat is so cute!!
Revee
Very sweet entry...
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for being happy for my good testing news.
M-N
My Granddaughter and I put on hats and shawls and beads and have wonderful tea parties....Mary
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post from a beautiful lady in a lavender hat wearing comfortable shoes! It's my kind of tea outfit! I loved the lawn ladies and paper dolls!
ReplyDeleteI loved the images. I am one that would be in jeans, I am afraid. Those dresses are fantastic though, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful photographs. I especially like all the paperdolls! How nostalgically sweet!
ReplyDeleteMy closet is full of sensible shoes too...so is my wardrobe...I like it when I was much more nonsensical....LOL, it was more fun!
ReplyDeleteLove the hat.....
..your box went out today..I forgot to put a note in it but you know its from me.....
Hugs,
Robin
I would love the Edwardian lawn dress... but I might get it dirty... I am a mess pot... lol
ReplyDeleteI did see your sweet comment on Tina's blog .... you made about me .... Thank you sweet Vee
Hugs
Linda
Oh my goodness, the lawn dresses are spectacular! Kathy@ Mimi's Garden
ReplyDeleteHi Vee - SOOOOO nice to hear from you! I had a completely wonderful day today and felt great all day! Don't know if I can expect it every day but it was fantastic!
ReplyDeleteMe? Jeans and T-shirt girl - I never played "tea party" as a little girl. I was a huge tomboy - I was Tarzan, Palladin (remember him?), and a motorcycle rider (with the piece of cardboard clothespinned to the spokes of my bike) My dolls that my mama got me laid in their crib most of the time - didn't get played with much! But I LOVE the idea of the lawn dresses and a tea party - very dreamy. Like your hat, too! Hugs! Vickie
You look quite the lady wearing that pretty hat Vee! I love this post! Seeing the paper dolls brought back memories such memories. I use to cut up the Sears catalog and make my own papper dolls.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tea is Celstial Seasonings. My son and daughter-in-law once lived within walking distance of Celstial Seasonings Boulder, CO, factory! The factory had a lovely tea room where a visitor could sample almost all of their teas for free! A new coorporation recently bought the company and now sadly the tea room has become all modernized, and they only have a few samples available :-(
They still offer a tour of their factory though. The peppermint room is something to behold!
Thanks for all your kind words about the Civil War veteran project.
Hugs, Pat
Sweet post Vee! I drink tea every afternoon with my husband. I am in jeans and t-shirt, covered in tile adhesive and grout :-).
ReplyDeleteBut I love to go to tea rooms in the summer and wear a pretty floral dress and pastel sweater...
Hugs,
Penny
Those lawn dresses are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI like your hat and shoes!
I always loved paper dolls!
Fun post!
Katherine
Your previous post: I do adore that house!! I do...how do you know me so well? I could move right in there....thats so me....
ReplyDeleteThanks for luring me back..my curiosity got the best of me....
hugs,
Robin
Robin, I was so bad. I still can't believe that I went off to fetch you! Thanks for indulging me.
ReplyDeleteThe lovely white dresses really evoke the charms of a great tea event.
ReplyDeletethose white gowns are just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMillie
Paper Dolls, how I remember them, they were so much fun, as always your post was very enjoyable!!
ReplyDeleteI love those paper doll! So sweet and they bring back such a rush of memories!
ReplyDeleteThe white gowns are beautiful--wish I had one! Thanks for sharing them...and your hat and shoes. I have many blogs to visit, too. I may need to borrow some sensible shoes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post! Loved the ladies in the white dresses, and that tea bag dress is really something. The paper dolls are so sweet and whimsical, and then a little glimpse of Vee, in a beautiful hat, with a peak at a pretty floral dress and my kind of shoes, cool, summery, and comfy!! LOL Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, I loved paper dolls when I was little, well actually, I still kinda like them. :o)
ReplyDeleteAlso, love your hat, it's wonderful!