Salla VartiainenThis text contains affiliate links. That means that if you click a link and end up buying something I get a very small commission. But I would never recommend or link to an item that I didn´t actually like.
What to wear for Afternoon Tea?
The next question that arrises after booking your tea is of course – what should you wear? You don´t want to show up neither underdressed nor overdressed. And you absolutely do not turn up in your old sneakers!
My advice is – Do dress up! Afternoon Tea is a fun occasion and to dress up a bit with your family and friends makes it even more enjoyable 🙂
Hats used to be very fashionable! Photo by Christina Broom
Where are you going?
How much you should dress up depends on where you are going. Are you going to a 5-star hotel? A tea-house? Or maybe to have tea in a nice garden? Depending of the type of establishment there might be different requirements. Just like you probably do not want to be wearing stilettos to a garden party and get stuck in the lawn.
At the Royal Lancaster the dresscode was quite relaxed. I wore a long patterned dress with a pair of white loafers
General dresscode for Afternoon Tea
If you don´t know the dresscode I would recommend you to go for the smart casual look.
Opting in for a dress that covers the knees is a good choice, or maybe some nice looking slacks with a silk blouse? Florals are a classic choice and don´t forget to accessorize with jewellery!
In Paris i wore these fab pearl earrings from Studio Minerva
Skip the following
- too much clevage
- the jeans
- the sneakers
- the pants with holes
- yoga pants.
- open toe shoes
- too tight and revealing outfits
- too long or wide sleves (they can accidentaly get dipped in the tea)
High heels are not forbidden but kitten heels, wedges, or flats may be a better choice.
Men can wear suits, neat slacks, shirts with collars and the shoes should always be clean. Sneakers are not accepted.
Afternoon Tea outfits
Here are some dresses that would do the job. With a blue theme because I´m trying to find a blue dress for my self at the same time haha.
Short dress with marine theme
Cute short dress with a belt with a marine pattern.
From Angoor at Jacobssons
Cornflower blue midi-dress
Elegant cornflower blue midi-dress. This type of dress is so versitile! With the right accessories it would be perfect for tea. I especially love the three-quarter sleeves. Skip the sneakers though.
Dress Hedda from Jascha
Floral dress
This dress with long earrings and wedges!
Long flowy dress
This dreamy dress maxi dress with puff sleves
Blue linnen dress
Another favorite from Jascha, but this one is in linnen! Which is like my prefered material for summer days. The upside with chosing a monochrome dress is that it´s easier to style how ever you want.
Dress Ana from Jascha
Shoes and handbag
If you are going for the classic conservative look you should match handbag with the shoes. This is not mandatory though.
Don´t forget the jewellery!
Accessorize! Tea time is the perfect occasion to wear all that nice jewellery. I have coveted many of my fellow guests jewellery from behind my teacup.
Artemis long earrings
Pearls are a classic choice. Like this long freshwater pearl earrings from my jewellery store Studio Minerva.
Leopard ring in trendy yellow
Stunning rings that draw attention to your hands are also a good choice. Like these Leopard rings with a big sparkly cubic zircon.
Candy Darling big tennis bracelets
Dazzling bracelets with a modern take makes the arm more interesting, maybe in a stack with different hues. Like these Candy Darling tennis bracelets with big crystals
If you still feel unsure – the easiest way to know is of course to contact the venue and ask them about their dresscode. Some places have the dresscode stated on the website, but most of them don´t.
Hope you have a great tea experience!
xoxo/Salla V