What to Wear to an Afternoon Tea Party

If you receive an invitation to an afternoon tea party, you need to know what to wear for the occasion. This depends largely upon the type of party and the guest list. To determine what to wear to an afternoon tea party, start by browsing the invitation. Sometimes the host requests specific attire in the text of the invitation. If the host does not include attire information on the invitation, look for clues in the invitation about what attire to wear. For example, an afternoon princess tea party for children suggests you and your child dress inprincess gear, such asfancy dresses, white gloves, sparkly jewelry, and atiara. Selecting the appropriate outfit makes the occasion more enjoyable.

Types of Attire for Tea Parties
Consult the host of the party to discover the type of tea party, such as a formal, garden, costume, or casual. This information helps you determine the appropriate clothing to wear.

Consider the location of the tea party. A tea party at a fancy hotel requires more formal attire, while a tea party in a garden is less formal. When in doubt about the appropriate attire, call the host and ask.

 Appropriate Tea Party Attire
Use the following ideas as guidelines to dress for an afternoon tea party. The most important aspect of dressing is that you and your family or guests dress neatly in clean, pressed clothing.

Children's Tea Party
The clothing you wear to attend a children's afternoon tea party depends on the occasion, location, and theme of the party. Afternoon "high tea" requires smart casual attire, such as party dresses or sundresses, casual jewelry, and a fancy hat orfascinator. Have boys wear pressed khakis and a polo shirt, or nice slacks with a sport coat.

Bridal Tea Party
Manybridal showers occur as afternoon tea parties. Unless otherwise specified, these events are traditionally smart casual. In the summer, wear a pretty sundress and a shrug or lightweight jacket. For a winter shower, select a warmer dress and sweater. Depending on the temperature, wear bare legs or hosiery. Finally, check to see if hats are necessary, and choose a cute garden hat for an outdoor tea or a more formal hat for an indoor tea.

High Tea
The British tradition of high tea comes from a light late afternoon meal served to the working class. In the United States, people associate high tea with something fancy, but it does not need to be. For a woman, a casual dress, skirt and blouse, or nice pair of slacks and an appropriate top are all acceptable. For a man, khakis and a polo serve as the perfect high tea attire.

Garden Tea Party
Many hosts have garden tea parties in the spring, summer, and early fall. These outdoor occasions call for smart casual attire. Depending on the temperature, women wearsundresses or other casual dresses, skirts and tops, or nice slacks. Men wear nicely pressed khakis, slacks, or shorts and collared shirts or polos. Many women use garden tea parties as occasions to wearhats, such as wide-brimmed hats with decorations and ribbons.


Finding the Appropriate Attire
For most tea parties, follow the smart casual guidelines. If the tea is more formal or features a specific theme, contact your host or hostess to determine the best clothing to wear. Choose clothes that are presentable and that you are comfortable in, with nicely styled hair and attractive shoes and accessories. Avoid excessively revealing clothing, as well as clothes such as ripped jeans, sport shoes, and T-shirts. Consider the general attire of the location of the afternoon tea party, as well. For example, if the host holds the tea in an upscale restaurant or country club, check the restaurant or club's required attire and then dress appropriately.


How to Find Attire for an Afternoon Tea on eBay
Reliable merchants oneBay offer an array of items to wear to an afternoon tea party. To find this merchandise, enter the appropriate keywords in the search box available on every page on eBay. Then, further refine the results by entering additional keywords. Choose tea party attire that looks nice and feels comfortable. If you wish, experiment with fun fashions, such as hats and fascinators. Select items of clothing to wear to the party that you can also wear for other occasions. Get prepared for your next afternoon tea party and find a stunning outfit to impress friends and family.