The Proper Attire for a Tea Party and Other Occasions

The one things that seems to be predominant throughout all of America is that people do not know how to dress up for occasions anymore.  I have been to the ballet and the opera and have seen people come in jeans.  I am appalled.  What is acceptable at a movie is not acceptable at the Metropolitan Opera.  I have not been to Europe, but from some friends that have been, I understand that at least in some countries people wear gowns and tuxedos to these concerts, and rightfully so for they are formal affairs.  Just as Americans have lost all respect for each other in the way of courtesy, manners, and etiquette, so we too have lost all sense of appropriate attire.  That should not be surprising, I suppose, as the two really do go hand in hand.

As one of the main subjects of this blog is Tea Parties, I will mainly address this area of attire.  Much of your decision as to what to wear should come from common sense as to what you will be encountering in the type of event you are attending.  There tend to be a few different categories of Tea Parties - Formal, informal, business, and outdoor.


"Formal" Afternoon Teas (in tea rooms, for showers, etc.) would require dressier types of clothes.  For men a suit is the proper attire. For women a dress is definitely preferred, but it must not be a miniskirt.  The idea is to strive for elegance.  Knee length to ankles are the style dresses that are acceptable.  A dressy pantsuit (not business style) is also acceptable, but you are also striving for femininity, so dresses are more appealing for that purpose.  Hats are not only a nice touch, they really are indispensable for having the real Tea experience, and essential for garden teas.  Some tea rooms have hats which they keep for guests to wear, but personally I do not care to put a hat on my head that has been on dozens or possibly hundreds of other women's heads.