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Wear·Afternoon tea

What to wear to afternoon tea.

A slow table, good light, and one outfit that behaves for two hours.

Plan an afternoon tea outfit
  • Classic
  • Light layer
  • Considered
  • Woman in a navy crewneck knit, chocolate pleated midi skirt and dark brown leather loafers, head to toe.
    Dress · loafers
  • Man in an oatmeal wool crewneck, indigo denim and brown suede chukka boots, head to toe.
    Trousers · boots
  • Woman in an oatmeal cardigan, white tee, straight denim and brown Chelsea boots, head to toe.
    Trousers · jacket · boots
  • Man in a black fine knit polo tucked into cream tailored trousers with a dark brown leather belt and ecru suede low-top sneakers, head to toe.
    Trousers · sneakers

The idea

Soft, seated, and a little bit dressed.

Read more

Afternoon tea sits between lunch and an occasion. The outfit that works is comfortable to sit in, gentle in colour, and carries one piece with polish — a good knit, a fluid skirt, a coat you would keep on for the first ten minutes.

The capsule

  • 1

    A fluid skirt or soft trouser

    Something that drapes when seated, not something that pulls.

  • 2

    A fine knit or silk-touch top

    Mid-tone, clean neckline, no stiff collar.

  • 3

    One quiet layer

    A cardigan or unstructured blazer for the cooler room.

  • 4

    A low, considered shoe

    A loafer, a flat mule, a small heel you can walk in.

  • 5

    One good accessory

    A slim bag or a single earring. Nothing that clatters on china.

Styling notes

Choose the shapes that read well sitting down, because that is the whole event. A fluid skirt or a soft wide trouser drapes rather than creases, and a fine knit stays neat through two hours at a low table. Keep to two calm tones and let one texture do the talking — a ribbed knit, a brushed wool, a touch of silk at the neckline. Skip anything with a sharp waistband or a sleeve that dips into a cup. If the light is good, a soft camel or cream layer photographs beautifully and needs nothing else beside it.

Questions

Is there a dress code for afternoon tea?

+

Most rooms ask for smart casual rather than formal. A fluid skirt or tailored trouser with a fine knit and a low shoe is comfortably within it, and a light layer covers the stricter venues.

Can I wear jeans to afternoon tea?

+

Dark, well-cut denim works in most casual tearooms when it is paired with a good knit and a proper shoe. Hotel tea rooms often prefer a trouser or a skirt, so check before you commit.

What shoes are best?

+

Something low and quiet — a loafer, a flat mule or a small block heel. You will be seated for most of it, but the walk in and out is often on hard floors.

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Plan an afternoon tea outfit

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