Whether you are hosting any party or attending one, what to wear is always a huge question to deal with. If you are planning to throw or attend a tea party soon, this is your complete guide for what to wear to a tea party. With the help of this guide, you will be able to select the perfect tea party attire. Moreover, you can also help others to choose their tea party outfits too.ย
1. What Is a Tea Party?
A tea party is a social get-together where friends, family, and/or colleagues sit together, chitchat, and take tea and refreshments. Refreshments may include a variety of snacks and drinks. There would be tea, sandwiches, juices, fruits, salads, muffins, cakes, and whatnot!!
Also, there might be some games, light music, and dance, and of course, lots of selfies and group photos too. Finally, everyone departs with lots of sweet and happy memories. Overall, it would be a very refreshing experience for all.
1.1 Different Types of Tea Parties
Traditionally, tea parties are arranged during the noon time and afternoon time of the day. It can be at lunchtime with a full meal menu, which means between 12 pm to 2 pm. It can also be at early supper time with light refreshments, which means between 3 pm to 5 pm, or at high tea time, which means between 5 pm to 7 pm.
On the other hand, you can have a morning tea party too. Usually, late morning time, which means 10.30 am to 11.30 pm, is preferred. Overall, it would be a brunch kind of get-together.
Above all, tea parties can be organized for different reasons. It might be organized for formal meetups, celebrations, or very casual chitchats.
1.1.1 Celebration Tea Parties
The joy of celebration doubles up when near ones and dear ones join them. There are many occasions when people arrange a tea party. Some of them are:
- Engagement
- Weddingย
- Bridal shower
- Baby shower
- Birthdayย
- Anniversary
1.1.2 Business Tea Party
These are mostly formal or semi-formal parties. Firms and companies arrange parties to celebrate achievements and cheer up employees. For example:
- Welcome tea partyย
- Farewell tea party
- Business meeting party
- New project and milestone achievement party
1.1.3 Achievement Tea Party
When people like to share their achievements like degrees, jobs, promotions, or any new milestone of their life, they throw parties.
1.1.4 Friends Tea Parties
Whether children, teenagers, young adults, or older ones, all love to spend time with their friends. Thus, when friends decide to spend some quality time together, they go for a tea party.
2. Tea Party Etiquette Rules
If you are the host, so please decide your venue and time well in advance. And if needed, book the venue. Consider public holidays or weekends, so there is no inconvenience to anyone. Furthermore, convey theme and dress codes to your guests in advance, so they can make arrangements accordingly.
And if you are a guest, please obey the hostโs requests and stick to the dress code. Donโt forget to make the necessary arrangements for the same. Please reach the party on time.
2.1 Tea Party Attire Rules
As it is known that most tea parties are daytime parties, choose your tea party outfit and look accordingly. Please maintain a formal or semi-formal look to have elegant clothing.ย
It is advisable to choose bright and soft colors or pastel shades, though no hard rule. But please avoid white and cream shades if possible. You should also let go of black for the tea party.ย
Most importantly, please donโt land at the party in your pajamas until you are asked to do so. As you are not invited to have a bed tea, right?!ย
Similarly, avoid a very bold look. Always make sure that you donโt steal the spotlight from the spotlight person as well as from the host. Remember, balance is the key. So, please donโt overdress or underdress.ย
3. What To Wear To a Tea Party: A Complete Guide
Being the host, you have a right to choose the season, venue, and timing of the party. So, choose wisely.
In contrast, if you are a guest, you need to go through host requests, short out options, and make a final choice of elegant and sophisticated attire.
So now, letโs first list down a few essential things. It will narrow down the options, and eventually, it will provide a clear picture to decide what to wear to a tea party.
3.1 Important Points to Decide What To Wear To a Tea Party
You should consider these points before selecting the tea party outfit:
3.1.1 Theme and Dress Code
Nowadays, most of the hosts decide to throw theme-based parties, like color themes, Hollywood themes, Boho themes, and many more.ย
Sometimes, there will be only dress codes, like formal or semi-formal dress codes. Whether you like it or not, you must follow it.
Please check your invitation well in advance and have clear communication with the host, so that you donโt miss any minute detail.ย
3.1.2 Occasion
Please dress according to the occasion. As discussed earlier, there might be a celebration or a business meetup. They both require distinct dressing, right?ย
Similarly, a family party and a friend party need different dressing. Thatโs why, choose carefully.
3.1.3 Time, Weather, and Venue
Though the tea parties are arranged in the daytime, you would have choices for the morning, noon, and afternoon tea parties. Sometimes, even a high tea party would be there. Also, the weather will affect your choice, as many places have unpredictable weather changes.
You would not choose full-length and full-sleeved thick clothes for summer or short dresses that reveal too much skin in winter. The same goes for a venue.
If the venue is an outdoor venue, like a garden tea party, you need to consider color, pattern, and style accordingly. You have to carry an overcoat, shawl, or scarf to be safe against any weather change.ย
Whereas, for the indoor venue, there is no worry of rainfall or snowfall. Similarly, for an air-conditioned venue, you can choose a dress without worrying about heat and sweating.ย
Finally, we are clear with all the important points to decide what to wear to a tea party. Now, we will see outfit ideas for everyone, because who doesnโt want to have a nice dress for the party?
3.2 What To Wear To a Tea Party: Outfit Ideas for Women
First thing first, you need to follow the tea party dress code, if any. If not, then first shortlist your tea party outfit based on the above-mentioned points.
You can choose a knee-length dress, ankle-length dress, skirt and blouse combo, shirt and midi length skirt, etc. Go for soft colors and pastel colors. You can consider plain as well as floral prints. Please avoid wearing white if you are not a spotlight person.ย
If you are the spotlight woman, you can choose flowy dresses as tea party outfits. As you would surely love to look topnotch and rock your look. Nonetheless, you should be confident enough, while deciding the tea party dress code and theme.ย
Please donโt forget to choose jewelry, makeup, and hairstyle in advance. Also, select accessories and footwear which can complete your look.
If you have a partner, your looks should complement each other. Either match or contrast your look with the partner.
So, letโs take a look at your choices.
3.2.1 What To Wear To a Bridal Shower Tea Party
If you are the bride-to-be, you can dress like a showstopper. Choose the gorgeous dress, a statement necklace, or other accessories, and pair it with heels or wedges.ย
As a host, friend, and guest, you can go for formal gowns or semi-formal dresses. Bridesmaids can match or contrast their dress with the bride.
3.2.2 What To Wear To an Engagement Tea Party
For the engagement, wedding, or even anniversary look, do pair up with your partner. You can go for cocktail attire.
The bride can surely dress like a Met Gala, but elegance and comfort is the key.
Host and Guest women can follow the bridal shower look.
3.2.3 What To Wear To a Baby Shower Tea Party
The mother-to-be can pair up her look with the partner, as well as with the other family members.
Whereas the host and gusset should dress up moderately.
3.2.4 What To Wear To a Business Tea Party
It is a more formal event. So, women can opt for suits, full-length jumpsuits, or tailored dress pants with a collared shirt. You can consider pearl necklaces and nude heels to complete the look.
3.2.5 What To Wear To a Birthday Tea Party
If itโs your birthday, you are the queen. Make sure that everyone can spot the birthday girl in the party crowd. Wear strappy sandals, closed-toe pumps, or ballet flats.
If itโs not your birthday, please control your urge to dress like one till your birthday. You can still rock the look with girlish outfits.
For the garden party, you can choose a floral print dress or a plain midi skirt with a floral print top.
3.2.6 What To Wear To Friends Tea Party
Here, no one is in the spotlight, so everyone is in. Either match with each other or just let everyone flaunt their style. You can play with fun colors and funky styles. Also, you can flaunt a nice hat and dainty jewelry.ย Donโt forget to complete your look with flip-flops, crocs, or block heels.
Donโt forget to click lots of pictures and shoot trendy reels with your gang.
3.3 What To Wear To a Tea Party: Outfit Ideas For Men
Most importantly, donโt forget to go through the tea party theme and dress code first. Now, you can pick out some attires based on the previously mentioned points.
You can choose a three-piece suit for a more formal tea party. For a semi-formal tea party, dress pants with a collared shirt. Please wear a nice pair of formal shoes, like boat shoes, oxford shoes, loafers, etc.
As a spotlight person, you can add a tie, lapel pin, buttons, and charms for a sophisticated attire look. Also, make sure that your look complements your partner, if you have one.ย
Take a look at your choices:
3.2.1 What To Wear To an Engagement Tea Party
First and foremost, discuss your look with your lady love. From now on, you both will need to complement each otherโs look. You can follow this for the engagement, weddings, and then, lifelong anniversaries.
As a Groom, choose a sophisticated formal attire, and pair up it with a classy watch and a nice pair of shoes. Do accessorize accordingly.
Host and guest men can follow themes and dress codes, if any. Otherwise, choose formal attire. Groomsmen can match or match with the groom.
3.2.2 What To Wear To a Baby Shower Tea Party
The father-to-be can match or contrast his look with his partner and the family.
Whereas, the host and guest can dress up in formal and semi-formal attires.
3.2.3 What To Wear To a Business Tea Party
Needless to say, you need to dress formally, as it is going to be a formal tea party. You can opt for a suit, or trousers with a collared shirt and a waistcoat, or trousers with a blazer.
3.2.4 What To Wear To a Birthday Tea Party
Of course, the birthday boy has full freedom here. You can dress like a Prince Charming or a superhero from the Marvel stories.
Nonetheless, other men can go for formal, semi-formal, or even smart casual looks.
3.2.5 What To Wear To Friends Tea Party
As it is a casual tea party, it is like a wish come true, right? Here, you can plan to go in a button-down shirt and shorts. You can even wear jeans with a floral print shirt.
Moreover, itโs a perfect time to flaunt your sneakers. You can also have a cowboy look. Also, donโt forget to take plenty of snaps with your squad.
3.4 What To Wear To a Tea Party: Outfit Ideas For Children
The best part of being a child is, the child may hardly look overdressed or underdressed!!
Children can rock the themes and dress codes like anything. But we canโt bound them to strictly follow the rules, thatโs tough.
But yes, if it is a childโs special occasion, then you need to please them to dress like the one.
Just play with their look and let them steal the hearts of party people with their cuteness.ย
3.2.1 What To Wear To a Birthday Tea Party
Itโs a birthday of your piece of heart, and you are confused about his or her look.ย
Most children love birthdays. And they can celebrate everyoneโs birthday as their birthday. You can just style them in their favorite cartoon character outfits or superhero outfits.
Most girls are fond of Disney princesses, and here is that time.
As a guest, their presence is enough, what to say about their charm when they dress up!!
3.2.2 What To Wear To Other Tea Parties
Above all, for any other parties, you have plenty of options for children.ย ย
Just play with their look, and they will take care of catching attention by themselves.
4. Summary
In summary, a tea party is a get-together that is organized during the daytime. One can give the tea party for different reasons. It can have a tea and light refreshment and also brunch and full luncheon meal.
Always maintain attire etiquette and dress as per the occasion. Remember that the host and spotlight persons should dress like the center of attraction. Other guests should dress elegantly, but moderately.
Firstly, consider all the important points to decide what to wear to a tea party.ย You need to consider the tea party theme and dress codes, special occasion, weather, time, and venue.
Please consider your closeness to the host. Then you can choose the color, fabric, pattern, and style of your tea party attire. Donโt forget to choose footwear, the right accessories, hairstyle, makeup, and other essentials.
So, we hope that it will be a helpful guide for you to decide what to wear to a tea party. Have a refreshing tea party!!
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Last Updated on by Sanjana
