What to wear-London afternoon tea

[Whentostarthrt]

Have been invited to a 40th birthday afternoon tea in a posh London hotel (not the Ritz!) in late November. I’m feeling it will be a little bit too early to go full Christmas glitz - what would you wear to give a nod to it being nearly Christmas without looking like you’ve jumped the gun a bit?

Thanks for the thread OP. Like you I have a good bit of satin and velvet in the wardrobe but mot always sure of combos. I also have a faux leather mini that I'm unsure of and I have a late November lunch! 😃

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie oh yes! The 90s velvet dresses. I loved those. Have just remembered I had two fluffy cardis from Gap of all places, which were ballet style and tied with a satin ribbon, and I wore them to death with a knee length a-line skirt and knee high boots. I loved that outfit so much!

I know what you mean re black boots/black dress being a bit much - I think that’s where I struggle with my nice skirts. Shoes probably work better but I feel too formal in them!

@mikado1 Yes it’s the combination of textures I find difficult! I know the fashionistas all rave about combining texture for contrast etc, but I just can’t seem to make it work without looking just a bit odd or too much when I add in boots as well.

That is such a beautiful dress- omg I adore it

😄 The Carven site is one of my favourite places to spend an idle twenty minutes. The clothes were breathtaking under Louise Trotter, so I’m hoping the ‘sixty square metres of a fabric never seen before, falling off the body, or at least not touching it’ style won’t change too much under the new head designer.

It does rather spoil one for real life clothes, though!

I am a big fan of Sainsburys clothing but this is particularly impressive! Hard to believe this is from a supermarket!

That green Sainsbury’s dress is beautiful- agree it’s hard to believe it’s from a supermarket! Not keen on the colour for me, but would look stunning on the right person.
Have just spent a happy hour going through my wardrobe and trying combinations I would t have previously thought to put together. Have identified that I need a beautiful white silky/satin shirt with an interesting collar, to layer under cardis and jumpers. I have a very old one but it’s a bit tatty and over-embellished. All suggestions appreciated (don’t worry about budget, just for inspiration!)

Not white and fiendishly expensive, but this is beautiful. www.meandem.com/silk-embroidery-detail-shirt-smoke-pink

That pink shirt is gorgeous.

My friend has a lovely selection of vintage silky pussycat bow blouses that she finds in second hand shops.

I really like the Sainsbury’s dress, except for the sheer sleeves, which cheapen it imo. Love the colour, though I don’t think it would love me.

OMG that pink Me+Em shirt is stunning 😍 Sadly I cannot justify nearly £300 on one shirt, as beautiful as it is. I’ll see if Google search throws up anything similar! That’s exactly the kind of thing I had in mind

I love all those pale pink cards, but not sure the colour would suit me. Have a gorgeous grey embellished one, but it's wool and I am always too hot! I can't picture a 90s style velvet dress, anyone got a picture?

I say wear whatever you want. Sparkle if you want to sparkle. At afternoon tea I have seen everything from ripped jeans to cocktail dresses. Life's too short to forgo the sparkle, IMHO!

Glad to hear it’s not the Ritz. Unless you absolutely need to be immersed in Rococo excess, leave it for the tourists. Their bar is OK though.

Come on OP, we need to know which hotel. The styles are wildly different, from Neo-traditional to mad modernist minimalism.

As a bloke (who adores afternoon tea dates) I can go from country gent in tweed with fedora, to gothic punk. Depends on the venue. Always fun to swap them around though. 😀

One cautionary tale: Long ago I invited a female friend to tea at the Ritz. She arrived wearing quite smart designer jeans. The doorman wouldn’t let her in! He said no jeans. I immediately, and confidently, responded that they are not jeans (they were), they are blue trousers. He did not know how to respond and stood aside. It was quite funny.

We have a lovely fabric shop near where I live that sells beautiful buttons, I’ve quite often changed buttons on things I’ve bought. They also sell some beautiful collars, not the ones on a bib, ones that you stitch on

https://www.marksandspencer.com/ie/satin-appliqu-v-neck-lace-trim-midi-dress/p/clp60771687?extid=ps_ps-pla-pmax_ggl_ww_ch__-IE-_-_bau&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20082114896&gbraid=0AAAAAD7g6bSDl2a2CcU4EeuieueZ2Z31U&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiebIBhDmARIsAE8PGNJcrLvn1Sgn_4jHC5jv2DFd5L28VkmdGRNqdtsenwl27KuJfTq8fJsaAhj0EALw_wcB
This is nice.

I have just bought this (in cream) from Sainsburys. I wore it to a meal last night and received several compliments and people were genuinely surprised when I said it was Tu! It's a much finer 'fluff' than the picture shows, and the little bow buttons add just the right amount of sparkle.

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/product/tuc146456473

Oh that cardi is so pretty! Love the M&S dress too.

Hadn’t thought of changing buttons or sewing on collars - that’s a great idea, although I am not v good at sewing. There’s a lovely haberdashers shop in our local town (the old fashioned style)- maybe I’ll pop in this week for inspiration!

Is it Browns, Claridge's, Dorchester, the Savoy, the Hilton?

I love wearing my leather midi skirt. I wear it with a silky blouse and knee high leather boots. Always get loads of compliments on it. I finish it with a belt, I have a Gucci one but the thin Ralph Lauren one looks so much better x

Will add leather skirt/silky top combo to my list of things to try, thanks! Are your boots the same colour as the skirt? I have some nice suede boots that might work

I was in my local (enormous) Sainsbury’s yesterday and they had lots of lovely things, including some at 30% off. For your sort of posh afternoon tea I would consider a range they have in William Morris prints but there would be all sorts of other suitable options.

Long boots, midi skirt or dress, coat or jacket with something in velvet or velvet trim. Jewel colours are nice too. Some gold jewellery if it suits you.

I’ll go and have a look in Sainsbury’s when I get a chance- we haven’t got one close so it’s not somewhere I go regularly. There is one in the nearest big town though so will have a look! Have been perusing Vinted all afternoon as well - trouble is I think once you’ve clicked on a few things, it only shows you stuff in that style - which is great but means I’m looking at all the same kind of stuff and not being adventurous. Loving the range of ideas people have suggested and all the different budgets as well!

Wear what you have and a nice scarf with yr dressy coat, you can guarantee the table next to you will be weating jeans and old anoraks so i wouldnt worry x