The origins of the Tea Dress are linked to the fashion of Afternoon Tea - a tradition believed to have been started by Anna Maria Stanhope, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1841. It began with Stanhope's daily ritual of tea and a light snack to fill the gap between lunch and dinner. She would invite friends to join her, thus creating a new social event that became an important part of British society, still enjoyed today.
When Anna’s habit became public knowledge, the craze of taking Afternoon Tea spread like wildfire throughout the upper classes. Ladies across the land would dress up in their finery and visit each other’s houses to have a gossip over tea. Books at the time contained entire chapters devoted to the proper etiquette of Afternoon Tea. The Tea Dress started life as a garment made solely for informal entertaining within the home - not worn with corsets, they were a form of liberation
for the women of the time, showing the beginnings of a slightly more
relaxed style of women’s clothing.
 |
| 1970s Bellville Sassoon dress |
 |
| Crepe navy print dress |
 |
| Peter Robinson 1970s dress |
 |
| 1940s brown polka dot dress |
 |
| 1940s cotton dress |
All items posted are for sale.
If you have any queries please leave a comment or visit us at Grays in Mayfair, London
Alternatively you can call us on 020 7409 0400 or email info@vintagemodes.co.uk
