Dressing up is all part of the fun, the occasion, and the glamour of afternoon tea. It’s a tradition that we continue here at Aimee Provence. But did you know that the connection between tea with friends and looking fabulous goes all the way back to the French Queen, Marie Antoinette?

In fact, even before Marie Antionette, fashionable ladies in the early eighteenth century often entertained friends in the mornings, while still in their enormous feather beds. Propped up against mountains of pillows, perfumed, and wearing gowns of silk and lace, they indulged in tea and gossip. But back to Marie Antionette whose love of both fine tea and high fashion first made dressing up for tea ultra-desirable. The Queen adored the most expensive fragrant, floral blends like jasmine and rose – so much so that she served it only to those wearing the most fabulous outfits. And so was born the association of drinking tea with extravagance and elegance. 

Marie Antoinette 1780

Now think of Jane Austen’s novels of the early nineteenth century ( like Pride and Prejudice) and you’ll imagine women continuing that tradition – chatting and flirting over tea in their gloves, beribboned bonnets and their gowns made of hand-embroidered muslin, trimmed with gold and silver.  Afternoon tea became “a thing” in the 1840s when Anna, Duchess of Bedford started ordering a pot of tea and slice of cake in her room at four pm to sustain her during the long hours between luncheon and dinner at around eight or nine in the evening. 

And you only have to think of Lady Mary in all her oh-so-stunning dresses in Downton Abbey to guess that the Tea Gown’s heyday was the Edwardian period at the turn of the twentieth century. The Downton ladies enjoyed Afternoon Tea in loose-fitting, feminine gowns of sheer chiffon and smooth, luminous silk, trimmed with beads and lace. The ultra-feminine Tea Gown lingered in high society until the 1920s.

Fast forward to 2021 and you can enjoy dressing up for an indulgent Afternoon Tea full of fun, laughter, and glamour. At Aimee Provence, you can celebrate your love of dressing up and feeling ultra-feminine for the occasion. So go on, wear a gorgeous dress and sexy heels, sip a fragrant cup of quality tea, nibble on the most delicate cakes and pastries and make some treasured memories with friends. 

You could even raise a glass of bubbly and salute Marie Antoinette who started the whole, wonderful tradition of girls dressing up for Afternoon Tea.