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11 Unique Afternoon Tea Drinks

Never feel limited to only serving tea or coffee at an Afternoon Tea, High Tea or Garden Tea Party. We have lots more ideas that you can delight your guests with.

VIENNA CHOCOLATE

Mix three heaped tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate into a paste with cold water. Pour it into a double boiler with four cups of hot milk. Add sugar to taste, and let cook for five minutes. Beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth and put them into the cups. Put a teaspoonful of vanilla into the chocolate after taking off the heat. Pour the hot chocolate very slowly upon the beaten whites of the eggs, stirring constantly with a silver spoon or a wooden stick. This makes delicious, frothy chocolate. The cocoa which comes in packages may be used instead of grated chocolate.

LEMONADE

Select perfect lemons and roll until soft. Extract the juice, using a glass lemon squeezer, and rejecting the seeds and pulp. Rub sugar over the peel of the lemon to extract the oil, and add to the lemon juice. Fill a glass pitcher one-third full of broken ice, pour the lemon juice upon the ice, and add granulated sugar and water to taste.

Libbly Iced Tea Goblets

ICED TEA

Make tea according to the directions given above, using two or three extra teaspoonfuls of tea. Fill a glass pitcher half full of broken ice, and pour the tea, scalding hot, upon the ice, being careful that the stream strikes the ice and not the pitcher. Serve with sugar, and slices of lemon.

PINEAPPLE CUP

Put into a bowl the juice of three lemons, two oranges, sliced and seeded, one grated pineapple, and one cup of sugar. Let stand an hour to extract the juice, then strain through a fruit press. Add to the juice as much cold water as desired, and two slices of pineapple, shredded. Pour into glasses half full of cracked ice.

RASPBERRY CUP

Mash and strain two cups of currants stripped from the stems. Mash also an equal quantity of raspberries. Mix the juices, sweeten to taste, and serve in glasses with cracked ice and cold water.

PINEAPPLE LEMONADE

One cup of sugar, one cup of canned pineapple, one cup of water and the juice of two lemons.

Boil the sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. Put the pineapple through the fruit press and add to the syrup with the juice of the lemons. When ready to serve, add water and sugar to taste. Serve ice cold.

BLACKBERRY SHRUB

For every cup of fruit juice add half a cup of apple cider vinegar and two cups of sugar. Heat the fruit, sugar, and vinegar stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves, and it boils into a thick syrup. Skim if necessary, strain, and bottle. When served, allow one-fourth cup of syrup to half or three fourths of a cupful of ice water.

RASPBERRY SHRUB

Use ripe red raspberries, and prepare according to directions given above for Blackberry Shrub.

RASPBERRY DASH

Fill the tumbler half full of cracked ice. Add one tablespoonful of sweetened raspberry juice and one tablespoonful of cream. Fill the glass with soda water.

MINT SANGAREE

Crush two or three sprays of mint with a lump of sugar. Put into a glass half full of cracked ice. Add four tablespoonfuls of grape juice and fill the glass to the brim with charged water. Shake thoroughly and strain into another glass.

SELTZER LEMONADE

Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a tall glass, add two inches of shaved ice, two heaping teaspoonfuls of sugar and fill the glass with seltzer or Apollinaris.

TEMPERANCE PUNCH

Upon a tablespoonful of good tea pour two quarts of boiling water. In the meantime have ready the juice and peelings of three lemons and one orange in a pitcher. When the tea has steeped for five minutes, strain through a fine strainer into the pitcher. Add a cup of sugar and cool slowly. At serving-time put into glasses with plenty of ice.

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THIRTY-FIVE CLASSIC CANAPÉS Recipes

THIRTY-FIVE CLASSIC CANAPÉS Recipes from the late 1890s.

Anchovy and Egg

Cover thin circles of fried or toasted bread with chopped hard-boiled eggs, lay a curled anchovy in the centre of each piece and serve either hot or cold, garnishing with minced parsley or capers.

Pimola and Anchovy

Cut thin slices of bread into fancy shapes, toast, spread with butter, and lay a curled anchovy in the centre around half a pimola. Fill the spaces with the minced whites and sifted yolks of hard-boiled eggs and border with minced capers or parsley.

Anchovy and Olive

Serve pitted olives on rounds of fried bread with an anchovy curled around each olive. Fill the space to the edge with chopped olives or rings of hard-boiled eggs. Garnish with cress.

Anchovy and Cheese

Fry small rounds of bread in clarified butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, season with salt and cayenne, and put in the oven until the cheese is melted. Fillets of anchovies may be laid on these canapés and they may be served hot or cold, garnishing with minced parsley.

Anchovy and Cayenne

Pound anchovies to a smooth paste with butter and season with cayenne and lemon juice. Spread on strips of toast or bread and lay strips of anchovy on each piece. Fill the spaces between with hard-boiled eggs chopped separately.

Watercress and Egg

Chop watercress and pickles with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and rub to a smooth paste with butter. Spread on strips of fried or toasted bread and lay an anchovy on each one.

Tomato and Anchovy

Slice large tomatoes, cut circles of bread to fit, and toast or fry the bread. Lay a slice of tomato on each piece, put a pimola in the centre, curl an anchovy around it and border with stiff mayonnaise, using the pastry bag and tube. Serve ice cold.

Anchovy Sauce Toasts

Beat together two eggs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, and salt and cayenne to season. Add three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and one tablespoonful of flour wet with cream. Spread thickly upon small slices of toast and bake until brown.

Anchovy Essence Toasts

Chop two hard-boiled eggs fine, mix to a smooth paste with melted butter, season with anchovy essence, and serve on small circles or squares of buttered toast.

Caviar and Watercress

Spread strips of toast with caviar rubbed to a smooth paste with butter, sprinkle with chopped watercress, and serve cold.

Caviar and Egg

Heat caviar with enough cream to moisten, spread on rounds of fried or toasted bread, and sprinkle with hard-boiled egg-yolks rubbed through a fine sieve. Garnish with cress.

Caviar on Rye

Spread thin rounds of toasted rye-bread with caviar, seasoned with lemon juice. Lay a slice of hard-boiled egg on each one and serve with a garnish of parsley.

Caviar Lemon and Parsley

Spread thin squares of toast with caviar seasoned with lemon juice, sprinkle with minced parsley, and border with chopped hard-boiled eggs. Garnish with lemon and parsley.

Olives and Pickles

Chop fine, olives, pimentos, and cucumber pickles. Season caviar with lemon juice and spread upon circles of fried or toasted bread. Cover with a thin layer of the chopped mixture.

Caviar on Boston Brown

Spread butter upon thin round slices of rye-bread or Boston brown-bread and lay a thin slice of cucumber, which has been dipped in French Dressing, on each piece. Remove the yolk from slices of hard-boiled egg, lay the ring of white on the cucumber, and fill the centre with caviar.

Caviar and Oysters

Season caviar with lemon juice and spread upon rounds of toasted bread. Lay an oyster on each piece and serve on a plate with a garnish of cress and lemon.

Caviar Cream

Mix caviar to a cream with lemon juice and spread on buttered toast cut into squares or diamonds. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs, chopped finely, and sprinkle with minced onion. Skinned and boned anchovies may be used instead of caviar.

Caviar Toasts

Heat a can of caviar with a little melted butter, season with lemon juice and cayenne, and serve on small squares of hot buttered toast.

Caviar Watercress Toasts

Fry small rounds of bread in butter, drain and cool. Chop watercress very fine, rub it to a paste with butter and spread on the toast. Sprinkle with salt and paprika, cover with caviar seasoned with lemon juice, and serve with a garnish of cress.

Crab and Green Pepper Toasts

Spread thick rounds of fresh bread with butter and anchovy paste, cover with crab-meat, sprinkle with minced green pepper, press firmly, and serve with a garnish of cress.

Sardines and Egg Toasts

Rub to a smooth paste the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and an equal quantity of skinned and boned sardines, seasoning with lemon-juice. Spread on narrow strips of buttered toast and serve either hot or cold.

Sardine Toasts

Drain and skin boned sardines. Sauté in butter, season with salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice, and serve hot on small strips of buttered toast.

Sardine Lemon Toasts

Drain, skin, bone, and mash sardines. Rub to a smooth paste, moistening with melted butter and lemon juice. Spread on small circles of bread, lay a ring of hard-boiled egg-white in the centre, fill the space with minced olives and surround with the sifted yolk. Serve with cress or parsley.

Sardine on Rye

Toast small slices of rye-bread and spread with sardines, pounded to a paste and rubbed smooth with butter. Arrange alternate rows of chopped hard-boiled egg yolks and whites, garnish with parsley and serve.

Sardine and Pickle

Rub boned and skinned sardines to a paste with butter and the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, seasoning with chopped pickle and parsley, lemon-juice, and mustard. Spread the paste on rounds or strips of fried bread, lay a skinned and boned sardine on each piece, heat thoroughly and serve.

Salmon and Caper Toasts

Spread rounds of fried bread with chopped smoked salmon and cover with mayonnaise to which has been added chopped capers, olives, and onion. Garnish with cress and serve cold.

Anchovy and Tomato Toasts

Fry small rounds of bread, spread with anchovy paste, lay a slice of tomato on each and serve ice-cold, garnishing with cress or parsley.

Chese Toasts

Sprinkle rounds of fried bread with grated cheese, heat until the cheese melts, and serve very hot.

Fried Bread with Caviar

Spread rounds of fried bread with caviar seasoned with lemon-juice, lay a slice of hard-boiled egg on each one, and sprinkle with chopped cress.

Ham Toasts

Rub chopped ham to a smooth paste, moistening with cream, milk, or melted butter. Spread on small rounds of fried bread, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and cayenne, and brown in a hot oven.

Cheese and Paprika Toasts

Spread small strips of bread with butter and sprinkle with salt and paprika. Cover with grated cheese, bake until the cheese softens, and serve immediately.

Excerpt from CANAPÉS by Eric Treuille 

Swiss Cheese Toasts

Butter small rounds of toast, cover with thin slices of Swiss cheese or sprinkle with grated Swiss cheese, brown in the oven, and serve hot.

Cheese and French Mustard Toasts

Spread grated cheese on small rounds of bread seasoned with salt and cayenne, and bake until the cheese is melted. The bread may be spread with French mustard before the cheese is put on.

Pate Toasts

Rub two chicken livers to a smooth paste with butter, seasoning with salt and paprika, spread on rounds of fried bread, and serve hot.

Mixed Meats Toasts

Mix equal quantities of minced cooked chicken, ham, or tongue with a little very thick cream sauce. Season with curry powder and lemon juice. Spread on small rounds of toast and serve hot, or make sandwiches of toast with the mixture between.

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Easy Afternoon Tea Cakes

Perfectly easy afternoon tea cakes that will impress your guests.

Jelly-Rolls

Take a fresh layer of sponge-cake, and while it is still warm cut off the edges, spread it with jelly, and roll it into a cylinder.

Then roll it in a stiff paper and tie it with a string. If the cake is not over-baked and is rolled while hot it will not crack. The paper will keep it in shape.

Dust with icing sugar.

Image from Serious Eats

Daisy cakes

Drop separate spoonfuls of sponge cake mixture at intervals on a baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven for a few minutes only, and watch carefully that the edges do not burn. The cakes will spread, rising in the center, and be thin on the edges.

Spread the flat sides with green colored icing. Blanch some almonds, split them, and cut them in strips. Arrange them in a circle, and place in the center a little yellow icing, or use white icing to create the daisy petals.

Daisy Cakes by Decorated Treats

Medallion fruit-cakes

Use a sponge- or a cupcake mixture and bake it in gem-pans. If they rise in the center cut off the tops to even them out.

Invert them, and with a small cutter stamp a circle in the center of each one and take out a thin layer of the cake. Cover the rest of the cakes with icing, or the cakes may be moistened with water and then rubbed over with powdered sugar to whiten them.

Place a piece of preserved peach or other fruit, in the small hole you have made and serve.

Gems fresh out of the oven

Cherry Cakes

Cut a layer of any kind of cake into pieces three inches long and two and a quarter wide.

Ice the pieces and decorate with candied cherries cut in halves with small strips of angelica imitating stems, and angelica cut in diamond-shaped pieces imitating leaves.

Domino Cakes

Cut a layer of cake into two pieces. Cover one with chocolate icing and the other with white icing. While the icing is still soft cut the cake, using a sharp knife, into pieces three inches long and one and a half inches wide.

Put a little decorating icing into a pastry bag with a plain tube with a small opening, and press it through on to the cakes in dots and lines to imitate dominoes. Use white icing for the chocolate pieces, and the same icing mixed with cocoa powder for the white pieces.

Domino Cakes by Taste

Hemispheres

¼ cupful of butter

¼ cupful of powdered sugar

¾ cupful of pastry flour

½ teaspoonful of vanilla

Yolks of two eggs.

Cream together the butter and sugar, add the yolks and flavoring, and then the flour. Make it into balls one inch in diameter, by rolling small portions of the mixture between the hands.

Roll the balls in powdered sugar and place them on a hemisphere tin. Bake them in a moderate oven for ten to fifteen minutes.

Remove and cool. Cover the flat sides of the cakes with icing of different colors and ornament with decorating icing.

Small Cake Domes By Talking Tables

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Vintage Secrets For Baking Perfect Cakes

We love the advice that many vintage recipes have for baking beautiful cakes. In this post, we have collected the best secrets for baking perfect cakes.

Eggs

The freshest eggs make the lightest cakes. You can also get lighter cakes by beating your eggs in a warm dry place. A small pinch of baking soda sometimes has the same effect.

In making cakes it is particularly necessary that the eggs should be well beaten. When beating the surface should look smooth and level, become as thick boiled custard.

The whites of eggs should be beaten until they become stiff, with no liquid in the bottom. You can check if it is stiff enough by seeing if it will stick to a fork without dropping off.

Creaming Butter and Sugar

Butter and sugar should be beaten (creamed) until it looks like thick cream, and it stands up in the pan. It should be kept cool. If too warm, it will make the cakes heavy.

Baking Pans

If large cakes are baked in tin pans, the bottom and sides should be covered with sheets of baking paper before the mixture is put in.

Sponge cakes and Almond cakes should be baked in pans that are as thin as possible.

If the cakes should get burnt, scrape them with a knife or grater, as soon as they are cool.

Always be careful to butter your pans well. Should the cakes stick, they cannot be removed without breaking.

For queen cakes, the small tins of a round or oval shape are most convenient. Fill them just a little more than half full with batter.

When the cake is baked, let it remain in the tin until it is cold. Then set it in the oven a minute, or just long enough to warm the tin through. Remove it from the oven; turn it upside down, tap the edge of the tin on the table and it will slip out with ease, leaving it whole.

Substitutions

Water can be used in place of milk in all dough.

Where any recipe calls for baking powder, and you do not have it, you can use cream of tartar and soda, in the proportion of one level teaspoonful of soda to two of cream of tartar.

When the recipe calls for sweet milk or cream, and you do not have it, you may use in place of it sour milk or cream, but not sour enough to whey or to be watery.

More Secrets For Baking Perfect Cakes

Flour should always be sifted before using it.

Eggs should be well beaten. For the best results whisk the whites and yolks separately, the yolks to a thick cream, the whites until they are a stiff froth.

Customize your own stand mixer with Kitchenaid

Always stir the butter and sugar into a cream, then add the beaten yolks, then the milk, the flavoring, then the beaten whites, and, lastly, the flour.

While the cake is baking avoid opening the oven door, only when necessary to see that the cake is baking properly. The oven needs to remain at a moderate heat, not too cold or too hot. A cake is often spoiled by being looked at too often when first put into the oven.

If, after the cake is put in the oven, it seems to bake too fast, put brown paper loosely over the top of the pan, while being careful that it does not touch the cake, and then do not open the door for five minutes at least. Then quickly check the cake and the door shut carefully, or the rush of cold air will cause it to fall. Setting a small dish of hot water in the oven will also prevent the cake from scorching.

To check when the cake is done, run a wooden skewer into the middle of it; if it comes out clean and smooth, the cake is ready.

Never stir cake after the butter and sugar are creamed, but beat it down from the bottom, up and over; this laps air into the cake batter, and produces little air cells, which cause the dough to puff and swell when it comes in contact with the heat while cooking.

When making most cakes, especially sponge cake, the flour should be added little by little, stirred very slowly and lightly, for if stirred hard and fast it will make it porous and tough.

FROSTING OR ICING.

Before you ice a cake cover it all over with flour and then wipe the flour off. This will enable you to spread the icing more evenly.

Before you cut an ice cake, cut the icing by itself with a small sharp penknife. The large knife with which you divide the cake, will crack and break the icing.

Spread the frosting with a broad knife evenly over the cake, and if it seems too thin, beat in a little more sugar. Cover the cake with two coats, the second after the first has become dry, or nearly so. If the icing gets too dry or stiff before the last coat is needed, it can be thinned sufficiently with a little water, enough to make it work smoothly.

A little lemon juice, or half a teaspoonful of tartaric acid, added to the frosting while being beaten, makes it white and more frothy.

The flavors mostly used for frosting are lemon, vanilla, almond, rose, chocolate and orange.

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Grease Party Looks

You are the one that I want… Rock a new Sandy Look at your next retro party. We have found all the Grease Party Outfits to make you look the part with ease!

Pink Lady Jacket

Grab a Pink Lady Jacket to instantly transform into a Pink Lady.

Pink Ladies Jacket by VintagePlace

Frenchy’s Jacket

Frenchy’s Pink Ladies Jacket by Fun Costumes

Pink Lady Jacket and Scarf

Sandy Wig

Don’t forget the Sandy Hair – Grab a wig and rock it like a good girl or a bad pink lady!

Grease Party Outfit - Bad Sandy
Sandy Wig by Smiffy’s
Grease Party Outfit - Good Sandy
Early Sandy Wig by Rubies

Sandy Make Over Outfit

Grease Party Outfit - bad Sandy
Deluxe Sandy Costume by Fun Costumes

Red Mules

Red Mules for that final scene!

High Heels Mules on Amazon

Black Pants

Paired with a pair of black skin tight pants….

Sexy Womens Faux Leather High Waisted Leggings on Amazon

Black Leather Jacket

Red Scarf

Vamp it up with a red scarf tied around your neck

Red Chiffon Scarf by French Costumes

Cha Cha Outfit

Or go all senior high school prom diva, aka Cha Cha, in this little number – Fabulous Grease Party Outfit!

Grease Party Outfit Cha Cha
Cha Cha Digregorio Costume – Amazon

High School Girl Outfit

Good Girl High School Costume by HipHop50s

Preppy 1950s Girl Outfit

Grease Party Outfit
Preppy 1950s style outfit by Rubies

Polka Dot Swing Dress

Grease Party Outfit
1950s polka dot dress by Samtree

Diner Girl Outfit

Get the diner look going with this cute costume by Rubies

1950s Mother Wig

Go as a parent in this flip wig.

Poodle Skirt and Top

Poodle Skirt and Top by ZEZCLO

Rizzo Outfit

Or Rock it like Rizzo in this Grease Party Outfit!

Grease Party Outfit
Rock it like Rizzo

Rizzo Sunglasses

Rizzo Wig

Frenchie Outfit

And let’s not forget fabulous Frenchy!

Put on a pink wig and a tight sweater for a classic Grease Party Outfit.

T-Bird Jacket

Get your guy in the groove too with a T-Bird Jacket!

Danny Wig

Rydell High Photo Props

Finally, add some fun photo props and you are good to party like it is 195os at Rydell High School

Grease Party Outfit


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Best Vintage Tea Party Handbags

Need the perfect handbag for that vintage tea party wedding? We have you covered. We have rounded up the very best tea party handbags, clutches, and purses for every kind of vintage tea party or high tea event.
Read More
best vintage tea party shoes

Best Vintage Tea Party Shoes

We have found the best shoes for vintage high teas, afternoon tea parties or vintage tea party weddings! All guaranteed to add that extra wow factor to your outfit!
Read More

 

The New Vintage Tea Party Book

The New Vintage Tea Party Book is all you need to plan your next tea party.

ten great tea party themes including complete style guides themed recipes and food and drink lists.

Find out how to plan the perfect vintage tea party with advice on invitations, decorations, table settings, food and drinks. Plan a vintage English High Tea Party or a Romantic French Tea Party that your friends will be talking about for years.

Includes complete style guides for 10 Uniquely Styled Events:

English High Tea Party

Romantic French High Tea Party

Shabby Chic Style Tea Party

Cream Tea Party

Retro Luncheon Tea

Garden Tea Party

Bollywood High Chai Party

Happily Ever After – Cinderella Tea Party

1920 Prohibition Tea Party

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Includes:

Ten Vintage Tea Party Style Guides – inspiration and suggestions for invitations, table settings, and decorations.


+ fabulous sandwich ideas for the perfect afternoon tea.


+ Themed Tea Party recipes.

Order Your Copy today and get to planning the perfect vintage tea party

Available online at :

Best Vintage Tea Party Handbags

Need the perfect handbag for that vintage tea party wedding? We have you covered. We have rounded up the very best tea party handbags, clutches, and purses for every kind of vintage tea party or high tea event.
Read More

Best Tea Party Hats

It is tea party season and we have found the best tea party hats for all the Weddings, christenings, engagements, anniversaries and many more events that can be celebrated with a fantastic tea party.

The biggest problem is what to wear! We decided to find the best Tea Party Hats for every style.

Simple Fascinators

These suit those of us who want to look glam without the fuss of a big hat. We found some chic fascinators that will look the part at any tea party.

best tea party hats

Feather Net Veil Fascinator

If you are looking for something elegant, this is the perfect fascinator by Saferin

We love this large black and white Classic Butterfly Fascinator for a fun take on the simple black fascinator. Wear it tilted to the front of your head for the best effect.

Fascinator Hat with Feathers in pink

This Fascinator Hat with Feathers in pink is perfect for a sleek romantic style. It fits easily over any hairstyle with a headband. It looks great with a simple tea party dress.

Vintage Flower Fascinator in Nude Pink

Be a vintage rose with this classic Vintage Flower Fascinator in Nude Pink. It attaches easily to any hairstyle. You can pull the net over one eye to add to the drama. Gorgeous!

tea party hats




Floaty Garden Party Hats

Large, wide-brimmed, floaty garden party hats are great for keeping you out of the sun and looking fabulous at the same time! If you are attending a romantic garden tea party these are perfect!

Organza Wide Brim Summer Hat

This Organza Wide Brim Summer Hat is the perfect floaty romantic hat for a garden tea part. Wear it with a classic slim-fitting dress to make a dramatic impact.

Classic Derby Hat

This Derby Hat comes in a variety of colors and is perfect in matching or contrasting color to your dress. This champagne color also looks great with a simple black dress.

Blue and White Derby Hat

We could not go past this fabulous blue and white hat! Awesome modern take on a derby hat. The linen look is lovely and fresh for summer and looks fab paired with a string of pearls.

Colorful Organza Wide Brim Tea Party Hat

The rainbow chiffon cascading off the side of this Colorful Organza Wide Brim Tea Party Hat makes this a stunning hat for any occasion. The floaty feel of this makes it a fun hat to wear to a less formal wedding or garden tea party.

Flowers and Feathers Black and White Hat

You cannot go wrong with this classic looking Hat with Flowers and Feathers in White/Black. We love the floating flowers and wide brim of this hat and think it looks perfect with an off-the-shoulder dress.





If you want flowers, go for this stunning large floral fascinator. One. of the most popular new fascinators this season.

Classic Pillbox Style Hats

Classic pillbox hats never go out of fashion. They are made to sit jauntily on the side of your head. Here are some of our favorite tea party hats for a classic tea party event.

Feather Fascinator Pillbox Hat

This Feather Fascinator pillbox Hat is elegant enough for a royal wedding. Wear it jauntily to one side with the front pulled forward towards your eyebrow for a dramatic look.

Pistachio Colored Fascinator

This classic shade of green always makes a statement, this Fascinator Hat is the perfect mix of class and style in Pistachio green. Wear this one with a classic dress and pearls or mix it up by wearing it with a floaty summer dress.

tea party hats blue

Party Pillbox Hat with Veil

This Party Pillbox Hat with Veil is another classic postwar-style pillbox hat to be worn on the side of the head. We love the larger net that can be pulled down over your face for extra drama. This hat comes in many color options, so you can find one to match your dress.

Retro 60’s Black White Houndstooth Hat

This Retro 60’s Black White Houndstooth Hat is a classic pillbox hat with feather and black and white check. It is super chic and looks incredible with a long wide-legged pantsuit in black or white.

tea party hats black and white

Elegant and Timeless Tea Party Hats

Some styles just ooze elegance and these hats do it for us. From classic Audrey Hepburn styles to My Fair Lady-inspired hats these are our pick of the best.

Fabric Feather Hat in Two-Tone Colors (Black/white)

The shape, fabric, and trim on this Fabric Feather Hat make it a classic and elegant choice for a formal occasion. We love to see this one paired with an off-the-shoulder tea-length dress.

Teal Large Brim Hat

Calling Audrey, we have your hat and we don’t want to give it back. This Teal large-brim wedding Hat is guaranteed to turn heads.

Teal Large Brim Wedding Hat

Calling Audrey, we have your hat and we don’t want to give it back. This Royal Large Brim Wedding Hat is guaranteed to turn heads.

Tea Party Necklace

We also found the perfect little accessory for a tea party in this gorgeous tea party pendant necklace. This sweet necklace makes a lovely statement and we think it is also a great gift for the hostess of the tea party!

Pink and Black Tea Party Derby Hat

We love this classic pink Tea Party Derby Hat. It is the perfect combination of classic and romantic. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns for any occasion you need a hat!

tea party hats pink black and white

Ooze classic Elegance with this stunning Hat paired with a black dress and pearls. This is show-stopping elegance at its best!

Felt Hat with net

This is a beautiful understated Felt Hat that is sweet and elegant. The felt makes it perfect for cooler weather or evening events. A unique hat for a very special event.

Felt Cocktail Hat in Classic Gray

Felt hats fit any formal occasion and are great for evening tea parties. This classic French 1930s-style Felt Cocktail Hat in classic gray is perfect for an elegant tea party.

best tea party hats

tea party hats pink

Felt Fedora Pillbox Hat

If you want to bring some European elegance to the tea party this French-style Felt Fedora Pillbox Hat might be just the thing. The curved shape fits gently on the side of your head with the point just in front of your ear, framing your face. We think it looks best with a smart coat dress or pantsuit.

Non-Hat Headpieces

What to wear when hats are not really your thing or you want to wear something a little different? Don’t worry we have found the best headpieces that fit any style.

Flapper Headband with Rhinestones

If hats are not your thing, try a glamour headpiece like this 1920s-inspired Flapper Headband with Rhinestones. You can wear this with a 1920s-style flapper dress or a pretty summer maxi dress for a summer wedding.

best tea party hats

1920s Peacock Headpiece

Gatsby style 1920s flapper fascinators with peacock feathers work perfectly in a garden tea party. 1920s Peacock Headpiece

Statement Hats

Want to make a statement and really stand out? Then we have found the best hats for that too!!! Statement hats are perfect for afternoon tea or a day in the sun. They look great with elegant outfits, day suits, or simple tea-length dresses.

Large Floral Hat

Want to wow a crowd? This Large Floral Hat is beautifully paired with a simple white tailored button-through dress.

Wide Brim Fashion Derby Hat in pink and black

Ruffles, feathers, pink organza, and black trim, when it comes to tea party hats, this one is gorgeous. Wide Brim Fashion Derby Hat in pink and black – it also comes in a range of other great color options.

tea party hats pink

tea party hats pink

Organza Ruffles Wide Brim Hat in Pink

We love the combination of ruffles and pizzaz with this hat. It’s a little bit fabulous and a lot bit cool. This Organza Ruffles Wide Brim Hat in Pink is bold, dramatic and guaranteed to turn heads!

Designer Fashion Wide Brim Hat

Make a statement with this large redhat Designer Fashion Wide Brim Hat. We love the size course the amazing layered brim. Wear it with a modern pantsuit or simple tea party dress to ensure all of the attention is on this amazing hat!

Audrey Hepburn Tea Party Hat

This Cream and Black Tea Party Hat is stunning! Wear it tilted to one side with the brim pulled low over your eyes to turn up the drama! Gorgeous for stunning photos and standing out in a crowd!

Gorgeous Feather Hat

Wow wow wow this Gorgeous Feather Hat is beautiful in full color. The feathers float as you walk and will cause a stir!

Bright Butterfly Hat 

Alice in Wonderland tea party theme or just want to turn heads when you make an entrance? Either way, this Beautiful Hat is just the ticket.

Butterfly Headpiece

Have some fun with this Butterfly Headpiece that looks amazing with a classic party dress.


Classic with a Twist Hat

And last, but by no means least in our list of best tea party hats, this stunning Large Brim Floral Fascinator will ensure your outfit is remembered.

Here’s the twist

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Vintage Christmas Tea Party Inspiration

A Vintage Christmas Tea Party is the perfect way to invite friends and family together for a unique Christmas event. A vintage afternoon tea party with all the trimmings is the perfect way to get everyone in the holiday mood.

You can go all out with this cozy Christmas theme and guests will be enchanted by the selection of festive food, drinks and decorations. This theme is also ideal for a Christmas-time wedding or bridal shower.

Invitations

Vintage Tea party invitations that invite guests to a cozy, nostalgic festive tea party. We love these romantic lace and ribbon invitations that come in a wide range of colors.

Setting the Table

Keep the festive theme with your table settings. We love to stay traditional with classic teacups and side plates like these ones from the Royal Albert Collection.

And don’t forget to bring out the best silverware – a Christmas Tea Party is an excuse to use your best of everything!

This Country Roses cutlery set pairs perfectly with the Country Roses Dinner set and makes a strong traditional statement for the event.

Country Roses Silverware
Country Roses Tea Party Set

Mismatched teacups and saucers add a classic vintage tea party vibe to this Christmas event. You can try to stay with classic red, green and gold colors or go for all the colors in the rainbow.

Mismatched Vintage Teacup Set

Set a pretty vintage style side plate on the table for your guests.

Pink Roses Side Plates add a vintage touch.
Classic Tea Cup, Saucer and Side plate set

You can also opt for a more modern table setting with white side plates and festive placemats. Decorate with stars, holly and Christmas garlands.

Add some fun with these classic plaid napkins in green and red.

Add a delightful twist by using Christmas decorations as card holders to place your guest’s name on the plate.

Decorating the Table

For a Christmas tea party, the decorations on the table are more important than ever. Keep them traditional and classic to stay with the vintage Christmas theme.

This fun gingerbread tree is a cute way to bring a cozy vintage warmth to the table.

GingerBread Center Piece

Use classic Santa hats to display the cutlery along the table.

Silver Decorations on the table look great when paired with fresh flowers, candles and fairy lights. Your guests will feel like they have arrived at a winter wonderland.

Silver Decorations on the table look great

We love to use these decorative candle holders to bring color and festivity to the table.

These pretty golden tealight holders also add joy to the table without extra fuss.

We saw this idea used at a fabulous festive event, and fell in love with the simplicity of a white tree and glass tea light holders.

Hang LED tealight candles in glass balls

No party is complete without the perfect soundtrack. Let the Brat Pack of Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. help you out with their classic Christmas sounds.

The Perfect Nostalgic Christmas Music

What to Wear?

As the hostess you also need to look the part. We found some great dresses that will ensure you look and feel wonderful all day.

We love these classic Audrey Hepburn inspired vintage dresses. Paired with a pair of kitten heels and a glam up-do these style dresses help you really take the role of vintage hostess.

Add some drama to your outfit with a beautiful fascinator and lace gloves. We love this dramatic black with bright red lipstick!

Or this bright red hat and feather!

Serving the Food:

Serve food on vintage-style plates and tiered serving dishes.

Food Selections:

Christmas is all about food, and a vintage Christmas tea party is a chance to bring out the classic treats of the season!

We suggest serving a selection of classic vintage tea party food

Finger Sandwiches

Cupcakes with Christmas-themed toppers

Star Cupcake Toppers

Madeleines

Mini cakes

Tarts

Christmas Pies with Cream

Tea-infused cookies in Christmas Shapes

Patisseries

Rudolph The Reindeer Cupcake Wrappers and Toppers

Sponge cakes with Strawberries and Cream

Chocolate Truffles

Mini Christmas puddings

Shortbread

Cheese Platters

Selection of Cheeses, Crackers, Sweet Cookies and Tea

Macaroons

Tea Selections

We love to offer beautiful smelling teas at a tea party. One of our favorites is the Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea – a black tea with an aroma of orange and sweet cloves.

If it is cold outside, why not help your guests warm up with a beautiful hot chocolate bar. Let guests make their own luxury hot chocolate with all the trappings.

Hot Cocoa Bar Signs
Frosty Teaspoons
Candy Cane Tea Spoons add a little extra to your cocoa bar.
Display a selection of vintage tea cups for guests
Bellini Glasses to toast the occasion
Stemless wine glasses for warm spiced wines

Get Inspired with more Christmas Recipes:

More Classic Recipes In High Society Refreshments

How To Host A Tea Party For Two

Tea for two is a fantastic way to enjoy afternoon tea with a great friend. Just because the event is small, doesn’t mean it needs to be any less special. You can easily create a special afternoon tea party in your home with only one guest.

Invite your best friend, your mother or daughter to a tea party for two and enjoy an afternoon of tea and treats without leaving your house.

tea for two

Set the table in a gorgeous vintage tea party style. Bring out your best vintage style teacups, saucers and plates. Add lovely teapots, a sugar bowl, milk jug and teaspoons. Serve afternoon treats on pretty tiered serving plates.

We love this Royal Albert Country Roses Tea set in pink and white polka dots for a sweet afternoon tea party for two.

tea for two
Royal Albert Country Roses Tea Set

You don’t have to have matching chinaware. These perfectly mismatched teacups, saucers and plates are a great example of how to coordinate vintage style chinaware. These mismatched sets come already coordinated and mismatched to perfection.

tea for two
Perfectly Mismatched Tea cup, saucer and side plate

When you are hosting a smaller tea party, it is the small details that make the event special. We love these Royal Albert porcelain teaspoons that beautifully compliment the mismatched sets.

tea for two

When you guest has arrived it is time to serve the tea and let the talking begin.

Country Roses Teapot

For a special addition to the traditional tea serving, you can opt to use individual tea strainers in each cup. This one has a beautiful Rose quartz crystal attached.

Tea Strainer with Rose Quartz Healing Crystal

Choosing the perfect tea to serve is important. Our pick is the Royal Palace Tea, a black tea with a hint of lemon and grapefruit – perfect for treating someone special.

Royal Palace Tea

We are also quite taken by this new master tea blend SOHO, a black tea with chocolate and coconut. It smells and tastes incredible!

A tea party for two does not require a lot of food, but it is nice to have a variety of options like a high tea. Some sweet things and some savoury. We find it hard to go past macaroons as one sweet option!

Macaroons Made to Order

Petit Fours are another classic option to serve.

Petit Fours

Savory options include Beef Wellingtons, Shrimp skewers, and asparagus rolls.

Mini Beef Wellingtons
Sausage and Shrimp Kebabs
Crispy Asparagus Rolls

More fabulous options for are Creamy Brie Canapés, mini cheesecakes and Brie with Raspberry Filo rolls.

tea party for two
Creamy Brie Canapes
tea party for two
Mini Cheesecakes
tea party for two
Brie and Raspberry Filo

More Classic Recipes In High Society Refreshments

If you are looking for more ideas and inspirations for your tea party, please check our others great style guides out.

Our Favorite Vintage Tea Party Teas To Impress Guests

These are our favorite vintage tea party teas to serve guests at a classic vintage tea party, a romantic high tea or an elegant garden tea event.

Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea Bags

Hot Cinnamon Spice by Harney&Sons

This fabulous Black tea is combined with orange peel, three types of cinnamon and cloves. Perfect for a warm cozy tea to serve as the weather cools. And we should mention it smells divine!

Indigo Punch Tea

Indigo Punch by Harney&Sons

Colorful and full of crisp, fruity flavors, this new indigo punch tea combines the delicate tang of rosehips and apple pieces with the earthy tones of a gorgeous Butterfly pea flower. Caffeine Free.

Bright lemongrass, lemon peel, and vivid raspberry round out the palate of this beautiful brew, along with natural honey flavor for a touch of sweetness. It is also perfect as an iced tea!

Try it iced with a slice of lemon!

Traditional English Tea

Traditional English Tea – Fine Breakfast Tea

English Breakfast is a full-bodied black tea, known as the UK’s favourite. Serve at any time of the day with a splash of milk.

Smokey Earl Grey

vintage tea party teas
Smokey Earl Grey Tea by Fortnum & Mason

This brew by Fortnum&Mason was created in response to a request from the Royal Palace for a smokier Earl Grey Tea. This unique blend combines traditional bergamot with a touch of Lapsang and Gunpowder tea. For years it was the only Earl Grey available at Fortnum’s and remains popular for very good reason. We love this to add a whole lot of class to a high tea event! Serve black or with a little milk, or with a slice of orange or lemon.

Rose Pouchong Tea

Rose Pouchong by Fortnum & Mason

In this speciality tea, rose petals are interleaved with the tea as it dries, and a few are left in for decoration, ensuring that the visual appeal matches the flavour. Serve in the afternoon to make the most of its fragrant and delicate taste.

Spiced Green Tea

vintage tea party teas
Spiced Green Tea by Harrods

Christmas in a cup, this sweet and light Chinese green tea has been flavoured with spices including cinnamon, cloves, orange and ginger, to create a smooth and spicy Christmas blend. 

Victoria London Fog

vintage tea party teas

The beverage called London Fog originated during the Victorian era. Traditionally, it is an Earl Grey served with steamed milk. Ingredients: Black tea, oolong tea, bergamot oil, lavender, vanilla flavor.

Offer a classic selection of Vintage Tea Party Teas

vintage tea party teas

This fabulous set includes four of our favorite teas for any event:

HOT CINNAMON SPICE – Hot Cinnamon Spice is an assertive blend of caffeinated black teas, three types of cinnamon, orange peel, and sweet cloves. Tin of 20 Tea Sachets

ENGLISH BREAKFAST – English Breakfast contains full leaf black teas from Ceylon and Kenya. Tin of 20 Tea Sachets

PARIS – Paris is a fruity black tea with vanilla and caramel flavors, and a hint of lemony Bergamot. Tin of 20 Tea Sachets

EARL GREY SUPREME – For the Earl Grey connoisseur, this blend uses a higher grade of tea with the addition of Silver Tips. Tin of 20 Tea Sachets

More Classic Recipes In High Society Refreshments