Tea Party Diva

It was in a climate of social change, that the tea gown gained wide acceptance.

As fashions continued to reflect social change, the tea gown also changed. Emily Post’s 1922 Etiquette book, gives some further insights.

Early 1900’s

Tea Gowns & Etiquette
Emily Post’s 1922 etiquette book advised -

Every one knows that a tea gown is a hybrid between a wrapper and a ball dress.

It has always a train and usually long flowing sleeves; is made of rather gorgeous materials and goes on easily, and its chief use is not for wear at the tea table so much as for dinner alone with one’s family.

It can, however, very properly be put on for tea, and if one is dining at home, kept on for dinner. Otherwise a lady is apt to take tea in whatever dress she had on for luncheon, and dress after tea for dinner.

One does not go out to dine in a tea gown except in the house of a member of one’s family or a most intimate friend. One would wear a tea gown in one’s own house in receiving a guest to whose house one would wear a dinner dress.

A Final Word on Tea Gown Etiquette From Emily Post
Post also made it clear that it was a definite breach of etiquette for a hostess to wear a tea gown if the party visiting included a stranger.

This is partly because the tea gown was considered not proper dress for “company”. She clarifies that alone meant up to 8 people, including family.

Times Past