Afternoon tea, in November.
Oh how tempted I was to wear a dress, but I chose to wear something more practical for the weather.
A classic "safe" look for when you don't really know what to expect, dress-wise.
Black trousers, ivory layered blouse, stripey cardigan, a pearl pendant and earrings, black courts (pumps) in a reptile-effect leather (I really am your friend, Jules!)
There isn't much safer than this. If the event is informal, the cardi stays on. If I discover it's a posher affair, off comes the cardi.
On the way to tea in a black trenchcoat and ooh-la-la beret. My pops of colour were restrained and subtle - the embroidery on the Primani scarf, my wine coloured bag ... oh how am loving this bag 2nd time round, now that I have discovered my love for wine!
And I'll set the scene for you, dear reader.
I arrived at the Duke of Richmond hotel and entered the uber-glam foyer.
This stylish black and white area was awash with ladies dressed in the prettiest afternoon tea dresses I ever did see!
Oh how I wanted to about-turn and go back home for a quick dress-on. But The Photographer made me see sense. Actually, I think I'd arrived just as a huge influx of Hash House Harriets were congregating; they'd obviously all got the club memo and were beautifully dressed up to the nines. Otherwise, anything went dress (or not!) wise, there was no prescriptive dress code.
But opportunities to wear pretty dresses in winter don't come along too often and on this rare occasion when the opportunity offered itself, I missed out. Well, there was much internal boo-hoo'ing going on, I can tell you. The good thing that came out of this disappointment is that I've signed up to go again next year to this fund raiser for a most worthy charity,
Help The Heroes. No not just to wear a dress, I'm not
that shallow! It's a charity I want to support. But I
will wear a dress. And what are the chances that next year's HHH memo will say "black trousers and a smart top"!
On a positive note, at least I matched the foyer's flooring!
The well-supported event was held here,
The Duke of Richmond. Follow the link and tap on Take A Tour on the home page to share my Afternoon Tea experience. It will be like you're sipping tea with me there, but virtually!
I, of course, was too busy enjoying all these scrummy delicacies to take many photos, so I really do suggest you take the tour for the full experience. However. I give you here the sum total of the Afternoon Tea photos that I could muster.
Afternoon tea us usually made up of finger sandwiches, scones and cakes. We had all of those. This tea had some interesting and yummy additions.
The first surprise was little shot glasses filled with prawn cocktail. No photos, totally devoured.
The yummsville sandwiches plate was nigh-on demolished by the time I took the first shot. The second twist was that the cake selection included cute little milk bottles of a panna cotta topped with fruit compote. I hear they were yummy but I didn't quite have room for one.
The reason I didn't have room was probably down to this twist on the classic afternoon tea - these tasty morsels.
A little slice of beautifully spiced up sausage roll and a slice of the most heavenly chicken mousse tossed in an oaty nutty breadcrumb mix. Exquisite!
On reflection, this must have been a modern foodie take on High Tea.
Despite the missed flowery tea dress opportunity, I came home pretty happy in my black and ivory. I'd supported a worthy charity and had eaten my bestest afternoon tea ... ever!
Duke of Richmond ... I will be back!
A la perchoine.
