A Spot of Tea?

To those of you who know me or have met me, you will know I'm a girlie girl. I like to be swept off my feet by the male species, I love flowers, I love to shop, I even enjoy baking... the list truly does go on.  Since losing some well needed weight I seem to have got myself into a day-to-day clothing rut, (the weather certainly doesn't help this) I can't help but always reach for a pair of jeans.  'Me' a year ago would of giggled at the thought of me wearing jeans as I hated anything that clunge to my legs.  This all aside, in one of my many day dreams I recalled those old days when I loved to wear tea dresses. Ah... tea dress, utter feminine charm in an outfit and ideal for many occassions and weather conditons (hurrah!).  With this in mind on my Saturday mince around the highstreet I decided to hunt for some classic look tea dresses.
 You will notice I've create one casual look with the tea dress, and then one which would be perfect for a night out.  The beauty of tea dresses is that they tend to nip in all the right places for the female figure. For my evening look (middle photo) I've gone for less is more, the dress itself is a statement.  My hair has been put in rollers for a volumized look and beige heels.
For my casual look I've popped on a vest top underneath, purely because the dress is rather low cut. You don't have to just use a black vest top, a simple coloured vest top or even a slip would be fine.  Now, I decided to team this outfit with some casual shoes that are easy to get about in.  It also allows me to cycle to the local supermarket.


 I love little pumps, they go with jeans and now tea dresses.  The beauty of them is they tend to be quite simple so can go with most outfits.  I love the color of these by Ruby & Ed,  they come in various other colours like slate & rose, but these are Blue Bell Canvas Lace Ups - they are £35.00. Very easy to throw on and I love the subtle color of them.
You can tie this dress up around the back, but I liked having the bow on the front - makes it look a little different.

Topshop - Pretty Wrap T-Dress - £40.00

As you can see I found a fabulous tea dress from Topshop.  Being it's spring floral have obviously graced the high street. I did a post ages ago about top key items for your wardrobe, I honestly believe a tea dress is a must too.  I can always find a reason  to wear a tea dress... but maybe thats just me?!

OasisTaxi driver frill tea dress - £50.00

Liberty Print Floral Tea Dress, Sessun - £130.00

 M&S Floral Bouquet Tea Dress 

 

Lace Trim Tea Dress by Annie Greenabelle - £64.00

Now that I have the perfect dress for a tea party,  I thought it'd be rude not to continue the tea theme, so I dug out my collection of tea pots, cups and saucers and decided to make some butterfly cakes.   All for an afternoon tea break!
The cake stand is from a range at The English Table - a website full of tea sets from a wide range of collections.  This cake stand is from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Redoute Collection.  I absolutely love traditional tea sets and matching collections, and this Royal Botanic Gardens Cake Stand is only £27.00.  There are matching cups, saucers, afternoon tea china, jugs, sugar sets, tea pots and even placemats.  Having a full matching tea set is something I'm planning to do, I appear to be following in the footsteps of my lovely Mum and seem to have a collection  of mis-matching tea sets!  I'd love just one complete set, so I could invite people over without having a red face from the embarrassment! I made little cakes nothing fancy just basic Butterfly Cakes, the receipe is from the BBC website.

• CAKES
• 113g butter or margarine, softened
• 113g caster sugar
• 113g self raising flour
• 2 medium free range eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• BUTTER ICING
• 56g butter, softened
• 113g sieved icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 190 C or 375 F
2. Cream butter or margarine with sugar until light, fluffy and pale in color. I used a whisk but a wooden spoon is fine
3. Beat the eggs and add them in gradually with spoons of sifted flour. 
4. Add the vanilla and half fill the paper cases with the mixture and bake for about 10-12 minutes until risen and firm. Pop the cakes on the bottom shelf of the oven
5. Pop the cakes on a cooling rack then  to make the butterfly bit, cut a a small circle from the top of each cake and cut this in half(making wings!!)
6. Pop some of the butter icing on top of the cake then arrange the 'wings' .  You'll notice some of mine really dont look like wings!
7. Then... like the doggies in the new pedigree advert.... "Nom Nom!"

I love to display cakes on a proper cake stand and serve tea from a teapot.  In this day an age its really hard for us to find the time to do this, so I've decided to try and at least once a month make some cakes, invite friends over and have afternoon tea.  I may even share some of my cakes at the next blogging meet :o)

xoxo