“Afternoon Delight Tea” Opens 2011 Season

Officers, trustees and committee chairs of Avalon Civic Club, Inc. host the first meeting of the year with an afternoon tea and informal fashion show for Civic Club members and guests on Monday, May 2. Sign in begins at 12:15pm and begins with a short member meeting. Each month’s meeting features a fun informational program. Meetings are held at Avalon Community Hall on the first Monday of each month through October.
This year’s opening Tea Party features an encore return of Cape May’s “Somewhere in Time Tea Society.” One need not take a plunge in the ocean to enjoy as models frolic in Edwardian and Victorian beach attire. Examples of beach wear of yesterday will be informally modeled and explained. Although prime examples of vintage clothing are in vogue and worn today, swimwear, given its use and exposure to the elements, is rarely found in wearable condition. And since wool and flannel were the fabrics worn on a hot summer afternoon, many of the surviving fashions succumbed to the fine dining of moths over the course of the past century!
The bathing suit’s history is quite interesting! By mid to late 1800s and into the turn-of-the-century, a privileged lady may have arrived to the seaside by train wearing a stylish garment covering most of her body. A suitable “suit” fell to her knees or below, and was worn in black, white or navy. Puffed sleeves, trimmings of ribbons and bows, and sailor styling were common elements. The outfit was complete with bloomers, black opaque stockings, slippers, and a cap.
Beach fashion changed drastically when, after 1910, more contours of the human body became visible. This also made the attire much less cumbersome. In the 1920s, the suit was reduced to a long shirt over shorts. By 1930, Vogue magazine declared “the newest thing for the sea is a jersey bathing suit as near as a maillot as the law will allow!” Imagine the spectacle!
Don’t miss the fun of “Afternoon Delight” with Avalon Civic Club on Monday, May 2. Reservations are required and may be made by phoning 609.967.3853. There is no charge for Avalon Civic Club members (annual membership dues are $15); Guest fee is $5.00. And, on the subject of spectacles, wear a “Beach Hat” to the tea for eligibility of a grand prize!