Alice Tea at Old Lyme Inn

Alice Tea at Old Lyme Inn

Starting at 12 position clockwise: Sarah H, Erik, Sarah F, Sarah R, Danielle, Jax, and Pahl

Pahl and I went to the Old Lyme Inn for their Alice themed afternoon tea in April 2024 as a reconnaissance mission to see if it would be a venue and theme my fashion club would be interested in. We had a blast last year, and as a result of my mission, I ended up hosting 2 other teas at the Old Lyme Inn while waiting for the Alice Tea theme to come up again. Last year I went as a interpretation of Alice with a white dress with a blue architectural print on it, the matching head bow, printed blue and white tights and a storm blue wool coat. Pahl was a version of the Mad Hatter. 

This year, when I presented the theme to my fashion club, Sarah R thought we should all go as different characters from the book, to make things interesting and creative. I knew that this year, I was going to change my tune. I would no longer be Alice, but instead I would be an interpretation of the White Rabbit. And I wasn't going in a dress either... I was going to don pantaloons, knee high socks, a waist cinching elaborate tail coat, and a medium size top hat.  

Danielle as the White Rabbit

If you thought I had started planning this outfit months in advance--you are correct! The first piece I acquired was the tail coat from Chinese indie brand Immortal Thorn. I have an affinity for this style of diamond pattern, which is considered a harlequin style or sometimes referred to as rhombus pattern. The coat itself is white with gold lace and embroidery of different playing card suits. It's also lined with black and white diamond pattern. It is best worn with a stand collar blouse of various lengths. Just after I acquired the coat in December of 2024, I found that someone happened to be selling a black and white diamond pattern shirt from the brand Lady Sloth on Lace Market. The pantaloons also became available at around the same time, from someone who was selling them used in an international forum for the fashion I am a part of. By January 2025 I had the meat and potatoes of my outfit, but I still needed some accessories to complete the look. 

The boots I ordered in February and it took about a month for them to be made. They are a combination of white suede and scalloped lace cutouts and they do not have a zipper, so they do require some time to put on and lace up. The hat I had purchased in March from Chinese Indie brand Fox Cherry. It is a very versatile piece and comes with two additional attachments. It can get quite heavy, especially when worn to the side, so I only put on one of them. The bag is a very inexpensive clock over the shoulder bag, and it was still available in the white and gold---PERFECTION! The playing card socks that are white and gray I had ordered a few years ago to go with a different dress (that of course I've never worn them with), but they worked with the look. I have since acquired black and white diamond over the knee socks that will really pull this look together next time!

Sarah H as Alice and Danielle as the White Rabbit. Photo credit to Sarah F

You could say Sarah H had been planning their outfit for even longer than I had with mine. They acquired the blue color way and matching apron and headdress of Japanese brand Metamorphose's "Wondercard" OP over a year ago, and they had been waiting for an occasion to wear it. Sarah wore a blonde wig, a white long sleeve cotton blouse, white and black striped tights and black platform mary janes. We matched really well with our playing card motif, so I asked Sarah F to snap this photo of us together. 

Jax as the Cheshire Cat and Sarah R as the Doormouse Photo credit to Sarah F

Jax started their coordinate with the purple color way of Magical Artefact JSK, also by Metamorphose. This print features black cats with gold lurex lace, gold buttons and charms and black ribbon. They wore a long sleeve black blouse under it and black tights with different colored cartoon style cat eyes on it. They also have a black fuzzy cat bag with orange eyes, and a pink furry cat ear head band, which also matches their shoes. 

Sarah R decided to style a few different brands together for a sweet style ouji look. The blouse and shorts she is wearing are from the Japanese brand Liz Liza. She is also wearing a waist coat, outer coat, and carrying a parasol from the Japanese brand Angelic Pretty. Gray striped and dotted over the knee socks and pink boots complete the look. 

I really like this photo that Sarah F took of them because not only do they look like the characters that they are representing, but they are also acting in character. Especially Sarah R as the Door Mouse. 10/10 for acting and looking the part!

Pahl as the Mad Hatter and Danielle as the White Rabbit. Photo credit to Sarah F

And Pahl was the Mad Hatter, once again. In fact I made a comparison of every time he's dressed as the Mad Hatter, and ever single time, he wears these pants. He does change up his waist coat, tail coat, bow tie, shoes, and top hat. He's thinking of maybe trying to go as the March Hare next time we find ourselves at an Alice themed event, but he needs to make some rabbit ears and attach them to a top hat to pull that one off!

This image is really candid. My eyes are closed and Pahl's pants match the drapes. I think Sarah H took this one.

Table Decor by Sarah F

Our afternoon tea delights. Photo by Jax

I honestly really enjoyed dressing up as a whole group with different characters. However, we did confuse OTHER tea attendees with our outfits, to the point that many people asked to take photos with us and had assumed that the inn hired us for the tea. At one point I had to just let someone know that we didn't work there and to ask permission before taking photos. If anyone, the White Rabbit should be able to act as the bouncer!

Seriously, don't mess with the white rabbit.