Changing from a daily outfit into an afternoon/tea dress was still in fashion in the 1920s, and even changing again for evening wear. This was especially common for wealthier families who had the staff to accommodate such regular changes of clothes, and who had the time for leisure and social events.

Garden parties and afternoon teas were common social events that (wealthier) women would attend. Women of lesser means often changed into a fashionable but less formal afternoon dress, for instance to have tea at a cafe.

Often held outside in a garden during summer, typical dresses for such occasions were made of a light material (cotton, silk, crepe) to allow cool air to circulate and they were often white or with light pastel colours. Matching gloves, hats, and even umbrellas would be expected as fashionable accessories, but also as protection from the sun.

Pair of white, crochet gloves decorated with small, geometric blocks. The Netherlands, early 20th century. TRC 2015.0679a-b.Two afternoon dresses in the Collection (TRC 2022.2989 and TRC 2022.2990) come from a Dutch family (from Leiden), members of which lived in Indonesia in the 1920s. The woman who owned them, Thecia Velsing-Caspari, was married to an assistant-resident in the former Dutch East Indies.

One can imagine that these dresses, made of very fine and light cotton, would be suitable for wearing in the hot and humid Indonesian climate and in a social event that a colonial status family would be expected to host or attend. These particular garments were however rarely worn, as the family moved back to the Netherlands soon after the unexpected death of her husband and the garments were left in an unopened box for more than 75 years.