Historic fashions and inspired arrangements will be on display at the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society for the second annual tea.

The second annual ‘Fashion and Flowers’ tea will be held May 6 and 7. Submitted photo

Submitted

Did you know that the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society has an outstanding collection of women’s fashion?

Six rarely seen dresses dating from the 1840s to the 1920s will be on display on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 for the museum’s second annual “Fashion & Flowers” Tea.  The public is invited to afternoon tea at 2 p.m. on both days to view the dresses and the floral arrangements they’ve inspired.

At our elegantly appointed tables, including beautiful vintage teacups, savory and sweet morsels and tea both hot and cold will be served. After tea, fashionista Tracy Weed will give a brief presentation on “Fashion from Victorians to Flappers.” At the end of each program, a portion of the floral arrangements, created with the help of the West Hartford Garden Club, will be auctioned off.

Curator Sheila Daley said, “We are fortunate to have a large assortment of dresses in our collection and this event allows us to share some of these items with our visitors. The flower arrangements are each as unique and beautiful as the dresses that are featured.”

Executive Director Jennifer Matos noted that this year’s date purposely falls near Mother’s Day: “This year we’ve planned Fashion & Flowers Tea for Mother’s Day weekend because it’s a perfect event to attend with your mother or daughter. Enjoying an afternoon ladies’ tea is such a time-honored tradition. We’re thrilled to be able to offer this experience to our community.”

Presenter Tracy Weed is a photographer, jewelry designer, and romance novelist with a passion for vintage fashion. She began studying antique clothing when she started vintage dancing and immediately fell in love. She now creates reproduction hats and clothing for the Regency Era through the 1950s.

Weed will be wearing some of her own creations at the Tea and her jewelry and millinery will be for sale at the event. She also has an Etsy shop at www.thetinywren.etsy.com.

Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at noahwebster.yapsody.com. Fancy hats and gloves are encouraged.

The event will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, 227 South Main St., West Hartford, CT 06107.

The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is a cultural destination where citizens can learn to understand and appreciate the past. The museum preserves the birthplace of Noah Webster, the founding father, educator, author, and lexicographer who taught generations of Americans what it means to be American. This National Historic Landmark is also a repository for West Hartford’s history, the community that molded Noah Webster’s future, and is still thriving over 250 years later. The historic house and exhibit spaces are open daily 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For information on the museum’s extensive school and public programs, please visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org or call (860) 521-5362.