Once the preserve of the blue rinse brigade, the afternoon tea has experienced a resurgence in the style stakes. Here's how to recreate the twee tradition at home
We're bidding farewell to the passe afternoon Cosmopolitan in favour of a nice cup of Lapsang Souchong and a fairy cake. We're breaking out the 'granny chic' table linen and getting down to the serious business of baking.
Think Cath Kidson meets Kate Moss. It's no surprise Ms M was the original tea trailblazer. So break out the biscuits, pop the kettle on and prepare to recreate the perfect afternoon tea at home.
The Gossip Tea
There's something about a mug of tea that helps you let it all out. So line up your best friends, crank the oven up, and get ready for a good old tea and sympathy session.For a delicious cake without the effort, cream 200g unsalted butter with 250g caster sugar, beat in two eggs and 200g sour cream before adding 300g plain flour and 3tsp of baking powder. Meanwhile, stir together 25g light brown sugar, 1tbsp cocoa and 2tsp cinnamon.
Beat this mixture into half the cake batter and put into a 2lb loaf tin alternately with the plain. Use a skewer to swirl the mixtures together then bake at 180C for an hour. Decorate with a lemon water icing and serve on a vintage glass cakestand (try Re-foundobjects.com) for simple style.
If you're feeling too lazy to even switch on the Kitchen Aid, pick up some wickedly indulgent Filthy chocolate bites from Filthyfoodcompany.co.uk but balance it out with Dr Stuart's teas. With 'Detox', 'Skin Purify' and 'Tranquillity' teas packed with essential oils and active botanicals, serve them up in white Sophie Conran mugs (pictured left, Mulberryhall.co.uk) and get stuck in to some serious scandal spreading.
The Traditional Tea
You don't have to be part of the Kensington set to enjoy high tea. In fact, no matter who you are there's nothing more British than a cup of Darjeeling - the champagne of teas no less - or a trad Afternoon blend along with some delicate sandwiches.
For the perfect cucumber sandwich use dense white bread sliced as thinly as possible. Butter the bread carefully before diagonally slicing translucent strips of cucumber, drying with kitchen paper and seasoning with salt and lemon. Lay on the bread the cut away crusts and slice in to four triangles.
Then it's pinkies out as you infuse your leaf tea in the chintziest teapot you can find (try Whittard.co.uk's Victoria Chintz range, pictured right), poured into grandma's heirloom mugs, and stirred with ivory handled spoons (www.okadirect.com).
The Cream Tea
Is there anything that screams summer more than a cream tea? Whether it's Cornish or Devonshire, the cream tea is a must when the clouds part. And you don't need to be by the sea to enjoy the combination of clotted cream and strawberry jam.
To bake simple scones, rub 55g of butter in to 225g of self raising and a pinch of salt. Stir in 25g of caster sugar and 150ml of milk before kneading lightly on a floured surface and patting out to around 2cm thickness. Punch out 5cm rounds and lay on a lightly greased baking sheet before brushing with a little milk and baking for 12-15mins at 220C until golden.
Serve with good old-fashioned English Breakfast tea brewed in TG Green's Domino teapot (www.chandlersonline.com) and poured in to mix and match mugs on a lawn scattered with Cath Kidston floor cushions (www.cathkidston.co.uk).
The Fashion Tea
Swapping cocktails for tea towels needn't mean hanging up your stilettos. No, keep teatime high fashion with the utterly chic Bianconero teaset from Missoni (from Towels.co.uk, pictured right) or, for big-spender points, a totally unsubtle Medusa pot by Versace (from Chinaetc.co.uk).
If you're too busy putting an outfit together to bake, leave it to Ninascakesandbakes.com to deliver super stylish, freshly baked cupcakes straight to your door. 
Then just spread a graphic Alessi tablecloth (from Madeindesign.co.uk) over your table, brew pure White Silver Tip Tea (from Rareteacompany.com) in The Tea House's glass Picco Teapot (pictured left, from Theteahouse.co.uk).
Or, of course you could always pop the cork on some pink champagne if you're not ready for your afternoon tea to be teetotal just yet?