This 1966 photo is John Whyte, the man who founded the Tea Dance at about that time. He was a well known model in New York when he got involved in the Fire Island scene. Not only did he start a national trend with the Tea Dance concept, but he became wealthy after realizing the potential for investing in real estate in his summer stomping ground. He donated much of his fortune to AIDS relief and preservation efforts on Fire Island. Mr. Whyte was a smart and generous man.
The Tea Dance came our way, too, in London and Paris. Whether Monsieur Chic came with them, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteI encountered my first Tea Dance on a business trip to Fort Lauderdale.
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