What should I wear to the Royal Garden party?

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

Just that really. I'll be attending the RGP in May and have absolutely no clue what to wear...

The dress code says afternoon dress, hat optional (but apparently encouraged) and the uniform or national costume are permitted (I do still have my Girl Guide uniform somewhere, and could quite fancy going as sometime exotic - it doesn't say anywhere that I have to wear my national costume)...

Seriously now, please help...

[originalmavis]

A bit like a wedding really. I pass the place 4 times a day so see a lot of folks coming and going. They just look smart really.vnice dresses, suits and hats of all types.

[Nettletheelf]

A Sex Pistols 'God Save the Queen' T shirt. Do it, do it!

[dementedma]

Last year I wore a summery dress,jacket and hat.
Be warned, RGPs are bloody boring, other than for bitching about people's outfits.

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

Can't tell you how much I'd love to wear a Sex Pistols t-shirt. Or possibly The Levellers or Chumbawba or Billy Bragg...

[HermioneWeasley]

Comfy shoes, apparently there is a lot of standing and few chairs.

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

What kind of a hat?

I'm going with my boss. He's good company, but a little nose-out-of-joint that I got invited and he's coming as my guest rather than in his own right. Which adds another dimension to the day....

[meditrina]

Wedding smarts, but possibly more floral.

Flat shoes or wedges, there's a lot of lawn.

Handbag with a strap so you can sling it over your shoulder and have both hands for eating/drinking.

[FadedRed]

Went to RGP a couple of years ago and majority of women wore 'Wedding guest' type outfit. Majority wore hats/fascinators, but it was a very hot and sunny day, so I was glad of my wide brimmed charity shop bargain, however lots of mostly younger women did not wear hats etc, so perfectly acceptable to go bareheaded.
Cannot stress enough the need for comfortable shoes as pp said. The first aid tent was doing a roaring trade in foot dressings and many, many women were walking barefoot with plasters on their feet, carrying their unfortunate shoes.
I had a lovely day, even though I am not any sort of royalist, did not find it boring at all.
Hope you have a great day.

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

Great tip about the shoes, thank you.

So. If you had a £500 budget (for dress, hat and shoes) and were a 5'2" hourglass-shaped 40 year old size 8 - what would you buy?

[dementedma]

Agree comfy shoes. I would buy the cheapest outfit I could get away with and spend the rest on something fun. My hat cost £2.50 in charity shop...

[Nibbl3s]

I'd go for a really short strapless skin tight dress with fishnet tights and patent thigh high boots.

[ajandjjmum]

Why are you taking your boss? Sorry for being so nosey!

[OrlandaFuriosa]

Comfy shoes, hat, not a revealing dress and something to put on if weather unpleasant. Be aware of photographers outside gates.

We had a great time. Dh gorged on tea, went round several times. We played a version of pub cricket. afair we scored
1 for a military uniform or a kilt
2 for ordinary clergy ,
4 for a member of religious hierarchy, eg bishop, moderator, Monsignor,
6 for someone famous
Out for a reformed criminal

Nothing for national dress ( other than kilts) as the diplomats turn up in it.

We ran bets on the ADCs' names, Rupert and Ned were clear winners.

We spotted the great crested grebe, my real reason for going apart from that I wanted to see the gardens but am too mean to pay..

[FadedRed]

i spend less than half that amount and that included a first class rail ticket!

[OrlandaFuriosa]

Oh and yes, we also gave points for outfits, including nul or minus.

Not sure if your boss is a joining in type...

[OrlandaFuriosa]

Gosh, I used a dress I already had, ditto a hat although I did think of hiring one.

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

It's an option, Nibbl3s, it's an option....

[Ethelswith]

I worked with someone who was there the day there was a streaker.

How many points for that, Orlanda?

(not that I'm recommending that to you, ChaChaCha)

[DartmoorDoughnut]

Definitely wear wedges and a hat, I wore a light lilac dress with a floral pattern which had an extra petticoat, make sure your shoulders are covered and dress pref below the knee. Tbf the last two are army guidelines but I followed them!

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

Be as nosy as you like! I'm taking my boss because my invitation came through work (I do a lot of work for the government for free because my firm thinks it's the ethical thing to do - my main contact in the civil service nominated me to attend as a thank you) and because I'm in the process of divorcing my H so I was never going to take him. Plus my boss is good company.

[AllPowerfulLizardPerson]

Well, as it sounds as if a Sex Pistols Tshirt is out, how about Vivienne Westwood as the next best thing?

This? It's one of the only two under £500, so as long as you already have comfy shoes and will charity shop or hire a hat, it'll just about be on budget.

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

Oh, I love that dress and the shape would suit me!

Please, keep them coming as I don't have suitable shoes yet.

Are wedges that much more comfy than heels? I always assumed that as they were the same basic shape they would be equally uncomfortable.

[DartmoorDoughnut]

By extra petticoat it wasn't gypsy wedding but it was a silk dress so it made it have move movement less cling!

[DartmoorDoughnut]

The issue is that it's marquees in the garden so you're walking on grass, if you're in heels you'll get stuck

[meditrina]

Wedges because they don't sink into the lawn as heels might. But comfortable ahead of everything.