Style me for a royal garden party and a wedding please!

[coffeeisnectar]

Wedding is in July at a nice hotel and we've been invited to a royal garden party in May. I live in jeans and leggings mostly!

I have a budge of about £200 to £300 for a dress, wrap/cardi/jacket, shoes, bag and hat.

I can't wear very high heels but 2-3 inches is fine. I have wide feet.

I'm 5 foot 4, light brown hair (shoulder length) and a size 16. I'm due spinal surgery soon so nothing very restrictive or too fitted round the small of my back.

Can anyone help with ideas or suggestions please?

I'm in my 40s. Nothing too ultra trendy.

How exciting. What sort of colours do you like?
Phase Eight currently has a 20% discount (and lots of other things in a sale).
The Kim rose dress looks as if it could be a good shape with your back issues as it's not as fitted as many and has a tie belt. It's currently out of stock in a 16 but could be worth calling to see if they're getting more.

There's a 16 for sale in ebay but that might be too risky without being able to try it first. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/nEW-129-Phase-eight-Kim-Rose-Dress-sz-UK-14-16-/121878440155

I've been at a couple of royal receptions/lunches/garden parties and here are a few tips:

Dress as for the Royal Enclosure at Ascot - nothing above knee-length, shoulders covered and hat should cover the crown of the head.

If you're going to the GP at Buckingham palace, then I'd opt for a low to mid heel and definitely not a stilletto. You're walking on grass for the most part and narrow heels can get stuck, especially if the ground is damp.

Have a lovely time!

It's at st James palace. I looked at this onewww.phase-eight.com/fcp/product/phase-eight/dresses/poppy-burnout-dress/203343216 on phase 8 and love the pattern. Would it be ok with a wrap and then get a hat and bag in white and red shoes?

My dd has a gorgeous wrap I bought her that I could borrow or buy another.

I spotted that poppy one. It's gorgeous isn't it?

I'm not sure about the formality of a garden party but I thought the dress looked really nice with coordinating jacket - www.phase-eight.com/valentine-jacketphase-eight/fcp-productdetail/900801216?locale=en#feefo_reviews.
Perhaps you could wear that for the garden party and borrow the wrap for the wedding.

It's hard to tell from the pictures if white would go with the dress or whether you might be better with a neutral. Perhaps order the dress first so you can check. You could do a cream/taupe hat and shoes and perhaps a contrasting clutch - jade green would be nice.

Something like this would be nice for the bag (but without the monogram and from the uk)

The dress is gorgeous but I would avoid a wrap for the GP if I were you - if it's breezy then trying to manage to keep a wrap on your shoulders while juggling a cup of tea/handbag/plate of sandwiches is a faff. A shrug or jacket would be easier.

This hat is rather nice! although I might be tempted to get rid of the droopy feathers.

the new block heel court shoes wd be good for grass.

Absolutely agree with pp: NO WRAPS!

1. They look like you should be selling pigeon feed in Trafalgar Square.
2. One breeze and they fly everywhere.

If you spend on the coat/jacket you can go simpler on a dress.

Hire a hat, get a hat pin to secure it. Don't wear a fascinatior. See above for wraps.

If in doubt ask yourself: what would our dear queen wear. Answer comes back: NO WRAPS unless they're priceless fur worn in the evening and secured with an actual diamond brooch.

Right, no wrap. I might be scheduled for surgery just before so may have to miss the gp but still have a wedding and christening to attend. Get me with my hectic social life!

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_1,mon_1.5/9520276322 wjat about this outfit? The jacket is 69 ive not checked the dress price