Royal Garden Party

[Katrinawaves]

I’ve been invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and am looking for a wow outfit for the day. I am told the dress code is posh wedding with hat or fascinator a requirement

Please hit me with some ideas.

I am:

mid fifties
5’7”
size 10, 32E bust, slightly rounded belly
redhead

Budget is flexible but 3 figures all in not 4 please!

Most women were wearing structured dresses with formal jackets, nothing like the me and em suggestion, my dress was phase 8, jacket bravissimo (no longer do clothes), flat shoes, hat borrowed and definitely not my thing!

This is similar, most wore this style if under 60, older women were more varied in style. This was precovid but not that long ago

www.phase-eight.com/product/jackie-print-dress-222240000.html#cgid=occasion&is=true&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=222240000&pos=1

Charity shops can be great for hats btw.

This one is lovely.

Something like this?

That one is lovely. Where is it from please?

Btw, that's from this shop, which specialises in MOB outfits (also plenty of hats with some of the outfits):

bearnecessitiesfashion.co.uk/

It might be too much of a trek to get to, but lots of ideas there which you might be able to find in a stockist near where you live.

I would hire the hat if you can as you're unlikely to wear again.

Maybe have a co-ordinating brolly on standby!

It is a fabulous day and the cake is to die for! Rose Battenburg...best cake I've ever eaten

Do you have to go? I’m a similar age and can think of nothing worse.

That's far and away the nicest suggestion so far.

Here's every dress in Liberty. There's Liberty's own brand and also brands like Farm Rio, Rixo, Toteme, Alémais, Kitri, Issey Miyake, Erdem, Dries van Noten, and loads more. Obviously Liberty only has a selection of these brands so you might find more on the specific websites.

Also Pink City Prints, Ganni, Wiggy Kit, Stein Goya, Zimmerman.

These are, for me all great, dressy, dressed up dresses which you can wear again. They are not "Mother of the Bride" dresses.

Liberty dresses

I love this one
Dries van Noten

When I went six years ago I wore a pretty silk tea dress with a hat. There were a mix of styles - a lot of the older ladies there were in floral dresses but there were others in slightly more 'ladies' day' type outfits. Pick something comfortable as well as stylish as it's quite a long time standing and a lot of it is on grass.

Op is obviously looking forward to it.
Why post something like this? Just scroll on by.

Agree 💚

LK Bennett have some beautiful silk dresses.

OP, bear in mind it is a garden party. You want something appropriate for strolling around in the sunshine, with a glass of lemonade, chatting to people and looking at the royal flower beds.

I love this one, https://thefoldlondon.com/product/aveiro-maxi-dress-blue-and-ivory-silk/?_gl=1gf6vg4_upMQ.._gaNzQxODMwMDY1LjE3MTExODI0MjU._ga_M8JV53WLST*MTcxMTE4MjQyNS4xLjAuMTcxMTE4MjQyNS4wLjAuMA..

2 from Erdem sale.

Erdem 1

Erdem 2

Definitely the Tivoli, the other one less so. I don't personally like the tight structured style of the other and the looser one is far more "garden party"

@Katrinawaves is clearly excited to attend and looking for a special outfit for the day. There’s no need for shirty comments.

Zimmerman is £££ but a beautiful colour.
https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-gb/shop/product/zimmermann/clothing/midi-dresses/tiered-plisse-taffeta-midi-dress/1647597326830767?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GOO%3ANAP%3AEU%3AGB%3AEX%3AENG%3ASEAU%3APLA%3ASLR%3AMXO%3ANEW%3AWN%3AZIMMERMANN%3ALV0%3ALV1%3ALV2%3AXXX%3A11%3AEMPTY%3A&utm_id=20070271095&utm_term=3074457345627194164&vtp00=GOOGLE&vtp01=SEAU&vtp02=151722549994&vtp03=pla-311122297903&vtp04=g&vtp05=m&vtp06=657173515896&vtp07=pla&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADRhZnvM92vyX38-__szvGVqGE-26&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq-yQkImKhQMVdZNQBh3vlA0OEAQYCiABEgIGYfD_BwE

That Zimmerman dress is perfect. And also "reusable" which the M o B stuff isn't.

Both those are lovely. I’ve had DVF skirts and dresses before (I regret giving away a lovely bright blue skirt!) and the quality and style are excellent. Always got compliments on them too.

Very nice and you could wear it again.

Some great choices here.

I'd veer towards something bold, dramatic, tongue in cheek, to counteract the ocean of pastel floral frills and fawning deference. Luckily for all, there's no chance I'd ever be invited!

Some great ideas. Thank you. I do love the Zimmerman and it looks easy to wear again.

What do people think about this one from Wolf and Badger?

https://www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/long-organza-dress-with-ruffles-and-lace-applique/

I prefer the Zimmerman one but that's because I know that after the party I could waft through summer wearing the Zimmerman dress as an everyday summer frock. I go to loads of things in August in the Edinburgh Festival and the Zimmerman one is definitely a dress I'd wear then (if it's not raining)

The other one , no. It's too "event" M of B.