Buckingham Palace garden party, plus-size apple shape. Help!

[goingtostealatoiletroll]

I'm in the very lucky position to be invited to one of the King's garden parties in the summer and I'm already panicking about what to wear.

I am a UK size 22-24, with an apple shaped body thanks to a hormone condition. I have a B-belly with a distinct upper bit and lower bit, and not much of a waist. Big boobs, much smaller legs by proportion.

I don't often have cause to dress up and have no idea where to even start looking. Most of my clothes come from ASOS, Primark and supermarkets...

I will also need to wear flats and have extra, extra wide feet, so could do with some tips on the kind of shoes that would be appropriate to wear. And where the hell do people buy fascinators/ hats??

Thanks!

I couldn’t understand why that basic cotton poplin Ganni dress was £1125.
I was gobsmacked at the price.
I hadn’t seen the decimal point.

My DS is getting married this year,I am a similar size to you .Normally shop at my favourite place EBay! Phase 8 is a really nice shop.John Lewis carry their range also sell fascinators too.Hotter shoes are really nice .dont wear anything else these days .Have EW and EEE fittings. have a low heel and are so comfy .Not many actual shops ,but I order online and they will change /refund if a problem .Have a lovely Day !

It;'s a lovely bag but a bit casual for a garden party?

Definitely too casual. It’s essentially a shopping basket.

Weren't you suggesting that basket for a cocktail party last week? 😁

I’ve been to a garden party and apart from the fact that you want to look nice in a photograph, it really doesn’t matter what you wear. By that I mean, no one will be looking at you or criticising you and I definitely wouldn’t buy anything you aren’t going to wear again. The gardens are lovely and it is a good chance to wander round and see them but we saw several celebrities who weren’t at all dressed up.

Pavers shoes do a range called Easy Fit, which are extra wide. They have some summer sandals.

If it’s a garden party, I would add a basket bag to any outfit!

As basket bag to a Royal Garden Party?! Just no.

I'm also going this summer and I have a dress in mind but I need a back up in case It doesn't fit and some of these ideas are great.

This is gorgeous! I’m going to demand one of my single friends gets married just so I can wear it 😄

There are some Marina Rinaldi dresses on Vinted size 18 that could be useful.

You don’t need a special occasion to wear that. Dressed down it’s just a nice frock you could wear virtually anywhere.

Well, I do beg your pardon m'lady! I thought the OP had asked for MN opinions - maybe she should have saved herself, and the rest of us, time and just asked you?!

Hire a hat if you can. A bit of googling will show up somewhere close to you and doing it that way means you can wear a nicer hat than you’d be prepared to buy yourself! The hat hire places I’ve used are really helpful - if you take your outfit with you they can coordinate the colours as well as advising on what suits your face shape.

Our local hire shop is amazing, when my boss was sorting out her Royal Ascot outfit a few years ago she had a lovely blue/yellow floral dress. They selected a yellow hat then dyed a few additional feathers the same shade of blue as her dress to make sure it complimented it perfectly.

I’d add for those that like the Pretty Kitty dress, also look at:

British Retro
House of Foxy
Seamstress of Bloomsbury
Vivian of Holloway

I have just had a look online at Hobbs and in their sale section there are some lovely dresses and they go up to size 22.

All my clothes for work (big cheese) are marina Rinaldi. Worth every penny.
I buy most off ebay but they are new. The two ladies go to the outlet in italy. Little fashion corner. I've been buying from them for ten years.
Search for the brand then perhaps silk dresses.
I was a 24 and 5 10. I always got compliments.
However if you love that dress buy it, plus fashion should be just as fabulous as anyone else.

My cousin buys sass and wilde shoes for extra wide feet. Flats, silk, sparkle.

Sorry wrong shoes, sargasso and grey

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/agnes-floral-pleated-midi-dress-green-20002310164.html what about this dress

also try here for shoes https://sargassoandgrey.com/

Watching with interest as I have been invited too. Think I have the dress sorted but need to think of shoes, really struggle to find shoes that fit and are comfortable, and I am not sure even pretty trainers will be acceptable!

I went to one last year. Got myself in a right tizzy over it and ended up wearing a (( very flattering may I add )) maxi shirt dress from Sainsburys of all places. I didn't feel out of place at all.

My advice would be don't spend a fortune on an outfit you wont wear again and dont feel comfortable in. It's only one day. You'll see people wearing allsorts, So long as you look smart you'll be fine.

And wear flats. You'll be walking on grass and stones mainly. Saw a few who ignored that advice and ended up carrying their shoes !

A hat or fascinator is definitely required, it's a very strict dress code for that.

We went last year and the hat was definitely optional then and it was about 50/50 in terms of who wore one and who didn’t

A google search will not keep you right on this one - be guided by the official info that comes with your formal invitation. My DH was all up for wearing a morning suit and google suggested this was the norm but we researched it and he wore a normal suit on the day. Had he worn a morning suit he would have fitted in with the royals and the equerries but woildnhave stuck out like a sore thumb as a guest!

Really ?
We didn't.

There is a dress code that comes with the invitation, and people follow it.
There are usually people in uniform, many men in formal morning dress (bit like the Fat Controller), many in more ordinary suits, some in National dress. Ladies again - in uniform, national dress, or very smart outfits. Mostly dresses but a few in trousers, but all, very very smart. No, you don't have to wear a hat (or hatinator or fascinator) but more do than don't, and it just felt very much part of the occasion to me.

It was a long time ago that I went to a Garden Party (20 years this year) but I was a very similar size when I went,

I wore a chiffon floral dress that I already had for a wedding that I got from Evans (Or maybe Ann Harvey), shoes, I regretfully wore neutral block heals, but flats would have been a much better idea as there was limited seats so a lot of standing around. For a hat, I was really lucky, and managed to borrow one from my Mum, but it was a Jacque Vert one. My advice would be if you opt for a hat over a fascinator make sure it is well secured as mine blew off and a group of tourists helpfully gave chase and caught it for me.

I would agree the portaloos were so fancy. I think my favourite bit was when DH and I went for a stroll away from the crowds and got to explore the gardens a bit.

But whatever you wear, have fun. We still have the picture from that day up in our hallway.

I love the pattern but it’s too short