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!

That’s interesting, it has definitely changed then. My knowledge was pre Covid, so a new monarch as well may have made changes.

I’m a bigger girl and when we were lucky enough to go to a Garden Party I had a floor length dress that I think I got from Marisota.

Flats are definitely the way to go. As we trained in from Wiltshire and we’re going to be walking round London a bit beforehand, I went in in a pair of converse! I changed into heels to walk to the palace and by the time we had been waiting in line to get in and then standing in the gardens, my feet were killing me. I actually ended up changing back into the converse (they were completely black and covered by the long dress).

I got a fascinator from British Heart Foundation charity shop, they had loads of different colours and styles.

Take a brolly - it was raining at ours and the only proper cover was the tea marquee, which was understandably busy.

This is pretty from Hobbs https://www.hobbs.com/product/lalena-sequin-floral-dress/0125-5246-9045L00-MIDNIGHT-MULTI.html

Chesca often have rather splendid clothes for people who like me are large and tall. https://chescadirect.co.uk/ and look under "Occasion wear". (It's Garb Porn really.)

They are pricey but the fabrics are worth it.

I am similar to you try Phase 8 plus size.

How big a bag can you take?

Would you consider a personal shopper? I've been a couple of times to a big John Lewis, and they're great at finding flattering outfits

I know you want to treat yourself but please consider looking at Vinted or eBay (or a good local charity shop). The prices for things like this are brilliant as people wear them once and sell them on. Phase Eight/Hobbs dresses for under £20 etc. Charity shops often have great hats. I can’t bring myself to buy most things new now as I get such great secondhand bargains.

I’d get a few things to try and sell on anything you don’t end up wearing - and spend that £500 on a nice weekend away.

I thought it was harsh too @MyDeftDuckand didn’t like the ones she suggested.

This is pretty and has a jacket included. Just for example. Gina Bacconi, never worn, £300 new.

www.vinted.co.uk/items/5981330881-gina-bacconi-dress-set-size-22-never-worn-tags-attached

And loads and loads of options in your size in Special Occasion dresses. Some are gorgeous.

Totally agree with asking in charity shops about hats/fascinators - I was helping a customer with looking for a fascinator when I was volunteering yesterday.

Sorry not to add anything in the fashion front but am so curious as to how so many of you have been invited to royal garden parties ! Are you all involved in charity or similar work ?

I have never had a reason to justify buying from Nancy Mac, but it sounds like you have a perfect excuse!

https://www.therareandthebeautiful.com/chic-moss-crepes/dresses-in-moss-crepe

Sorry not to add anything in the fashion front but am so curious as to how so many of you have been invited to royal garden parties ! Are you all involved in charity or similar work ?

My friend's mother was invited because she was a long serving school governor. A relative of mine was invited to one at Holyrood because of her job, but I can't remember why exactly - I heard about it from her mother, who went as her +1, and was talking more about her experience of the day.

Mine was work related too

Chesca is a good shout, and don't be afraid to try any local Mother of the Bride shops - that's the sort of level outfit you want. This place often pops up on my Instagram feed - some beautiful clothes: https://lechicboutique.co.uk/size/plus-size/ and try this too https://www.shibumistyle.com/ Princess Anne is a fan, apparently.

Be COMFORTABLE

The gardens are huge and worth exploring.
Seating is limited.
You and the 8000 other people will do a LOT of milling around

So wear what you are comfortable in for several hours.
I wore a Phase 8 dress and flats. No hat.
Worked out fine.
Husband wore smart jacket, chinos and striped shirt.
(I was the invitee)

I went to a garden party at BP last year - sadly poured with rain but was fun :) Women mainly wearing dresses, lots of floral, with fascinators rather than hats - just remember hundreds of women wearing fascinators at Victoria station getting taxis in the rain! So it's nice to dress up and treat yourself but nobody will be judging you. I wore a dress from monsoon and colour matched the fascinator from an online shop on Etsy - but I think you can buy fascinators at Accessorize, wouldn't spend loads on a hat unless you really want to.

There are also often brand new fascinators given to charity shops by shops that have some left at the end of the season - so there are new ones as well as those that have only been used once.

Volunteering, yes.

That's funny I wore a green dress with a straw-coloured raffia clutch to the garden party we went to last year - I don't normally dress up so was bit worried about it, but needn't have been as so many people nobody judging. I wore some block heel tan sandals I already had which worked well. The invitation I had said a hat was necessary - an inexpensive fascinator was fine, most people wore these.

https://www.phase-eight.com/product/willma-printed-dress-10002500000.html#isSecondPage=false&start=0&sz=60&is=true&isShoeProduct=false&cgid=Occasionwear&prefn1=size&prefv1=24&pid=10002500000&pos=37

i love this, but anything phase 8 would be good - they have good stock in stores to try on often too and then stock bags, hats etc to match too.

for shoes try paradox london wide fit, you will get nice flats there

I went to a garden party at Buckingham Palace for my daughters Gold D of E Award, I wore a dress and jacket but didn’t wear a hat or facinator , it wasn’t particularly posh to be honest . The sandwiches are tiny so make sure you have a few , I was starving ! Lovely day out though .

The DofE presentations are different from the Garden Parties.