From 24 th to 28 th May 2016, the joyous Chelsea Flower Show returns for a spectacular display of amazing plants and garden designs. The Royal Hospital Chelsea will be transformed into the world’s greatest flower show including a floral arch to celebrate HM the Queens 90 th birthday and the memorable poppies tribute.
With the arrival of this event, it can only mean one thing – we are entering our Spring and Summer wardrobe and stepping away from our winter woollies. It’s time to put away our thick jumpers and heavy coats and enter into lighter and cooler fabrics.
There are quite a few parallels that you can draw between garden design and tailoring. From the use of colour and the meticulous attention to detail to obviously wanting to be the best in show!
Your attire for this impressive day should be cool, comfortable and stylish – you don’t want to be blending in with the various flower displays, so opting for subtle,
plain colours will work well. Although there is no formal dress code, going for smart casual is best.
Choosing a classic plain relaxed shirt and casual light trousers or chinos will help give you a comfortable and relaxed feel. We are not yet in the midst of full summer sun and so a jacket or blazer will provide you with a welcoming warmth from the breeze. Opting for a cotton or linen jacket or a combination of the two will give you a practical and stylish outfit. Don’t be afraid to explore pastel colours when choosing your shirt – light pinks, blues and greens will work well with your surroundings without over doing it.
The flower show involves a lot of walking and so pairing this outfit with sensible (but stylish) shoes is a must. If you’re suffering from ill-fitting or painful shoes then you won’t enjoy the floral ambience and miss some of the amazing garden designs the event has to offer. Due to the nature of the show, there will be a lot of grass and mud so choosing darker colour shoes will make sure you’re not left with unforgiving shoes.
Our British weather can be slightly unpredictable and by having a waterproof lightweight jacket, umbrella or panama hat to hand you can easily roll with the season and be prepared.
The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the nation’s best-loved horticultural shows and you will want to feel smart and comfortable whilst attracting attention for being a charming and stylish individual instead of being a sartorial wallflower!