by The Chelsea Flower Show has an unspoken dress code. Can you guess what it is? Florals, botanicals, vegetable prints and bronze hues are all allowed (for men and women) at an event where the literal dressing is now as fun and central to the scene as the fox gloves and the fizz.
The Chelsea Flower Show has been held every year since 1912 – but the Royal Horticultural Society has never decided what visitors should wear. Rather this trend has increased from the audience; Chelsea offers the Ultimate Day Out, a chance to dress up and meet friends while watching the competition (and take plenty of social media photos of your outfits against a beautiful backdrop, while you’re there).
“You have to pay tribute and wear flowers for Chelsea,” confirms Margaux Garnish, 40, who was in attendance on Tuesday wearing a vintage linen Mulberry dress. The owner of a salad shop from the Isle of Wight says she planned her look weeks ago and was determined to wear it whatever the weather. “I love picking my favorite flower every year,” says Bella Roberts, 48 - this year she’s in Dolce & Gabbana sunflowers.
The Princess of Wales has been the driving force behind the dress-up trend in recent years – she set the tone from her first appearance on the show in 2016, when she arrived wearing her greens in a Catherine Walker coat-dress. Before that, the late Queen Elizabeth II would wear flowers or bright colors, and flower-embellished hats.
Early through the doors this year was Dame Joan Collins wearing a large lily brooch, and The One Show presenter Alex Jones in purple pansy print. Dame Mary Berry showed up in pink paisley, Baroness Floella Benjamin wore painted carnations.
“Be prepared, because the temperature is unpredictable,” says Samantha Cameron, who stepped out from her own label Cefinn in a floral splatter dress with a linen blazer. “There’s nothing stylish about being overheated, and nobody’s funny when they’re damp and cold. Separates can be a stylish problem solver if the weather is dirty.”
Comfort is a critical consideration at this event. While it’s fun to play up the theme of the day and wear something whimsical, there’s a lot of walking to be done. It is recommended beautiful flats and low blocks over heels. Remember, this isn’t race day, so there’s no need to panic – but a straw hat for real sun protection might be a good call. It is essential to check the weather forecast before you go.
Even if you’re not attending the actual event this year, there’s inspiration to be had for garden parties, picnics, and summer party celebrations. Accessories are an easy way for anyone to add a touch of spring to their outfit, whether they’re in Chelsea or at a friend’s barbecue in Chichester. Even if the rest of your outfit was linen trousers and a nice blouse, one of Lulu Guinness’s fresh bird bags or a basket of roses would be a guaranteed way to spark conversation.
“It’s amazing to see the juxtaposition of some of my flower baskets next to real flowers,” says Guinness (last year Jones carried another of her whimsical designs, a clutch that served as a greenhouse). “They are like pieces of art and I love designing them. I have always loved flowers, they are my biggest mood changer.”
Creativity here naturally abounds, and you’ll see many artists and designers among the crowds browsing for ideas.
“I try to go every year because it’s a great source of inspiration for my design,” says Cameron. “Flowers have very specific colors and textures that are unique and the same qualities I love about fabrics too.”
For shoe designer Penelope Chilvers, last year’s event inspired her to design a new “Chelsea Floral” cotton pique print, which was released for this year’s show. She used it on vintage plimsolls that can be thrown in the washing machine after a day of swinging around the gardens.
For the first time this year, Chilvers will host a pop-up shop on the flower show grounds, selling her popular espadrilles and pumps alongside the classic gardening retailers. Although he wouldn’t want to go shopping for a pair of their bright jute wedges after browsing – or put them straight on if they’d made an uncomfortable choice of footwear for the event to begin with.
“They’re very colorful and perfect for garden parties that are mostly held on soft green lawns,” says Chilvers.
Crucially, she says, “they don’t go into the grass.”
What to wear…
Italian linen jacket, £320, puzzles; Ellie dress, £170, The Hill House; Valenciana espadrilles, £129, Penelope Chilvers
wide hat, £45, John Lewis; Lyra shirt dress, £375, Cefinn; Bird’s nest bag, £345, Lulu Guinness
