Travel Live Learn

Royal Garden Party attire: behind the scenes at the palace!

Royal Garden Party attire: behind the scenes at the palace!

I’m not going to lie: I’m into all things ‘Royal’, and having the chance to attend a Royal Garden Party back in 2019 was a privilege and an honour.

We have a lot of traffic on this site to posts about the garden parties held at Buckingham Palace and similar venues. A question we’re asked quite a bit about is what’s the deal with Royal Garden Party attire? How should a guest approach styling for such an event?

Now that the future of the Royal Garden Parties under King Charles has been confirmed, people around the UK and Commonwealth have started receiving invitations! Exciting :)

Here’s what you need to know about the fashion dos and don’ts!

 

Royal Garden Party attire – what to wear to a palace

If you have been invited to a royal garden party, there is typically a specific dress code that you should follow. The dress code for a royal garden party is formal, but not as formal as a black-tie event.

Guidelines we adhered to:

For women

  • A formal day dress, cocktail dress or a skirt and blouse is appropriate.
  • The dress or skirt should not be too short.
  • Avoid showing too much skin, so a sleeveless or off-the-shoulder dress is best avoided unless you’re balancing up your style in different ways. That said, over the past two years, ‘cut outs’ have been in fashion, so use your best judgement – if in doubt, don’t.
  • Hats or fascinators are traditionally worn, but it’s not mandatory.

For men

  • A suit or a blazer and trousers with a tie is appropriate.
  • It’s recommended to wear a light-coloured suit, such as grey or beige.
  • A morning coat or tailcoat is also acceptable if you have one.
  • Top hats are typically worn but it’s not mandatory.

 

Here’s how we addressed it:

 

Other considerations

  • Wear comfortable shoes because it is a garden party, and you will be walking on grass. I wore low chunky heels which worked out well as the grass was a bit wet and soggy. Even the Royals can’t control the weather.
  • Speaking of, keep an eye on the temperatures. While England is generally cool, occasionally summer days can be extremely hot. If you strike one of those days for your visit, you’ll want to keep cool as well as classy.
  • Avoid wearing anything too casual or too flashy. Elegant is the way to go.
  • Many people stick to conservative colours, such as navy, black, beige, or grey, but if you can pull of classic red, blue or green, go for it – just keep it stylish and classy.

 

Overall, the dress code for a royal garden party is formal and traditional, but not as strict as a black-tie event. It’s important to dress respectfully and conservatively while still maintaining a sense of style and elegance.

 

Royal Garden Parties: a special and rare affair

Our Royal Garden Party experience was truly exceptional.

There’s a lot of interest around how to get an invitation to the Royal Garden Parties in England and Scotland. I was approached by Business Insider to share my story!

A Royal garden party invitation - hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Copyright royal.com

Image courtesy royal.com

 

More information:

Keep an eye on the Royal website for updates on events in 2023.

Is there any other information you’d like to see covered about Royal events? Let us know and we’ll find out more. We’d love to hear from you – please do drop us a line in the comments.

6 of the best beach clubs Ibiza

6 of the best beach clubs Ibiza

The White Isle, a magical place on the Mediterranean. We love it 😃 Here’s our pick of the best beach clubs Ibiza you need to experience!

Sunset Ashram

Cala Conta, San Josep

We wandered up to the front entrance not thinking too much of it. Of course, we guessed it might be kinda cool – we were standing on top of a small clifftop and ocean surrounded us, after all. But, we had no idea the spectacle we’d receive inside! Crystal blue and aqua ocean all around; diners, drinkers, beach-goers. And a DJ playing sweet house tunes. Blissful.

Sunset Ashram is a little out of the way so you’re best to get there in a car. But, you have to go at least once. The location is stunning. Just have a look in my Ibiza Insta Stories!

Also perfect for watching the famous Ibiza sunset 🌞

Nassau Beach Club

Playa d’en Bossa

Expensive – a bit. Swanky, yup. Count us in!

Not for the expensive part, but for the stylish bit.

This is your stereotypical up-market Ibiza beach club. Beautiful people laze about drinking Moet. The beach is sandy white and spectacular. Inside the decor is classy and breezy. A nice experience, if you’re into this scene.

Go on…

Nassau Beach Club Ibiza

 

Babylon Beach Bar

Santa Eulalia

When you’re done at Wednesday’s huge hippy market in Es Canar, pop into Babylon. It’s about ten minutes drive away. We got there at lunch time and to our happy surprise there were places to sit, have a cool drink and enjoy the view. You do have to pay for the day beds though, which is where it gets pricey.

Babylon is more of a laid back yet stylish beach club in Ibiza, set in a peaceful cove. Definitely one of our favourites.

Babylon beach club Ibiza Santa Eulalia

 

Kumharas

San Antonio Bay

In a fun little corner of Ibiza, not far from Sant Antonio, Kumharas is set right on the beach. It’s known for its hippy-chic vibe. Prices for food and drinks are comparatively better than other Ibiza beach clubs.

This is one for a ‘lil dance on the beach as the sun sets.

Kumharas is a chilled out beach club in Ibiza

 

El Chiringuito

Es Cavallet

Stylish, secluded with serene ocean views – this one is set on a hot sandy beach ⛱ Start the day with Yoga at the far end of the beach, then settle in for a relaxed day filled with good vibes.

El Chiringuito Ibiza beach club

This option is more private – if you too love a secret beach, have a read here for more of the world’s best.

 

Ushuaïa

Playa d’en Bossa

Some may say it’s over-rated, but we had a brilliant time when we inadvertently stumbled into this beach club.

Bright colours, even brighter personalities, music, great cocktails and all set on the beach.

It’s easy to while away a few hours in bubbly bliss here.

 

These are 6 of our favourites. We’re aware there’s plenty more awesome beach clubs in Ibiza though. Ibiza Spotlight highlights a few more if you’re keen to look around.

Have other tips or questions? Let us know in the comments.