There is an unspoken dress code at the Chelsea Flower Show. Can you guess what it is? Florals, botanicals, vegetable prints and earthy colours are all permitted (for men and women) at an event where the literal dressing is now as enjoyable and integral to the scene as the prized foxgloves and the fizz.
The Chelsea Flower Show has taken place annually since 1912 – yet the Royal Horticultural Society has never dictated what its visitors should wear. Rather this trend has bubbled up from the audience; Chelsea offers the ultimate Nice Day Out, a chance to get dressed up and meet with friends while perusing the competition (and taking plenty of social media photos of your outfits against a beautiful backdrop, while you’re at it).
“You have to pay homage and wear florals for Chelsea,” confirms Margaux Garnish, 40, attending on Tuesday wearing a vintage linen Mulberry dress. A salad shop owner from the Isle of Wight, she says she planned her look several weeks ago and was determined to wear it whatever the weather. “I love to pick a favourite flower each year,” agrees Bella Roberts, 48 – this year she’s in Dolce & Gabbana sunflowers.
It is the Princess of Wales who sparked the trend for dressing up in recent years – she set the tone from her first appearance at the show in 2016, when she arrived wearing her greens in a Catherine Walker coat-dress. Prior to her, the late Queen Elizabeth II would wear florals or zingy colours, and flower embellished hats.
Early through the doors this year was Dame Joan Collins wearing a delightful large lily brooch, and The One Show presenter Alex Jones in a purple pansy print. Dame Mary Berry showed up in pink paisley, Baroness Floella Benjamin wore painterly carnations.
“Be prepared, as the temperature’s unpredictable,” advises Samantha Cameron, who layered up in a splatter floral dress with a linen blazer, from her own label Cefinn. “There’s nothing stylish about overheating, and no one’s amusing whilst damp and chilly. Separates can be a stylish problem solver if the weather is dodgy.”
Comfort is a crucial consideration at this event. While it’s fun to play up to the theme of the day and wear something whimsical, there’s a lot of walking to be done. Pretty flats and low blocks are advisable over heels. Remember, this isn’t a race day, so there’s no need for a fascinator – but a straw brimmed hat to genuinely protect from the sun could be a good call. Checking the weather forecast before you go is essential.
Even if you aren’t attending the actual event this year, there’s inspiration to be taken for garden parties, picnics, and summer party celebrations. Accessories are an easy way for anyone to add a spring flourish to their outfit, whether they’re at Chelsea or a friend’s barbecue in Chichester. Even if the rest of your outfit was linen trousers and a nice blouse, adding one of Lulu Guinness’s novelty bird’s nest or rose basket bags would be a guaranteed way to spark conversation.
“It’s great to see the juxtaposition of some of my flower baskets next to real flowers,” says Guinness (last year Jones carried another of her quirky designs, a clutch shaped like a greenhouse). “They are like art pieces and I so enjoy designing them. I’ve always adored flowers, they are the greatest mood changer for me.”
Creativity here is naturally rife, and you’ll spot many artists and designers in the crowds browsing for ideas.
“I try to go every year as I find it a great source of inspiration for my design,” says Cameron. “Flowers have very specific colours and textures which are unique and the same qualities that 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, released for this year’s show. She’s used it on vintage style plimsolls that can be thrown in the washing machine after a day of pacing around the gardens.
For the first time this year, Chilvers will host a pop-up shop in the flower show grounds, selling her popular espadrilles and pumps alongside the classic gardening retailers. Who wouldn’t fancy shopping for a pair of her bright jute wedges after their browse – or putting them straight on if they had originally made an uncomfortable footwear choice for the event.
“They’re very colourful and perfect for garden parties which are mostly spent on soft green lawns,” Chilvers says.
Crucially, she adds, “they don’t sink into the grass.”
What to wear...
Italian linen jacket, £320, Jigsaw; Ellie dress, £170, Hill House Home; Valenciana espadrilles, £129, Penelope Chilvers
Wide brim hat, £45, John Lewis; Lyra shirt dress, £375, Cefinn; Bird nest bag, £345, Lulu Guinness
