A sartorial survival guide to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The forecast for next week's Chelsea Flower Show looks sunny and stable, but the question around what to wear still remains.
'The best bit of advice I was ever given for dressing at Chelsea,’ garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair reveals, ‘is to wear sensible shoes. Thankfully, I am not a slingback kind of guy.’
The perennial question for those planning a visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is what to wear. Practicality is a priority — weather conditions and walking around 11 acres of showground demand it — but it needn’t come at the expense of dressing up, which is part of the show’s charm.
For men, a shirt with a lightweight wool blend or linen suit looks smart and is appropriate for the spectrum of weather conditions. Neutral tones are refreshing and classic blues can be enlivened by a bolt of colour in your tie or pocket square (Alan Titchmarsh, above, chose bubblegum pink for his last year). Avoid a new-shoe debut; instead, a soft loafer or suede boot will keep you fit on your feet.
Alémais' Ruthie short sleeve shirtdress (left), £500, is made from 100% European linen and has a relaxed silhouette. Wiggy Kit's Keeper dress (right), £395, is 100% linen and can be worn loose (it has an a-line cut) or belted at the waist for more definition.
Ladies keen for a change from the florals can try stripes or tropical motifs (Alémais is good for both). A single colour head to toe looks particularly striking against the hustle and bustle of plants and people. Shirt dresses and heavier linen styles are smart and summery, yet offer welcome warmth should the sun dip. A cardigan is indispensable, even if it spends the day around your shoulders, or take a cue from Isabelle de la Bruyère and accessorise with a gracefully draped shawl.
Comfortable shoes don’t have to be staid. A pointed or almond-toe flat is elegant; a wedge style is sustainable for walking; and if, unlike James, you can’t resist a slingback, choose one with a chunkier heel. Even a little extra height can work miracles.
Sir David Beckham and Country Life's Mark Hedges in coordinating suits at last year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Pack a small umbrella (‘they’re expensive to buy at the show,’ warns Editor-in-Chief Mark Hedges). A handkerchief is wise if hayfever is a concern with the plane trees in full force. Glasses — sun and reading — are not to be forgotten and a notebook is useful (Smythson’s Chelsea design is a fitting choice).
The most important accessory? A smile — it is a blooming marvellous occasion after all.
The Country Life ‘Garden Lover’s Library’, designed by George Saumarez Smith of Adam Architecture, is at stand PW215 at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, May 18–23.
The first 200 subscribers at Chelsea will receive a bottle of The Grange Classic Sparkling NV, worth £39. Rated 94 points by Decanter magazine, this premium sparkling wine from Hampshire was described in Country Life as ‘the connoisseur’s choice’. Offer available with subscriptions for UK delivery only.
