21-05-2025
The Chelsea Flower Show dress code that will suit anyone this summer
There are so many things to love about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Chief among them, for fashion fans at least, is the excuse to get dressed up (or admire the outfits) and honour the enduring themes of the occasion: joyful florals and spring/summer shades. For while there is no official dress code for Chelsea, there is an unspoken agreement among attendees that flora provide an endless source of sartorial inspiration.
Floral prints have perennial fashion appeal, but interest has bloomed among the style set of late, cropping up in avant-garde, sculptural style on catwalks and red carpets. At Chelsea, a different interpretation seems to be taking hold this year – floral-adjacent prints, from painterly botanical patterns to delicate embroidery. Just look at the Queen, who arrived at the show on Monday in the bespoke Fiona Clare dress featuring myriad leaves.
'The Chelsea Flower Show is the perfect occasion to celebrate florals, but it's all about balance,' says Rebecca Vallance, an Australian designer whose elegant pieces are popular with British royals including Princess Eugenie (who wore a halterneck dress by Vallance to this year's Show). 'Whether you go full bloom in bold prints or just give a subtle nod with soft neutrals and delicate detailing, it should feel effortless and refined.'
Alison Miley, 57, achieved just that with an H&M co-ord, accessorised with a straw hat (also from high street store) and a Dragon Diffusion bag – a gift from her children. 'I wanted something light that subtly referenced the floral theme,' she explains. 'I was originally looking for a dress, but then this popped up while I was shopping online and I thought: perfect.'
Octavia Saugman, 34, also found subtle florals on the high street, showing just how chic a simple Zara dress can look with the right accessories – in her case, Flabelus pumps, Celine sunglasses and a basket bag from Asos. 'I love a floral print dress but I didn't want to go too obvious this year,' she says. 'I landed on something summery that doesn't feel too full-on.' Those wishing to achieve a similar take but willing to invest in a slightly higher price tag might look to Essentiel Antwerp's unique pieces, or The Fold's painterly prints created in collaboration with botanical artist, Rosie Sanders.
Get the look
Of course, there's no need to incorporate flowers into your outfit at all. 'The Chelsea Flower Show is such a visual feast in itself, so I think there's a quiet elegance in paring everything back,' says Anna Jewsbury, the artistic director of Completedworks, a fashion-forward jewellery brand that's currently part of the Chelsea in Bloom display at The Conran Shop on Sloane Square. 'Let your accessories offer a more subtle, sculptural nod to the occasion,' Jewsbury continues. This could be anything from Completedworks' own statement floral rings or a Lulu Guinness flower basket to something more subtle, like Anni Lu's pretty friendship-style bracelets.
Playful accessories to try
As for the rest of the outfit, there seemed to be two key schools of thought beyond florals at Chelsea this year: neutral linen separates or bolder colour blocking. When it comes to the latter, on-trend butter yellow was a recurring feature. Prue Leith gave a zestier take on the hue in a lemon blazer at the Gala Preview on Monday, while Roisin Connell, 59, found a dress in what she describes as 'the colour of the season' in Irish retailer Dunnes Stores.
Connell wore her dress with Adidas trainers in chocolate brown and co-ordinating butter yellow stripes. Quirky trainers like this were another frequent sight at Chelsea, where there's rarely a heel to be seen (save for a presumably comfortable pair of wedges or two). Flashes of silver, mustard and, in Kirstie Allsopp's case, tangerine, proved that footwear can still be fun, however. While trainers are far from a faux pas, those wishing to avoid them might turn to reliably comfortable footwear brands like Penelope Chilvers or M&S.
Reliably comfortable flats
Pink was another popular choice of shade this year – see Mary Berry and Gloria Hunniford for great celebrity takes. On the ground, Nikki Redcliffe, 67, made the case for channelling the rose-tinted trend through tailoring. 'Normally I wear vintage, but this is by Cathcart, which is a men's brand that does a small ladies' range based on 1930s beach pyjamas,' she says. Paired with pearls, a vintage waist-cinching scarf and a cream headpiece (for vital sun protection as well as style), this was an elevated look that still offered comfort.
Other chic attendees incorporated tailored pieces into more toned-down looks, including Amanda Spencer, who paired a pinstripe Zara linen blazer with a white Mint Velvet dress (plus a brilliant hat she found on holiday in St. Tropez). Then there was Kate Woodcock, 39, who wore pinstripe trousers from Me+Em with a black Cos T-shirt and Chanel pumps. 'I think it's great to lean towards pieces that echo natural forms,' says Jewsbury. 'Soft curves, organic textures, something that feels crafted rather than overly polished – pieces that complement the setting, rather than compete with it.'
Whatever you wear to Chelsea (or any great British event this season), remember that the weather forecast is the ultimate style cue. A sun hat or lightweight jacket – or, realistically, both – will likely be the best accessory of all.
Stylish separates
