It’s garden party season! If you live in the part of the country where you spend half the year under snow, you know how important it is to use this precious time to enjoy being outside without the risk of frostbite.

If you’ve been invited to some garden parties or are planning your own, you might be a little unclear on what the dress code is for these events. While it does vary depending on the exact nature of the party, there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind so you can enjoy your garden party to the fullest.

Garden Party Attire By Theme

While you might be down to party any time, most parties have a theme of some kind or are celebrating a specific event. It’s important to know the level of formality is going to be based on the kind of event. 

Here are some of the most common themes for a garden party.

Bridal or Baby Shower

A bridal shower is a great event to hold outdoors. Baby showers can also be celebrated with a garden party. For either event, the dress code is likely going to focus on fun, feminine, and flirty looks. Some showers will have specific colors chosen for the guests to wear, but even if that’s the case, you still have room to be creative with your outfit.

You could wear something bright with a floral theme to fit the garden setting. A floral dress or a playful two-piece set works well for this kind of theme.

Brunch or Tea Party

When the weather is nice, there’s nothing better than having a girls’ brunch or a tea party. It’s the perfect setting to have fun with frothy feminine outfits. Enjoy dressing up in your most over-the-top floral maxi dress, and maybe choose a color theme for everyone to dress in. 

You can add fascinators or tiaras and costume jewelry to lean into a princess theme, letting out your inner royalty.

If you’re looking for more comprehensive tea party outfit ideas, we have plenty of tips here.

Graduation Garden Party Attire

Whether it’s your graduation or the graduation of someone you love, it’s the perfect occasion to get outside and celebrate. A graduation garden party can be more casual or more formal, depending on the graduate’s preference. Either way, a graduation party, especially one held in the evening, can be a great event to wear a sleeker look. 

A cocktail dress could be a good options, but we also love the way a fitted jumpsuit mixes playfulness and sophistication. Of course, there are plenty of different kinds of graduation parties, and different outfits might be more appropriate than others, depending on the theme.

BBQ Garden Patry Attire

While it may be a bit of a stretch to call a barbecue a garden party, it’s still an outdoor get-together where you can enjoy good friends, good food, and a lovely setting. Since the vibe is more casual, a breezy cotton sundress in a pastel color might be a good option. 

If you prefer shorts in the summer, a romper can be a cute one-piece option that provides the convenience of shorts while giving to the polished style you normally get from a dress.

Dinner Garden Party Attire

Dining alfresco and by candlelight can be a fun and romantic party idea. If you’re going to enjoy a nice dinner in a garden this season, you’ll want to be dressed to match the setting. A dress with some sequins or glitter is perfect for catching candlelight and making you look luminous. 

Instead of going with a classic little black dress, try a brighter color for an unexpected look. White and pastel colors are often better suited to warm weather and outdoor settings, so choose a dress with a more traditionally formal style, but in a light color.

Preparing for Outdoor Parties

Choosing your dress or jumpsuit for an event is only one part of looking your best and enjoying your time at a garden party. While outdoor parties are a lot of fun, they also have a lot of variables to account for.

Choosing Shoes

We all want to be comfortable and choosing the right shoe can make a huge impact on the way your body feels at the end of a long day. When you’re attending an outdoor event, it’s important to consider the terrain you’ll be on. 

If you’re on a lawn, anything with narrow heels can sink into the soil. A gravel courtyard can make wearing sandals or open-toes shoes a real pain, so check in advance if you can.

Wedge heels are a great summer option that won’t sink. Close-toed leather sandals can also be a good choice if they are cute, comfortable, and won’t make your feet too hot.

UV Protection

While some of us enjoy getting a tan, others only burn. Regardless of how your skin responds in the moment, skin cancer is no joke, so you should use some form of sun protection. There are plenty of lightweight sunscreens on the market that leave no white cast, but clothing is the best protection since it can’t be washed off and doesn’t need reapplication.

Consider a light summer cardigan or a linen shirt to protect your shoulders and arms if your outfit is sleeveless. A cute sun hat can also protect your face, neck, and shoulders.

Sweat Control

If your event takes place in the afternoon, you may be outside during the hottest part of the day. Some people are especially sensitive to heat and prone to dehydration, so if you’re one of those people, you may have to take a few extra precautions.

• Stay hydrated! If you’re sweating, it’s important to keep drinking. Remember that alcohol can make you more prone to dehydration and heat exhaustion, so stick to water or electrolyte drinks.
• Keep makeup light. You don’t want a full face of heavy makeup to turn into a drippy mess. Stick to something light like a BB cream with SPF and some waterproof mascara to last the day. You may want to pack some oil-wicking paper to dab your T-zone before pictures if you don’t like to look shiny.
• Invest in some dress shields. If you worry about staining the armpits of your dress with sweat or deodorant, you can purchase a pack of dress shields. These are liners that catch any sweat and residue and protect your clothes. They work best with sleeves.
  
• Bring a fan. You can choose a simple fold-up fan or get a battery-operated fan to help cool you off when there is no breeze.

Bloom at Your Next Garden Party

Worrying about what to wear shouldn’t hold you back from enjoying all the outdoor events of the season. No matter what the occasion, you should celebrate at your next garden party looking your best and feeling good. 

We hope this guide has inspired some outfit ideas and helped you prepare to stay cool at your next soiree.