Is Yellow the Perfect Pop of Color?
Thoughts on royal garden party fashion and the power of a unique shade.
The Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance Tuesday at Buckingham Palace, attending the royal family’s third garden party of the season. Each year, some 30,000 people are invited to one of four gatherings, three of which take place in London with the final installment happening at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland. These are massive affairs, with more than 27,000 cups of tea and 20,000 slices of cake served. Guests are organized into lanes, with the Windsors working their way down each to say hello.
The scale poses a sartorial challenge and, I would argue, an opportunity. Royal women are uniquely positioned here, able to choose a single, saturated shade to help them stand out. With thousands clamoring to see the royal hosts, the chance to dress colorfully makes a big difference.
Are all hues created equal? No! I went down a bit of a rabbit hole this week, digging through garden party photos in the archives and have concluded (extremely unofficially) that yellow wins. Below, my case — with photos as evidence.
💛 But first: Spending all this time thinking about yellow has me even more excited for this beautiful nightgown
gifted me from her collaboration with the UK brand If Only If. (Admirers of Harling’s, of which I count myself as one, know she has been a proponent of buttery colors for years.)
It has me hunting for more yellow. This (on sale!) tee is a great place to start, as is this beautiful lace-trimmed blouse. This linen dress caught my eye, too. And how cute is this tank + skirt set? I always find an accessory is a good way to ease into a shade, so don’t sleep on the idea of a yellow shoe (this is my favorite style of ballet flat at present). The styling possibilities abound! Think of how fun it would be with pale blue or red.
For more ways to nudge your own summer style forward, click below for my recent shopping newsletters. Psst: Many of these pieces, as well as the ones in my With Love, Meghan recreations, are on sale this weekend. 🥂
Please note: I use affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting So Many Thoughts.
Is Yellow the Perfect Garden Party Color?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to So Many Thoughts to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.