The Return of the Garden Party

The revival of the garden party signalled the hopeful return to normality in 2022, after two years of uncertainty. And, with the reappearance of the much-loved garden parties (including the Queens Garden Party for the Platinum Jubilee) comes the joy of sourcing the most summery of dresses with both floral and summer shades being a consistent hit.

What are the best things to wear to a garden party?

Deciding on what is best to wear to a garden party purely depends on where the party is being held and therefore what the weather is like on the day. However, being in the UK we can all appreciate that the sun is not ever predictable. So, we suggest taking a cover-up with you to either store in the car or throw over your shoulders when the sun begins to set and the breeze gets a little cool.

Depending on the weather, and occasion, you may find that items like fans and umbrellas are readily available for attendees to make use of. However, this is not likely to be the case if it is a small family get-together, compared to a larger event - so it's always best to be prepared.

Here we’re going to go through a few of our dresses that we think are perfect for your next Summer garden party. What’s more, we’ll also share our suggested accessories to pair with and where to get your hands on them. You can also scroll down to view our YouTube video of our complete Garden Party Collection.

Dressing for Garden Party

Whether you are attending an active garden party, where you can expect games and/or music, not all parties offer this. However, it is guaranteed that there will be food and drink, so we suggest that whilst you want to dress on-trend and classy you should also opt for comfort where necessary.

All Swings and Roundabouts – the Swing Tea Dress

Our first choice of dress offers all kinds of summer vibes. Our Boston Cap Sleeve Printed Swing dress comes available in two cute patterns, including the Tea Rose print pictured. Made using our Scuba stretch printed fabric, the overlapping bodice v-neckline of the dress ensures a flattering fit, whilst the continued A-line shape provides that hourglass silhouette. Additionally, the cap sleeves aid in covering the point of the shoulders which works perfectly when wanting to cover an undershirt or bra.

Buy now: Boston Cap Sleeved Swing Dress £149

What colours match with Boston Cap Sleeve Floral Dress?

The Boston swing dress offers a strong summer garden feel, so here we suggest the following colours when looking for accessories and footwear to pair with it.

Colours that match: pinks, oranges and light greens.

The ¾ Sleeved Floral Dress

Our next choice of dress to share is the Triton dress. Featuring a chic pattern using our bi-stretch and scuba fabric this tulip-style dress is perfect for those summer days when you want that summer feeling but would rather avoid committing to a sleeveless number. (This triton dress is available in sleeveless however if you do fancy it!). Its super flattering V-Neck style with cobalt blue trim only adds to the sophisticated look of the dress which pairs perfectly with blue footwear and minimal accessories.

Buy now: Triton Sleeved Floral in Hibiscus and Cobalt Blue £69 (was £99)

What colours match with Triton Floral Dress?

The Triton dress has a multitude of summer shades locked within it, so here we suggest the following colours when looking for accessories and footwear to pair with it.

Colours that match: Darker shades of blue, purple and yellow.

The Symphony Floral Dress

Next, the Symphony dress. With two chic designs, you have the choice of a subtle summer pattern or a red blossom print. With each dress featuring light pleating detail at the front, the off-shoulder sleek design offers a silhouette fit. Additionally, the three-quarter length sleeve and floral satin stretch fabric offer summer vibes for days.

You may notice the tea rose print is the same design on our Boston dress, but instead is offered with a sleek, sleeveless design.

Buy now: Symphony Floral Dress £79 (was £125)

What colours match with Symphony Dress?

Comparing both designs we can suggest the same colour matching for the Boston dress and the Tea Rose Symphony dress.

Tea Rose matching shades: pinks, oranges and light greens.

Summer Blossom Red Print matching shades: reds, creams and purples

The Maxi

If there is any kind of dress to make an entrance, for all shapes and sizes, that offers both comfort and chic style - it's the maxi dress. Perfectly paired in a smart or casual manner, you can choose to wear heels, sandals or even trainers to still look the part.

Our Kafka printed maxi dress is available in two patterns, the floral blue and the magnolia bloom. Here, the floral blue showcases the true summer vibes with mixtures of light blue and autumnal brown. Furthermore, the length floats around the ankle but allows for free movement. Simplistic chic style can be upgraded by the use of different accessories, simple necklaces or thicker chained pieces for example.

Buy now: Kafka Printed Maxi £99 (was £120)

What colours match with Kafka Dress?

The Kafka dress requires very little accessorising, as the pattern does all the talking. You could, however, opt for smaller accessories that pair with the brown or blue notes within the dress. Alternatively, you could pair this dress with white trainers and other white accessories, such as nails and a purse.

Colours that match Kafka: Light blues and nudes.

The Kew Swing

The Iris dress comes in 3 cute designs, including our favourite Kew Print. Combining the summery shades of blue, yellow and blue, this dress has a white background and offers an A-line frame and short sleeves. Created using our Cotton Sateen fabric, the semi-sweetheart neckline and v-back-neck design ensure elegant chic style. Additionally, each swing skirt features godet inserts that aid in giving extra comfort with movement.

Buy now: Iris Dress £59 (was £149)

What colours match with Kew Dress?

Colours that match Kew: Light blues and nudes.

The Frilly Summer Dress

If lilac is your summer colour of choice then we've found your dream! Our Foxberry dress is made using our Luxury Ripple Crepe fabric and features both a waist-cinching band detail and a wide low V-Neck that flatters all body shapes. With the rushing on the bust area and the batwing short sleeves it's definitely a key dress of the season.

Buy now: Foxberry Short Batwing Sleeve Dress £149

What colours match with Foxberry Dress?

The Foxberry dress has the main feature of a solid purple background, allowing for the whites, blacks and pinks to take centre stage in the pattern. We suggest using the purples and whites for accessories, in various different shades.

Colours that match Foxberry: Darker purples and whites.

The Polka Dot

Finally, we couldn't let a summer garden tea party slip on by without mentioning the much-loved fabric pattern: polka dots. We currently have three cute polka dot designs available on Diva Catwalk.

Perry Polka Dot Sleeveless, Palacio Polka Dot Sleeved and Fenella Polka Dot Off Shoulder Dress. Each is available in two different shades, orchid and sky blue. We would suggest choosing any of the designs that feature our precious polkas, as they each have their own stand. For each of our polka dot dresses, we have used our crepe ripple stretch fabric, with each being on-knee-length. Additionally, all polka dresses contain a vent at the back of the skirt which allows for freedom of movement.

Buy now: Perry Polka Dot Dress (£79 was £135)

Buy now: Palacio Polka Dot £59 (was £125)

Buy now: Fenella Polka Dot £79 (was £125)