Here in Seattle we’ve entered the glory days of summer, which means for the first time in months our focus has turned from the coffee house to the backyard. (Actually, we’re still pretty focused on coffee, but you get the idea.) As in towns across the country, people here are hard at work planting gardens, building decks, and questing after landscaping dreams. But really, what’s the point of all the backbreaking labor if you aren’t going to show it off? Why not celebrate your achievement—even if it’s a work in progress—with a garden party!
Garden parties distinguish themselves from standard backyard BBQs via nostalgic pursuits like badminton, croquet, and mint juleps. I recently came across some excellent garden party suggestions in the Encyclopaedia of Etiquette (Vol. II): What to Do, What to Say, What to Write, What to Wear: A Book of Manners for Everyday Use (Doubleday, 1921). (As we’ve established, I’m a sucker for antique advice books.) Inside, author Emily Holt offers rather lengthy instructions for mastering “everyday” occasions, including “Walking Arm in Arm in Public,” “The Bachelor’s Theatre and Yachting Party,” “Mourning Dress for Servants,” and “The Sea Concert.”
Behold Miss Holt’s tips for the perfect garden party:
While women always dress for a garden party in their lightest flower-festooned hats and delicate chiffons, georgettes, or organdies, and carry their fluffiest sunshades and wear their whitest gloves, men are privileged to appear in either yachting flannels and straw hats or cutaways and high hats. In this country [the U.S.] the prejudice seems to be in favor of the less formal costume. A complete suit of white flannel or serge, or a suit of light gray or fancy flannel, a combination of white flannel trousers and a dark serge sack coat, worn with colored linen, a colored four-in-hand bow tie, white or brown or patent-leather Oxford ties, and a white waistcoat, make an equally appropriate combination. Gloves, as a rule, are not worn at any but garden parties given early in the season and attended by gentlemen from town.
Martha Stewart wishes, right? If you decide to throw a garden party this summer (are you daring enough to invite gentlemen from town?), be sure to document the fluffiest sunshades and yachting-est flannels.
Re appropriate attire for garden parties: The advice may not be so out of date.
Anytime I’m in the garden is a party. I am relaxed and happy there. And, I like for others to visit my gardens, full of beautiful cone flowers, daylilys, herbs and tomatoes right now.
I don’t dress up so much for the garden. If it is cool, I am in sweats, and Crocs. If is it warm, I usually wear a bathing suit, shorts and Mephistos–easy to stop to take a dip in the pool.
I do think it’s appropriate to wear gloves in the garden–I always do but they are goatskin, not kidskin. And one must always wear a large hat. I have broad brims in a variey of colors. I would not visit my gardens without hat and gloves.