Garden parties, pool parties, BBQs, whatever you call your casual backyard parties, one of the best parts is the casual attire. You get to look snappy while not having to go through all the work of dressing up in your Sunday best. While the word “casual” is involved, you still want to follow some general rules.
Pool Party
With pool parties, there is a level of functionality expected with the dress code. For women, a sundress is a great way to look the part while taking in the fresh breeze. The right sundress can still come across well in a professional setting if business partners and co-workers are present.
At the same time, you won’t be too dressed up for the occasion. Also, it makes practical sense. If you plan on swimming, the sundress is the perfect way to cover your bathing suit neatly. A romper can serve as another great option. Its light, and it works well with a bathing suit underneath.
For men, a polo shirt is not a bad place to start when it comes to the top. Depending on the location, a button down “beach shirt” can also be fitting. Even a simple T-shirt can work in this setting.
Try to stick with light colors. With a pool party, you may be able to pull off wearing swim trunks instead of regular shorts. This works well if it is a more intimate party. You still want to uphold appearances if you are visiting work colleagues or business partners though.
If that’s the case, then come with a snappy pair of shorts on, and have the swim trunks ready to change into should you decide to swim. If you know the people well though, you can still pull off the swim trunks look and come across as well dressed for the occasion.
Backyard BBQ
For backyard BBQs, you want to keep it simple.
Keep in mind that when you plan on throwing a party outdoors, you usually expect there to be some moving around, so make sure what you’re wearing doesn’t hinder your movement. The foundational piece of a wardrobe for a backyard BBQ is the polo shirt.
A light-colored polo in white, salmon, orange, light blue, or some similar color will work really well. Of course, it doesn’t have to literally be polo, as in Polo by Ralph Lauren, but some simple and clean short sleeve shirt with a collar. A button down with short sleeves can also work.
In general, you probably want to pair the shirt with shorts. Simple one-color khaki shorts tend to work best. If you really want to, you can probably pull off jeans, especially if the weather is a bit cooler.
For women, sundresses and rompers are still appropriate here. You have some more options though. One great look is the pairing of skinny jeans a nice top. Light blue skinny jeans work well with giving off a casual but smart look.
You can pair this with a light-colored top to finish the look. When it comes to make-up, less is usually more. Often times, you need little more than a simple foundation that matches your skin tone. A little accentuation with small details like eyeliner and you’ll probably be good to go.
Wedding Casual
A growing trend in the wedding business is to host parties in a more casual setting. Usually the main event will be held with normal wedding attire, but the after party, engagement ceremony, or other additional parties will be held casually. Much of what was discussed before holds true, but there are some additional things to keep in mind.
For one, the balance of being casual while not being too dressed down can be most important when it comes to weddings. Weddings are meant to be once in a lifetime events, and some brides and grooms can be quite picky about everything going right.
If you’re too dressed up, they may feel that they are being outshined. Too dressed down, and they may feel disrespected on some level. The best thing to do is to communicate with them, the wedding planner, or someone in the know about the what the attire is and what the mood will be like. Once you’re sure, you should be able to have your pick of everything discussed above.
There may be more variety to backyard parties than BBQs and pool parties, but the options given here should cover you for all of them!
