How To Dress For The Fourth of July

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

My Outfit

Dress, Belt, Shoes and Sunglasses all c/o Boden

On Supal

Dress, Belt and Shoes all c/o Boden

A few weeks back (when we were busy shooting these Rhododendrons), Supal and I thought it would be so nice to come back to Hampstead Heath for an early Fourth of July picnic. And the weather would be a bit warmer too!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

I love living in London, but I do miss celebrating holidays with family. I'm lucky to have made a number of American friends since moving here, and it's nice to still carry on my favorite traditions with them!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Despite my feelings on the US (which are mixed at best), Independence Day still holds a special place in my heart because of the fond memories and traditions our family has made over the years, some of which I'm sharing over on Supal's blog, Chevrons & Éclairs. Have a read, here

I've always been one for a theme, so I also always made sure to wear red, white and blue (and usually all at once—not the best look!). As I've gotten older, I've learned to channel the holiday in a more subtly chic way, rather than looking too much like a flag!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Here are my best tips for Fourth of July dressing, whether you're celebrating here in London or back in the US.

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Opt for a fun pattern

I love how Supal's dress incorporates red, white and blue, but the ballet-print pattern keeps it fresh and will still look cute on any other day of the year. No need to buy a stars and stripes dress or a t-shirt that you'll only wear once!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Keep the Weather in Mind

How are you celebrating the holiday? This year, we went out for a picnic on a sunny day, so a sleeveless broderie Boden dress was perfect, and the midi length made sitting on the grass easy. Staying up late for the fireworks? Think about toting along a layer or two as day turns to evening and the temperature cools down.

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Add in other colors with accessories

With the addition of yellow in the form of my belt and sunglasses, plus gingham on my shoes, the look says fresh, not 'flag'. These flats are currently the favorite pair in my closet and I'll be wearing them just about everywhere this summer!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Coordinate with friends and Family

I kind of loved that when we were together, it was clear that we were very red, white and blue themed, but once Supal and I headed our separate ways home, our looks wouldn't have made people think Fourth of July. Coordinating with friends to dress for the holiday is easy—each person just chooses a main color to go with. Supal went with red, while I played with blue!

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

Or go with solids - but two flag colors at most!

If you're opting for solids, like I did with my dress, stick with two flag colors at most! I loved the navy blue of the dress and made it a bit more like Fourth of July with the addition of a red lip, bud didn't go any further than that! I just added pops of yellow instead.

Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London with a red, white and blue picnic with Chevrons & Eclairs wearing all Boden | Sundays and Somedays

It's often difficult to be so far away from family, but it's so comforting to know that I've got some really great American friends here in London who'll always be up for celebrating special days of the year. 

It's so wonderful to celebrate holidays in new ways and make memories that I'll cherish for years to come.

Until next time,

Brenda

Special thanks to Boden for gifting us these wonderful clothes for Supal and I to wear on our picnic outing.