Finding the best wedding guest dresses isn’t always easy, especially if you wait until close to the date to start looking. This is why it’s worth picking up any designs that catch your eye ahead of time and for abroad weddings, something more flowy and lightweight makes a perfect choice.
Because of this, I shouldn’t really have been surprised to see Carole Middleton switch up her signature look for what is believed to have been her son James’s South of France nuptials in 2021. And yet it wasn’t the style of dress we usually see from her - at least when she’s attending Wimbledon or royal events.
We saw a glimpse of this outfit in a post James shared in honour of Mother’s Day 2023. Although not confirmed to have been taken at his wedding, he's wearing the same suit as he did for his big day and it's widely speculated it was taken then. Carole went for a Temperley London boho style dress, with a V-neckline and bold florals.
Shop Similar Dresses
Currently featured in the Boden sale, this gorgeous midi dress is a lovely one for wearing day-to-day with trainers, as well as dressing up with heels or wedges. It's covered in a pink floral print and is made from breathable cotton.
The printed Elena Midi Dress has a feminine tiered skirt and is made from 100% cotton. It's designed to fall to mid-calf length and has practical side pockets, three-quarter length sleeves and a fit and flare shape.
Affordable and easy to wear, this dress features fun orange, pink and blue florals and has a midaxi length. The waist is elasticated for comfort and the short sleeves have layers, meaning they drape beautifully. If you wanted to you could also wear it off-shoulder.
Shop Sandals
The Layyla sandals are available in a range of different colours and the ecru ones would work perfectly with an outfit like Carole's. They have stitch detailing, a soft flat sole and are made from leather.
You can currently get 15% off these sandals and other new womenswear pieces with the code W7CX. Made from leather with a multi-strap design, they're one of those items you can easily pack in your suitcase for holidays and weekend trips too.
These Tulia Sandals blend sleek styling with a durable construction. The comfortable toe-post design makes them perfect for summer and they come in black, as well as this creamy white shade.
Like many boho-inspired pieces, Carole’s dress felt fun and the colourful pattern brightened up the white base tone. Made from breathable silk (a pricey, but beautiful fabric to wear in the heat), it was described as a ‘multi crochet print’ dress.
The vibrant orange flowers did have a crochet-esque shape rather than being overly realistic, which added to the playfulness of the design. The V-neckline was accentuated with a contrasting section and the mum-of-three looked to have ruched up the long sleeves.
The sweet family snap showed her and James embracing on his wedding day and Carole looked relaxed and comfortable in this dress. Although it’s hard to make out with the glow of the lights, it had pops of blue (one of her go-to shades) in the design and as orange and blue are opposites on the colour wheel, this really made the pattern stand out.
For weddings and other special occasions people often avoid wearing something quite this bold, but depending on the dress-code it’s worth considering changing things up. Something like Carole Middleton’s boho-inspired dress would work as a great base for smart-causal outfits.
Unlike some designs which scream "wedding" as soon as you see them, her frock could easily be re-worn for so many other occasions. It wouldn’t look out of place at a picnic, BBQ or even a lovely date night.
Sadly James’s picture didn’t show what shoes she wore with her Temperley dress. However, given that James and Alizée got married in the sunny South of France with a reception at a beach-side venue, I’d imagine she probably wore flat sandals if the picture was taken then.
Clogs and gladiator sandals are popular choices if you want to go full-on boho, though barely-there strappy styles tend to be Carole’s favourites. I’d recommend wearing any comfortable and neutral flats with a dress like hers, to allow it to take centre stage.
Carole Middleton finished off her look with a pair of chunky drop earrings that tied in with the feel of her dress. This outfit was very different to the blue and pink outfits she wore to her daughters’ weddings respectively.
As one took place with millions of people watching across the globe and the other in the English countryside, she took a more formal approach for these special occasions.
