Barbecues are one of the best parts of summer! The relaxed vibe, friends, family, food, (hopefully) some sunshine… But, deciding what to wear to a bbq can be tricky. After all, you don’t want to be too dressed up, but nor do you want to look as if you’re just lounging in your own yard!
What to wear to a bbq
What should you think about when putting your barbecue outfit together?
1. You want to be comfortable
At a barbecue, you’re probably standing up for some time. Even if you are sitting, perhaps you’ll be sitting on a bench or on a picnic blanket, so you want to make sure your clothes allow you to moove.
2. Do you want flat shoes?
If you’re in a garden or yard, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to be wearing heels. If you do want to add some height, you could always think about a pair of wedges.
3. You might want darker colors or prints
If you’re worried about sitting on the ground, or dropping ketchup from your burger, you might want to wear darker shades.
Now, let’s look at how you could put together some specific barbecue outfits…
tops for your barbecue outfits
Beth @styleatacertainage above (read her style interview here) opts for an absolutely classic look of a striped shirt, shorts and sandals what would be ideal for a summer barbecue.
Recreate her look with this similar shirt (another option here), shorts and sandals.
If you’re choosing a t-shirt or a tank top, then choosing some draping, ruching or a vibrant color could elevate your barbecue style. Or, you could opt for a shirt to wear with your jeans. You could always roll the sleeves up to create a more casual look.
Nordstrom Ruched Shoulder T-Shirt – Treasure & Bond Cinch Tie Front T-Shirt – Halogen Asymmetric Cowl Neck Tank – Veronica Beard Claude Stripe Asymmetric Button-Up Shirt
jackets and cover-ups
Depending on where your barbecue party is, you may well want to add some warmth. Georgette @grownandcurvywoman above (read her style interview here) chooses a print jacket with her chinos.
Check out this similar tee, jacket (another option here), pants, sneakers, handbag, necklace and earrings.
Other options could be a cardigan or poncho, rather than a jacket, or you could choose a denim or utility jacket to go with your casual, yet stylish, barbecue look.
Caslon Organic Cotton Drawstring Waist Jacket – Made By Johnny Dolman Cardigan – Fomolom Versatile Poncho – ebossy Jean Jacket
what to wear to a bbq – jeans and pants
Jeans, pants or shorts are often a barbecue go-to, and for good reason as they’re both stylish and practical. Fonda @savvysouthernchic above shows off a print pants and denim jacket look with sneakers that would be ideal for barbecues, picnics, vacations, or just casual summer days. Note how she adds an extra element of style to her outfit with her headband.
Check out this similar tee, denim jacket, pants, sneakers, bag, necklace and headband.
PAIGE Laurel Canyon High Waist Bootcut Jeans – Treasure & Bond Linen Blend Wide Leg Pants – Vince Stretch Leggings – Lafayette 148 New York Ryerson Silk & Linen Bermuda Shorts
dresses and skirt
Do consider skirts and dresses as well as pants for your barbecue, as they can be comfortable and stylish. Emms @beautifuleveryday_uk above chooses an off-the-shoulder maxi dress with her sneakers.
Check out these off the shoulder red dresses (here, here and here), that you can wear with this similar pair of sneakers and handbag.
You could look out for print dresses or skirts or, if your barbecue is a little more formal, how about a shirt dress?
Karen Millen Watercolour Crinkle Tiered Maxi Dress – Karen Millen Soft Tailored Pleated Shirt Dress – FARM Rio Mixed Scarves Midi Skirt – Caslon Linen Blend Midi Skirt
shoes to wear with your barbecue outfit
You’re likely to want to opt for comfort for your barbecue event. Claudia @glamupyourlifestyle above (read her style interview here) chooses Birkenstocks with her denim outfit.
Get her look with this similar top, chambray shirt, pants, sandals, bag and necklace.
Look out for espadrilles, sandals and sneakers. If you want to add height without worrying about standing up in heels for hours or sinking into grass if it’s a garden party, then wedges or block heels should do the trick.
Fly London Yivi Sandal – TOMS Alpargata Rope Espadrille – Birkenstock Mayari Birko-Flor Sandal – Keds Triple-Kick Leather Sneaker
What to wear to a bbq: accessories
Adding earrings or a statement necklace will give your outfit some extra pizzazz if you’re thinking about what to wear to a bbq. Jess @elegantlydressedandstylish above (read her style interview here) chooses a straw bag, sunglasses and hoop earrings.
Get her look with this similar tee (another options here), shorts, sandals, handbag, earrings and sunglasses.
Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses if it’s a sunny day – or, even if it isn’t.
Tory Burch Ella Patent Nylon Tote – Sakroots Roma Straw Shopper – Kate Spade New York Monica Pebbled Leather Crossbody Bag – BOCAR Statement Necklace – Open Edit Resin Band Oval Hoop Earrings – Kate Spade New York Marguerite Flower Bead Drop Earrings – Anycosy Panama Straw Hat – AIRE Abstraction 50mm Rectangular Sunglasses
Your barbecue outfits together in one capsule
Below, you can see all of the clothes, shoes and accessories featured above together in a capsule that would be perfect for barbecues or casual summer days.
You can change the way you wear the outfits to create lots of different looks. For example, the green jacket would go with the print dress or you could team the green belted dress with sneakers and the straw bag for a more casual vibe. You could wear the stripe shirt with the jeans, or the blue t-shirt tucked into the orange skirt. There are plenty of possibilities.
shop some of bbq outfits above here:
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