Our fashion expert reveals the secrets the royals’ use to stay stylish at summer parties – HINT never wear Spanx and learn how to avoid sinking into the grass in heels

Until recently, there was a myth that pervaded the fashion world. It was that style and comfort were sworn enemies, the contradiction of which only Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty could understand.

But this summer’s social season has seen a distinct shift among the A-list, with practicality taking centre stage, but without compromising on style, of course.

And thank goodness for that. Style and practicality can go hand in hand. It started when Zara Tindall wore plastic heel stoppers over her designer heels to a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May to keep from sinking into the grass — so obvious, yet so clever.

Here, we reveal the best summer style tips that insiders swear by and will have you looking your best, from an 11am wedding ceremony to a midnight carriage ride.

Avoid that sinking feeling

Anyone who says practicality and fashion aren’t friends has clearly never met Zara Tindall.

The royal was photographed at a Buckingham Palace garden party in May wearing £495 Emmy London heels, complete with cheap heel stoppers.

These clever inventions — available for a few quid on Amazon — slip onto the soles of stilettos to prevent your shoes from getting ruined and the embarrassment of sinking into the grass. Talk about style and substance.

An alternative route comes courtesy of Zara’s niece, Princess Beatrice. At Ascot last month, she opted for a stiletto in favour of Chanel’s iconic block-heeled slingbacks, offsetting the French fashion house’s £910 price tag with a £23 bag with acrylic handles (clutch, get out) from Urban Outfitters.

The key to making block heels look chic is to avoid blunt wedge styles, especially espadrille wedges — the latter often ruin an otherwise elegant ensemble at weddings and the like because they’re just too casual. Save them for barbecues instead.

Look for block heel styles that are rooted in vintage sensibilities. Slingbacks lend a 50s-style elegance, all the better when they’re completed with a Chanel-style contrast toe. For statement block heels you won’t see on just anyone, head to Camilla Elphick (camillaelphick.com) or Colibri (colibri.boutique).

The emergency cover-up affair

No, not the dreaded pashmina from the 2000s that has risen from the ashes. Instead, a silk scarf (stick to silk to avoid knitted, Mrs Doubtfire territory) will be useful for a myriad of reasons in 2024.

Red wine spilled on your forehead? Drape the silk scarf over it. Is your dress wrinkled beyond repair? Drape away. And with the right print, a silk scarf won’t look dated draped over your shoulders for evening warmth.

Conveniently, it also folds up small, so it’s easy to stash in your bag at events and won’t take up space in your luggage on overnight trips. Bella Singleton’s striking scarves are works of art in silk (bella singleton.com).

Handbag essentials

As a stylist, I am always popular at Porta Loos at weddings because the mini styling kit I always carry in my bag has saved many a guest from a wardrobe emergency.

A dab of clear nail polish stops pantyhose from running, hairspray on the bottom of a dress stops static, a slimming sanitary towel on the inside of a heel (yes, really) stops blisters. Tying bra straps together in the back with a hair tie transforms a regular bra into a racerback.

Clip-on earrings are comfortable to wear all day long and don’t pull on your earlobes. Pinar Ozevlat (pinar ozevlat.com), Patricia Cobiella (patspats.org) and Laurence Coste (laurence-coste.com) make the best ones.

Self-adhesive sweat pads (£5.99 for 30 from Amazon) are completely invisible and prevent sweat stains from forming on lightweight or silky fabrics, as well as preventing a beloved garment from yellowing.

What’s underneath is just as important

Gone are the days when ‘correct underwear’ (yawn) meant forcing yourself into a pair of suffocating ‘magic’ pants that were more corset torture than magic.

This year’s underwear solutions are smart, not cruel. Next sells anti-chafe cycling shorts that prevent the dreaded thigh chafing (£22 for a pair, next.co.uk). They’re also a great solution for knickers, as their seamless shape means no visible panty line. A nude, knee-length brief (which looks like a granny, but the result is anything but) stops the static electricity that causes fabrics to stick to your legs and is an anti-flashing prevention method under white (£16 for a pair, marksandspencer.com).

Look in the mirror — even expensive white dresses can be completely see-through in some lighting conditions. The prize for innovation goes to John Lewis. When Carole Middleton briefly lost her shoe at Ascot last month, she no doubt wished for a pair of non-slip tights (£15 for a pair, johnlewis.com). Their grippy soles prevent feet from slipping out of heels.

Don’t let this (fashion) parade be ruined

Last week at Wimbledon I had to reluctantly take shelter from the visual insult of my sister carrying an umbrella (glowing green with lifelike cats on it).

The key to braving the rain in style is not to look like you’ve been caught out. You can always pull a £5 monster of a thing with the Union Jack on it out of your bag at a tourist stall.

The king favours an umbrella made by Mario Talarico, a fifth-generation brolly maker from Naples. His designs sell for thousands, so Pickett London is your best bet for similar bamboo handles — £95 (pickett.co.uk), but it will last a lifetime.

And don’t forget the military motto: Bring some military precision into your event preparation: ‘Good planning and preparation prevent poor performance’.

Crep Protect spray (£12, amazon.co.uk) is the best product for waterproofing suede shoes, while adhesive sole grips (a couple of quid, via Amazon) will prevent you from falling on slippery surfaces with slippery-soled shoes.

Goodbye, the clutch

With a clutch you can do just that: hold a bag, a drink, a snack, and the order of service all at the same time while trying to shake someone’s hand.

The solution? A vintage-style mini bag with a handy handle that you can place in the crook of your arm.

Gucci’s ‘1947’ bag (named after the year it was made) with its bamboo handle is an A-list favourite, but even the smallest version costs over £1,000. Wolf (wolf1834.com) has similar bags for under £200 in retro prints.

Maison M (maisonmlondon.com) and World Secrets (world secrets.co.uk) make bum bags with crinkled silk and velvet straps that resemble bracelets, so you can wear them over your arm without them cutting into your skin.