Royal Ascot

Giddy Up For Royal Ascot!

Get glam in honour of Ladies Day at the races

Considering the racecourse is only six miles away from Winsdor Castle and that Queen Elizabeth always attends, it's no surprise that Royal Ascot races are traditionally one of the most glamorous events in the British society calendar. Although most of us will probably never get closer to the races than having a flutter on one of the favourite horses, it's certainly something to look forward to from a fashion perspective.

The races at Royal Ascot week span five days and more than 30,000 people will pass through the gates to watch some of the world's finest thoroughbred horses race. But the day we're most interested in is definitely Gold Cup day, AKA 'Ladies Day'. This year it takes place on June 19th, and it's traditionally a chance for all female attendees to dress up to the nines.

The main fashion focus is on hats, and headwear in general- if it's not big, bold and bright, it's not worth wearing! While the men wear top hats and tails, the ladies make the most of the day named after them. Everyone from the Queen herself downwards selects a hat that reflects their personal style, with a place for everything from flamboyant creations in luminous colours, to hats dripping in feathers, to headwear with little models on it like a wedding cake- Ascot has it all!

Aside from the hats, where the sky's the limit in terms of creativity, Royal Ascot's fashion code is very traditional. To some extentit still mirrors the strict fashion rules that were in place in 1711 when Queen Anne started the event- skirts should be no more than two inches above the knee, bare legs are frowned upon, and heads should always be covered!

Ladies Day always attracts a lot of media attention, and the following day's papers are usually filled with a selection of photos of the most spectacular headwear. Anyone would think it was simply a highly fashionable day out - the poor horses don't get a look in! Of course, the ladies' outfits themselves must match their headwear perfectly- every aspect of every angle of their style is highly scrutinised.

Racegoers will quaff around 120,000 bottles of champagne, and feast on food like lobsters, smoked salmon and strawberries throughout Royal Ascot week. However, if you can't afford the Ascot lifestyle, there's no reason you can't channel its glamour. Conveniently, it falls right in the middle of the traditional wedding season, so be inspired when choosing an outfit for any wedding's you're going to, even if it's just the reception! You could customise a plain hat with ribbons, bows, netting or even fresh flowers to make it look like a whole new hat- and a great talking point!