Royal Ascot Fashion 2015

While your main interest in the Royal Ascot is probably the horseracing and the betting opportunities, the Royal Ascot is almost as famous for fashion as it is for racing.  Attending the Royal Ascot 2015 is like going to a fashion show at the same time as you attend the races.  In fact, it’s like participating in one! 

If you plan to attend the Royal Ascot 2015 in person, you will need to familiarise yourself with the event’s official Style Guide.  And make no mistake, it is more than a “guide,” it is actually a list of requirements.  The dress code is upheld for men, women, and even children.  As the Style Guide states, “Our dress code is traditional, tied up in the very fabric of our history.  It was Beau Brummell, perhaps Britain’s first fashion icon, who at the turn of the 19^th century dictated the dress for men in the Royal Enclosure.”  While styles have changed since the 19^th century, the mark of his influence can still be seen today in the dress codes and recommendations.

What should you wear if you plan to head to the Royal Enclosure?

• Ladies:  Wear modest-length skirts that fall to the knees or past them, or trouser suits.  Conservative tops are required, and jackets and pashminas are permitted, so long as they comply with the dress code.  Hats are also required. 

• Gentlemen:  Men must wear either a black or grey morning dress with a waistcoat and tie.  Cravats are not permitted.  A black or grey top hat is also a requirement, as are black shoes.  Top hats may not be embellished.

• Children:  Children are allowed at the Royal Ascot only on Friday and Saturday.  Girls and boys should both wear formal dress.  Summer dresses are good for girls, and boys must follow the same dress code as gentlemen. 

If you load the Style Guide and look through it, you can view detailed instructions, including when and where it is required to wear a hat or remove a hat.  You can also view examples of outfits which would be acceptable for ladies as well as gentlemen. 

You can also view the dress code rules for the Grandstand and the Silver Ring.  While there are rules for each enclosure, they are not as strict as the rules for the Royal Enclosure.  You have a lot more leeway for what you can get away with, though conservative dress is still required in both enclosures. 

Whether aristocratic fashion is your thing or not, if you plan on attending the Royal Ascot in person, you will need to know the dress codes.  If you are not dressed appropriately for the occasion, you will not be able to get into the event and watch the races and wager on the outcomes.  So download the Style Guide and take a look.  And remember, so long as you can fit within the dress code, anything goes.  Get creative, and you will be surprised what you can get away with!