Ladies, it is that time again. On Tuesday 18th of June until the 22th, runners, riders and revellers alike will descend upon Ascot for the world's most glamorous racing event, presided over by His Majesty King Charles and Queen Camilla. Five days of truly world-class racing and professional champagne drinking in the most spirited and well turned out company awaits you, but first you need to work out what you are going to wear! June will roll round quickly so don't deliberate for too long.
We have been dressing our customers for the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot for many, many years and so we have scoured our collective cranial archives for the best, most actionable tips for when thinking about your outfit. Of course, the Royal Ascot dress code is an excellent guide to the 'rules' so here is a refresher from the horse's mouth as it were:
Royal Enclosure
Ladies are kindly reminded that formal daywear is a requirement in the Royal Enclosure, defined as follows:
- Dresses and skirts should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer.
- Dresses and tops should have straps of one inch or greater. Strapless, off the shoulder, halter neck and spaghetti straps are not permitted. Dresses and tops
- with sheer straps and sleeves are also not permitted.
- Jackets and pashminas may be worn. Tops and dresses underneath should still comply with the Royal Enclosure Dress Code. Midriffs must be covered.
- Trouser suits are welcome. They should be of full-length to the ankle and of matching material and colour.
- Jumpsuits are welcome. They should fall below the knee, with regulations matching that for dresses and tops.
- Hats should be worn; however, a headpiece which has a solid base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat. Fascinators are not permitted.
Queen Anne Enclosure and Village Enclosure
Ladies within the Queen Anne Enclosure are required to dress in a manner as befits a formal occasion and are kindly asked to take note of the following:
- A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times.
- Strapless dresses and tops are not permitted. Please note our definition of strapless necklines include off-the shoulder, Bardot and one shoulder. Dresses and tops with sheer straps and sleeves are also not permitted.
- Trouser suits must be full-length, and jumpsuits should fall below the knee. Both must adhere to the neckline regulations above.
- Midriffs must be covered and shorts are not permitted.
So with the rules understood, what's your next move? Well, besides making a beeline for our store, the first thing to consider is whether you have a dress or coat in your wardrobe that would be suitable? In this day and age, buying a completely new look every year really isn't necessary or sustainable, especially if it can be styled in a new and exciting way.
If you are in the market for an investment piece however, then we would recommend choosing a coat with a timeless silhouette that can be styled in different ways, whether at Royal Ascot or other smart outdoor events. Svelte longline styles are very flattering and thus never go out of 'fashion', while understated colours such as pastels are more versatile than many bolder designs.
There is of course the all important hat, which begs the question do you choose the clothes first or the hat first? The answer really depends on where your passion lies. If you have a hat or have seen one which completely blows you away, then perhaps you would be better served defining your look around the hat. In our experience, it is often easier to construct a look around a hat, than it is to find a hat to suit a look, simply because stunning hats by amazing milliners such as Atelier Millinery are few and far between.
Tonal looks, or in other words outfits which play to the same tune of colour are some of our favourites and take a lot of decision making out of the equation. Colour-clashing or pattern-clashing can be extremely eye-catching and effective but is very difficult to pull off and can easily look like a mess if you're not careful. Adhering to a more restricted colour palette is chic, sophisticated, and allows you more of a blank canvas to accessorise with statement jewellery.
We design much of our collection with tonality in mind. You'll find that our silk and linen dresses perfectly complement the tonal range across out coat collection. Many of our coats are block colour styles with a contrast colour making up the embroidery details, you you can pick out either of the two in your dress.
