Horse racing is a very prestigious and respected sport, with the remnants of the age old saying ‘the Sport of Kings’ still very prominent despite how open to the masses it now is. Although many of us can have a punt on the races, the minor and major tournaments throughout the year, a lot of us still feel the need to dress up and appropriately when we physically visit a racecourse; something about the atmosphere and heritage makes us want to look our best. Add onto that the fact that the media has a field day with fashion faux pars, and we’re all scrambling to find the right dress, hat, and shoes.
Thanks to big name events like Royal Ascot, many of us know a lot of the do’s and don’t’s of Ladies Day and so we avoid the horrors seen at Aintree Races over the years. In fact, attire has become such a sore issue for a lot of festivals that bosses have pleaded that visitors dress according to a strict set of codes. On the flip side of this though, you have some major UK races that adopt a more informal approach to how guests dress, one of which being Glorious Goodwood, taking place this year in late July.
Known as ‘the home of Champions’, the Goodwood Festival draws a lot of attention with its post ante betting and runners news in abundance, with current odds here and there, and yet it’s the fashion that still manages to take centrefold. And for a different reason than those of Cheltenham and Ascot; at Goodwood they pride themselves on wanting their spectators to express themselves in their individualism. So does that mean we ladies can dare to be different? No exactly – the organisers still expect everyone to look good, so here’s a few things to bare in mind:
- Summer dresses never go out of style, especially at a summer based event. For maximum impact, but with little worry of being too daring, opt for a floral ensemble. Floral prints are timeless, and will set the right tone for Goodwood.
- Headwear is pretty much a must, whether it’s a hat or fascinator. This type of accessory is one you can go to town on and be flamboyant – grab the attention and wow the crowd.l
- Elegant shoes that are pretty but practical will be your best friend here; towering heels may look stunning, but you want to be able to walk with dignity.
These, of course, are simply a few ideas that you can choose to follow or ignore, but for the sake of escaping the sceptical gaze of various newspapers and dreaded viral fame, please try to keep us in mind.
