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Royal Ascot isn’t until June, but the organisers have just released the new rules which are intended to clear up previous ‘misunderstandings’. For almost 250 years, Royal Ascot has established itself as a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social calendar as well as being the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world. With nearly £4 million in prize money on offer and a total of eighteen ‘Group’ races over the five days, Royal Ascot attracts some of the wealthiest names in the country and requires a certain form of attire.
Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot, said: “We have worked extensively with experts in the world of fashion to define better what formal dress means, with the overarching intention of being as helpful as possible to our visitors and assisting everyone in understanding what is expected and, we believe, cherished about the dress code at Royal Ascot. It isn’t a question of elitism and not being modern in a world where there is less and less requirement to dress smartly – far from it. We want to see modern and stylish dress at Royal Ascot, just within the parameters of formal wear, and the feedback we have received from our customers overwhelmingly supports that.”
So what is the new dress code?
In the Royal Enclosure ladies should wear “dresses and skirts of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer.” This clears up the problem of what constitutes a mini skirt, as obviously, every woman has her own ideas on how much leg is appropriate. Fascinators are banned in the Royal Enclosure, as defined by such exact measurements of “a headpiece which has a base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.” In the Grandstand, fascinators are allowed (and must be worn at all times) but “Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted.”
I imagine such defined rules could terrify Royal Ascot virgins; it is certainly not something that we are used to in this day and age. But I like the tradition, when else would we wear a hat? Watch out for a 'what to wear' post later in the year, but in the meantime take inspiration from these lovely pictures.
