How to saddle up an outfit that will be first past the post

LET’S BE HONEST, unless you come from a family of equestrians and have already been a hundred times or you are related to royalty, dressing for the races is tricky. The occasion requires a posh frock, an eye-catching hat and fussy shoes that you need to be able to ramble around comfortably all day in. It’s event dressing per se but much more theatrical. The rules for occasion dressing have lessened in rigidness over the years. Mothers of the bride and groom no longer think twice about ditching a wide feathery brim hat after the church and the rest are thinking about the party later with dresses that are easy to dance in and flats instead of toe-pinching heels. Race etiquette, however, is still dress-coded and as ridiculously fancy as it has ever been.

Thankfully our racecourses are not as uppity as Ascot – we Irish can escape a tweed two-piece and overpriced LK Bennett heels without anyone noticing. But still I find that it’s the sort of attire that instantly requires you to have notions about yourself. If you don’t belong to the niche circle of women who have ostrich-feather fascinators or a dozen dresses and perfectly matching coats lying around for a rainy day on the field, then it takes an appropriate amount of planning. I’d say give yourself at least a fortnight to pull a comfortable, weather-appropriate look together. Just remember, you don’t have to blow your annual budget on it – especially if it’s for a one-off visit.

In Ireland, the weather has a big part to play, of course, because we rarely get a full day outside without the heavens opening. This means accessories play a huge part – the shoes, the bag, the wrap and the umbrella. My advice is to not obsess over these – focus your energy on finding a dress or even a jumpsuit that doesn’t scream ‘races!’ but is exciting enough to wear again, and the rest will follow. Typically, if you’ve found something to wear that you really love you’ll be less inclined to spend excessively and often impulsively on the other bits.

One good haunt to raid for the wow factor if you’re going to Punchestown this year is Arnotts – it has recently shaken up its occasion-wear floor since Selfridges took over and you’ll find Three Floor – their heavily lace-embellished dresses are dreamy – alongside Ganni and, for a more traditional twist, Irish designers Niamh O’Neill and Fiona Heaney of Fee G. Another place to root for Irish couture is Kilkenny Shop – both Niamh and Fiona feature here too with gorgeously bright collections, and are flanked by Orla Kiely and Lennon Courtney. Not forgetting Folkster in Temple Bar, which is always a reliable haunt for a jazzy dress and headpiece.

I’ve also seen a sneaky preview of the new occasion-wear range at River Island and it’s pretty special.

Thankfully our racecourses are not as uppity as Ascot