AINTREE DRESS CODE? IF YOU’VE GOT IT, FLAUNT IT!
IT takes more than a downpour to deter the good ladies of Liverpool from showing off their finery – and their tans.
While Ascot and Epsom have dress codes for their race meetings, when it comes to Ladies Day at Aintree … anything goes.
The weather was grim and grey yesterday but spectators brought more than a flash of colour to the stands on the penultimate day of the Grand National meeting.
Glamorous gowns, high hemlines and bare shoulders were the order of the day despite driving winds and temperatures reaching only 7C (45F).
Plenty of prosecco and pints of beer helped keep spirits up while keeping well within new rules of behaviour imposed by the race organisers this year. Transparent ponchos were handed out, keeping the thousands of racegoers relatively dry while still showing off their newly bought dresses – and tattoos.
According to racecourse bosses, there is no strict dress code for the festival, as there is for Royal Ascot.
Guidance on the course website reads: ‘Although there is no official dress code, Covering up? one racegoer in a mask smart is preferable.’ However, in recent years, event organisers have been trying to encourage a more conservative approach.
In 2015, an optional ‘style code’ was released in an effort to smarten up the event and encourage more sophisticated fashion.
The guide was devised by fashion writers from Vogue and Tatler in conjunction with Justine Mills, owner of Liverpool designer boutique Cricket – a favourite with Coleen Rooney.