Royal Ascot from hatiquette to heels
Finding the perfect dress is just the beginning – next comes the hard work, says Charlie Gowans-eglinton
On Ladies Day this year, I’ll be heading back to Ascot after a five-year hiatus. Since my first attempt 13 years ago, when I felt utterly uncomfortable in a cream dress I’d never usually wear, I’ve found a formula for the clothes – stick to your style, just elevate it a bit in a smart fabric like silk or velvet (I’ve got my eye on an Olivia Rubin polka dot dress and Lock & Co hat).
Now that the young royals – the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice – have come of age, there’s much more outfit inspiration to be found, too.
“I’m certainly on the hunt for anyone who attempts a suit,” says
Virginia Chadwyck-healey, friend and sometime-style adviser of the Duchess of Cambridge and Telegraph columnist, who will be sorting the sartorial wheat from the chaff on Ascot TV next week.
“I love what Daisy Knatchbull pulled off a few years ago,” she says of the Huntsman head of communications, who wore the brand to become the first woman to wear a morning suit in the Royal Enclosure in 2017 – though she did get special permission to do so. No? Then stick to three colours maximum, says Chadwyckhealey. “It’s easier to keep the look clean and pulled together.” But with dress codes broadening each year – trouser suits and jumpsuits are now acceptable in any of the enclosures – finding your look is the easy(ish) part.
It’s navigating the racing set mores that really takes planning – here are my hot tips (though sadly none for the horses).
The Royal Lean
Fashions may change, but skin-tone suede stiletto court shoes remain a constant in the wardrobes of the young Duchesses and Kate’s Turnip Toff set, thanks to their leg-elongating properties. They present a unique problem when walking on lawns, though, and the young royals don’t seem the type to stick those “invisible” (clearly visible and ugly) plastic heel guards on their stilettos. Cue the Royal Lean, the subtle-but-unmissableonce-you’re-looking-for-it 105-degree angle of upright royals navigating lawns in stilettos (which also doubles as a core workout). The Duchess of Sussex kept one hand on Prince Harry’s arm for her Royal Ascot debut last year, but Kate has practised the technique so often that she’s now self-supporting.
The higher the heel, the more natural the forward pitch; it’s near-impossible in kitten heels without looking like Theresa May mid-curtsy. The royals are at an advantage here, as they never seem to be drinking – if you are, you may struggle with TRL as the day progresses (Chadwyckhealey calls this “the sip and sink”). Espadrilles aren’t technically forbidden in the Royal Enclosure, but they aren’t the done thing, so I prefer pretty sandals with a stacked heel or the ultimate in comfort, a jewelled pair of flats (try Kurt Geiger).
Hat tricks
Say what you want about Melania Trump’s Eliza Doolittle hat moment on her visit to the UK last week, but the FLOTUS had clearly done her research – the downward tilt of the brim was on her right side, as it always should be, according to Fenwick hat oracle Mr Tony (this even applies if your left isn’t your good side – I asked). Imagine your hat in situ while shopping – and if it has to survive an hour in the front carriage of South West Trains’ 11:05 London-ascot service, smaller (and with less pointy appendages) may be better. Tall plumage is less of a danger to those around you, but no less of a nuisance if you’re standing between them and the action. But don’t cop out and wear too small a hat either – this is Royal Ascot, and you can’t ride half a horse. If big brims aren’t for you, turbans work well with tailored separates or jumpsuits, and this year’s turbo-sloane headbands can look just as dramatic as a hat ( just make sure they’re big enough to meet the dress code of your enclosure).
One of Chadwyck-healey’s favourites (she needs five for her race-day marathon) is from Rachel Trevor-morgan: “It’s neat, it’s sharp and it’s elegant. It won’t overpower my outfit or hide my face. I need to be able to greet people in my five hats, so I want them to add height to my frame rather than have people tilt their heads as they walk past me…”
Minibag tetris
Only the uninitiated queue for the cloakroom: those familiar with the average waiting time limit belongings to what will fit inside a small handbag instead – and you will want a small handbag, as you’ll rarely get to put it down.
Lipstick, powder or shine-blotting papers, sunglasses, comb, phone, bank card, £5 or £10 notes for betting (assuming you pick your horses based on names and the look of the jockey’s silks as I do, and so never bet big), mints, atomiser. You may want to add blister plasters if your shoes are on the new side – though you should really wear them in first. Lucy Hume, associate director of Debrett’s, would add sun cream and an umbrella. “You can rarely depend on the weather despite it taking place at the height of summer.”
And while we’re on weather: if the day ahead looks cooler than expected, you can layer a slip or big knickers (or both) under your dress for a bit of extra warmth.
Dress doppelgangers
Unless you’re getting something custom-made or have bought vintage, there’s a chance you may run into another guest wearing the same thing – especially if you’re wearing Zara, or one of those fab occasion-specific labels like Rixo or Self-portrait. Add a few touches to differentiate your frock from the rest: a printed silk scarf knotted around your bag strap, a belt, bold earrings (Bibi Marini’s are fab and surprisingly lightweight, perfect for a long day’s wear) – and if you run into your style twin, laugh and smile, then move tents.
Avoid (my) glare
You wouldn’t wear your Eastpak backpack in the Royal Enclosure, and nor should you those sunglasses that you usually wear golfing. Look for elegant shapes like cat-eyes in pastel shades or with metal rims (almost like a piece of jewellery) – and if there are men in your party, hide their Oakleys – for all of our sakes.