Fashion frontrunners flaring to go... it can only be Ladies Day
IT was their day at Aintree – and female racegoers clearly wanted to show who was wearing the trousers.
Whether pinstriped, sparkly or an elegant powder blue, flared jumpsuits were the outfit of choice for Ladies Day at the Grand National Festival yesterday.
Model Vogue Williams set the pace with a white, wide-legged style, nipped in at the waist with a broad black belt.
The 33-year-old was joined at the Merseyside racecourse by her husband Spencer Matthews – whose brother James is married to Pippa Middleton – and their baby son Theodore.
Completing her look with a pair of black shoes, the only hurdle she appeared to face was the breeze.
Gusts of 20mph whipped across the grounds, catching those in spindly heels off-guard and forcing women to hold on to their hats and hemlines.
But while the weather was grey and dreary, the ladies of Liverpool could be relied upon to brighten up the stands. Many opted for outfits in bold primary colours, with a red hat covered in butterflies proving particularly eyecatching.
According to racecourse bosses, there is no strict dress code for the festival, unlike at Royal Ascot. But guidance on the course website reads: ‘Smart is preferable. Aintree is a spectacle of colour, with many using their trip as an opportunity to showcase their favourite raceday outfits. Hats are optional too, but are frequently worn.’
In recent years Aintree has also urged female guests to opt for demure looks, bringing in the Coco Chanel-inspired slogan: ‘Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.’
More than 150,000 people will visit Aintree over the course of the three-day festival, which concludes today, while a staggering £650million is expected to be placed in bets.
Around 50,000 turned up yesterday, with fashion boutiques across Merseyside reporting a 65 per cent increase in sales of fake eyelashes in the build-up to the event.
Grand National Pullout – Centre Pages