What To Wear To Royal Ascot 2024: The Pre-Loved Fashion Guide
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6 months ago
May the best dressed win
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Royal Ascot is one of the biggest events of the social season, with as many as 300,000 people making their way to the racecourse each summer to see the prestigious race in person. But while the horses are a major draw, we’re more concerned with the fashion. Looking for some race day inspiration? We’ve teamed up with eBay to bring you an edit of the best pre-loved finds for a day at Royal Ascot.
As an eBay Partner, C&TH may receive compensation if you make a purchase
The Race Day Dress
At Royal Ascot, you can quite literally dress to impress. You won’t catch anyone wearing a minidress, exposing their midriff on the racecourse nor pulling on a spaghetti strap; the dress code is more modest than anything, so expect to wear a dress that falls below the knee and covers the shoulders. You have your choice of patterns – florals are always popular this time of year – but if you’d prefer to keep things simple you can opt for a pastel palette or deeper jewel tones.
The Everything Clutch
Alas, not all dresses come with a trusty set of pockets, which means you’ll likely need something to carry all your extra bits and bobs (and betting slips) for the day. The general rule of a good clutch is that it nicely complements your outfit, either in style or colour. If in doubt, opt for a neutral clutch that you can also use for future outfits.
A Statement Hat
Now, we know dresses are a big part of Royal Ascot – but so are the hats. The staple accessory for the races, a good hat is defined by three things: colour, shape and scale. Make sure your hat complements (or artfully clashes with) the colour palette of your outfit, be playful with the sculptural shaping of your headpiece, and know that, at Ascot, bigger is better.
A Striking Suit
And now for the men. Suits are the typical choice for gentlemen at the races – and at Ascot, they are required by enclosure rules to be worn at all times. Whether you’re planning on wearing a full-length matching suit (ideal for the Queen Anne Enclosure) or plan to keep it simple with a suave jacket and trousers combo (you’ll be all set for the Windsor Enclosure), make sure you’re suited and booted in something sharp and smart.
Royal Ascot
Tailcoat Suit Two-Piece Jacket & Trousers Morning Wear Ex Hire (Multiple Sizes), £139
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The Final Touch: Cufflinks
And the best way to accessorise said suit? A pair of perfectly polished cufflinks, of course. You can use eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee service to track down some real gems, with cufflinks from a number of designer brands checked over by the marketplace’s team of expert verifiers. Just remember: this isn’t the event for novelty or gag items, so make sure to keep things sophisticatedly on-trend.
Vintage
3.82ct Garnet 14Carat Yellow Gold Horseshoe Cufflinks (Circa 1950), £1,645
BUY NOWMORE LIKE THISFeatured image: Rawisara Prachaksubhanit, Unsplash
