Featured image by CharlesFred via Photopin CC
With Ascot over and done with for yet another year, we are starting to wonder if the outfits grab more headlines than the actual racing.
Don’t get us wrong, we do love an exhibitionist; after all, our MD worked as a celebrity stylist for over 15 years. But when it comes to some of the hat creations at this year’s event, we do question whether the policing of correct dress codes should extend to a question of ‘prop or hat?’
Some of the huge creations we spotted would have looked more at home as props for a school play, rather than sat on your head, and many verged on the brink of looking like Easter bonnets, as opposed to beautiful creations.
Having said that, there were some real winners in the ‘style stakes’, with beautifully coordinated hats and dresses, contrast clutch bags and shoes, and particularly my all time favourite hat designer Stephen Jones making a stylish entrance on more than one occasion. We especially loved his Carte Blanche ‘Rhythm’ Top Hat with miniature top hats in pretty pastels placed carefully around, giving a kind of magical Alice In Wonderland/Mad Hatter feel to this elegant couture hat.
Celebrating the outlandish and outrageous should definitely be part of Ascot, but what about teaming up with a big shampoo brand (perhaps ‘Head & Shoulders’?) And creating a trophy for the most creative hat? Race goers could wear their outrageous creations in one area for a press photo call for a couple of hours, then remove it for something with the height and brim no bigger than 5 inches?
That way, the photographers get their shot, the fashion journalists get their story and anyone with the misfortune of sitting or standing behind you would be able to actually able to see some of the racing action!
But till next year… you can check out the dress code rules as they stand in the YouTube video at the top of the page…
