Royal Ascot is one of the highlights on the British social calendar, bringing together the country’s royalty and most noble of families for a day of horse racing. International royalty, government representatives and dignitaries are also often in attendance at the event, signifying just how big a deal the racing event is.
This year’s event will take from June 19-23 and is set to look a little different than previous years thanks to an update to the dress code for attendees.
According to WWD, “some of the event’s formal dress codes, formerly reserved for the Royal Enclosure where Queen Elizabeth sits, will apply to all guests.” What does that mean exactly? Well, men in the Queen Anne and Village Enclosures must wear socks whilst women will be required to cover their shoulders and as such cannot wear ‘Bardot’, one-shoulder or off-the-shoulder necklines. The event had already banned strapless dresses in previous years so the new exclusions are updates to the policy.
Interestingly, suits and jumpsuits are still allowed so long as they comply with the updated guidelines.
The 2018 event will take place one month after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, leaving us to wonder if the pair will make their debut at the event. Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended together in the past, so it’s not entirely out of the question.
Watch this space!
In the meantime, see what the world’s first hijabi model Mariah Idrissi had to say about modest dressing at SXSW 2018.
