How To Dress For The Races
Certain sections of British society seem to deploy dress codes as a barrier against the unwashed masses. Nowhere more so than the racecourse, where a Dante-rivalling succession of distinct enclosures, each with its own Byzantine traditions, turns a day watching horses run around into the sartorial equivalent of an Enigma machine.
According to Kristian Robson, of tailor Oliver Brown, there’s a simple(ish) rule of thumb: if the horses are jumping over things, then technically it’s winter and you should be in tweed. If their path is unimpeded, switch for formal morning dress.
Suits are passable year round – with a shirt and tie, naturally (this is no time for your tailoring and trainers) – but if the fences are up then plump for flannel. Otherwise, it’s lightweight wool or linen.
Easy, right? Well, not if you’re heading to one of the two year’s two biggest meets.
The Grand National
Technically, you could stroll up to Aintree in distressed denim. But unless you love side-eye from men whose parents own counties, we’d advise smartening up. “A smart, plain navy or grey city suit, or three-piece tweed suit, will ensure your style is winning,” says Robson. “Even if your horses aren’t.”
As you now know, those big hedges mean that it’s winter, according to the racing calendar. And since the British weather has a habit of agreeing with the Jockey Club, a sleeveless jumper beneath your jacket adds warmth without bulk, says champion rider turned champion trainer Paul Nicholls. “The best way to stand out is with a tailored three-piece tweed suit, a smart overcoat, and a trilby – or a smart tweed cap to dress the look down.”
Oliver Brown
On the subject of your outerwear, to up your equine credentials, reach for a covert coat. “It’s a style synonymous with jump racing,” says Robson. And has been since the late 19th century, when hunting types cut slits up a Chesterfield coat, so it would wrap around a saddle and still cover their legs.
