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Would you consider wearing a tie with your suit at Royal Ascot this year? That’s one of the recommendations in the new Royal Ascot lookbook, designed to inspire racegoers as they plan their 2024 outfits.
The young British fashion designer Daniel Fletcher, the first creative director of Royal Ascot in its 300-year history, whose name brand is loved by Harry Styles, Alexa Chung, Robert Pattinson, Eddie Redmayne, Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Corrin.
Suggested looks include a beret-style hat and a gold sequinned dress; for men, conflicting pins and a pale pink leather jacket. Fashionable? Definitely. Is it suitable for a horse racing event? That’s the subject of lively debate in the Royal Enclosure this year.
At first, ties can be a difficult accessory for women to wear. Although he looked great in Annie Hall, he needs a more modest bust – and of course a shirt-inspired dress to style it.
What the new look book invites is the opportunity to mix up the Royal Ascot style formula; a guide on how to bend the sartorial rules and embrace a more gendered approach too.
“One thing I really enjoyed [seeing at Royal Ascot] in recent years people have been having fun with how they dress and embracing their creativity,” says Fletcher. “I’ve tried to reflect that in the way I’ve styled the lookbook this year. We have these really beautiful dresses [by Laura Green with shirt-style collars] and he gave them ties and berets and bags of flowers. It’s a mashup of real things: a tie you’d expect in a boardroom but paired with a gorgeous silk dress. There is a contrast and I want people to take that seriously.”
Onlookers include two outfits from Fletcher’s own brand, Daniel W Fletcher, as well as some of his Central Saint Martins peers who graduated with him in 2015: WED Studios, Chopova Lowena and Stefan Cooke.
There is also a focus on a more sustainable approach to style. Along with designs by Stella McCartney, Fletcher features rental pieces from LK Bennett, and famous London boutique Rellik has sourced vintage finds, in an attempt to encourage race-goers to consider buying second-hand.
Regarding the official dress codes for the enclosures, there are no changes this year. For the Royal Enclosure, which is the most formal, hats must still have a minimum base diameter of four inches, dress hemlines must be just above the knee or longer, and a minimum width of one inch by shoulder straps. Jumpsuits and pantsuits of matching material and colors are also permitted. For men, morning dress and top hats are required.
The last major update to the dress code was in 2021, when navy blue morning suit was allowed in the Royal Enclosure. In 2017, the jumpsuit was formally included in the Royal Enclosure dress code, and the Duchess of Edinburgh became the first royal to wear one in 2018. Trouser suits have been part of the Royal Ascot dress code for women since 1971 .
For Fletcher, this new role as creative director at Royal Ascot represents a full-circle moment. It has long been inspired by themes of British heritage, and in particular the racecourse. “I was on a show called Next in Fashion in 2020, and my initial look for the finale was a pink shirt with big stars on it, which was inspired by jockey silks, so it feels like coming full circle , coming back here and starting to work with Royal Ascot,” he says.
Let’s see if his suggestions are accepted in the stands on race day.
More from the lookbook…
