Horse racing is a big spectacle, with thousands of people going to watch horses every month. It’s a great day out and the second biggest sports spectacle in the United \ Kingdom and also big in the USA. With the popularity of horse racing, the rules have stayed strict over the years. With a very specific dress code, we are here to give you the rundown.
When many people think of a day at the races, images of smartly dressed people come to mind. Usually, people picture horse race event attendees, they probably picture a sea of well-dressed people. Although a suit or nice dress won’t be a necessity for most people in the races, it is still a big thing and, in some cases, could get you refused entry.
Why do you have to dress to impress?
Horse racing was started and became very popular hundreds of years ago. It was popular with higher-class groups of people, royals, politicians, and other affluent people who would often attend races, and this is why it started. Other than that, people who had enough disposable income to bet on a horse back then would have been posh and well-off. This is similar to today; people who place a Grand National bet are more likely to have the income to do it. Those people always dressed popularly, and this trend has stuck. With horse racing still being as popular as it is, it is a wonder that most people who attend horse races are still dressed well. Although some races don’t have a specific job entry, if you do hit the dress code, it is frowned upon to not wear something smart.
What do men wear?
Typically, the races are filled with men wearing dark suits; in the older days of racing, a top hat or bow tie was an absolute must. Same with a waistcoat. Nowadays a nice watch could be seen as a key feature. A dark suit with a tie is definite, as are dress shoes. Places like Churchill Downs and Ascot are likely to have the best-dressed men. If you went to a race in the summer, you are more likely to see people wearing fewer layers, so no waistcoats, but this is dependent on the year.
What do women wear?
The women’s dress code is much stricter than the men’s. The dresses and skirts that are needed to be worn have to be a specific length and not show off too much shoulder or stomach, with the dresses being elegant and cut nicely. Outer dress items can be worn, like scarves or gloves, as long as they are also elegant.
Hats in Racing History
When Horse Racing started to gain a lot of popularity with the upper class, the outfits they wore were important to their image. In the 20th century, hats were an absolute must for formal dress wear, and if you didn’t wear a hat when wearing something formal, you were looked at badly in the community. In the early parts of history, the bigger the hat, the richer you were. A big hat was a sign of wealth. As horse racing has become less popular for people with enormous wealth, it is still time for people to show off their fancy hats.
Final points
Although the number of people who attended races has changed over time, this does not mean the fashion choices of races have. The rich and powerful used to attend, and they needed to dress well for the races. However, now the people who attend may be different, but that does not mean they do not respect the tradition by wearing inappropriate clothes and not looking smart.
