How to keep your nose in front in the style stakes
AND they’re off! Royal Ascot kicked off yesterday with London’s biggest and brightest donning their finery. For some, it was a style triumph (see right), meanwhile for others – you know who you are – it was less so. City PM rounded up expert tips for avoiding the worst-dressed list.
MEN
DON’T: UPSTAGE YOUR DATE
“For men, it should be all about discretion. Leave those loud suits at home,” says Nicola Copping, Fashion content editor at Harrods.com
DO: PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL
“Wear proper shoes – closed lace classic Oxfords are good – pick coordinating handkerchiefs and ties and get a proper wet shave. Look the part,” says Patrick Grant, designer for menswear label E. Tautz.
DON’T: TRY OUT LINEN
For those outside the royal enclosure it can be tempting to experiment with lighter fabrics in the hot weather. But, says Grant, linen is to be avoided. “It just looks crumpled. You’re better off with a lightweight wool as it stays crisp.”
DO: GET A TOP HAT THAT FITS
“Too small and it teeters on your head, too big and it falls to your ears. Both look bad,” says Grant. “Get one fitted.”
DON’T WEAR NOVELTY ACCESSORIES
“Anything with a hint of comedy should be avoided,” says Tautz.
WOMEN
DO: WEAR A HAT
“It’s part and parcel of the whole occasion. Don’t be scared of them,” says Copping.
DON’T: LOOK CHEAP
“This is an affair that has its roots in more genteel times and the desire to preserve that lives on. Not much skin, nothing too short, and – God – no fake tan and tacky jewelery!” says Ed Burstell, managing director at Liberty.
DO: WEAR WEDGES
They’re stylish, and practical. After all, says Clare Rous, owner of fashion boutique Rous Island: “It’s impossible to look elegant when sinking backwards into the grass.”
DON’T: WEAR TOO MUCH MAKE-UP
“It’s far more modern to keep it simple and easier to maintain over the course of a day than a face full of slap,” says Rous. “Just lipstick works.”