What To Wear To Royal Ascot 2024: The Pre-Loved Fashion Guide

By Charlie Colville

4 months ago

May the best dressed win


Royal Ascot is one of the biggest events of the social season, with as many as 300,000 people making their way to the racecourse each summer to see the prestigious race in person. But while the horses are a major draw, we’re more concerned with the fashion. Looking for some race day inspiration? We’ve teamed up with eBay to bring you an edit of the best pre-loved finds for a day at Royal Ascot.

As an eBay Partner, C&TH may receive compensation if you make a purchase


The Race Day Dress

At Royal Ascot, you can quite literally dress to impress. You won’t catch anyone wearing a minidress, exposing their midriff on the racecourse nor pulling on a spaghetti strap; the dress code is more modest than anything, so expect to wear a dress that falls below the knee and covers the shoulders. You have your choice of patterns – florals are always popular this time of year – but if you’d prefer to keep things simple you can opt for a pastel palette or deeper jewel tones.

Pink dress

RIXO

Delilah Pink Floral Puff Sleeve Midi Dress (Size UK 12), £150

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Red dress

Self-Portrait

Red Chiffon Lace Pleated Midi Dress (Size UK 14), £148

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The Everything Clutch

Alas, not all dresses come with a trusty set of pockets, which means you’ll likely need something to carry all your extra bits and bobs (and betting slips) for the day. The general rule of a good clutch is that it nicely complements your outfit, either in style or colour. If in doubt, opt for a neutral clutch that you can also use for future outfits.

Multicoloured clutch bag

Chanel

Multicoloured Clutch, £899

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Pink clutch bag

Valentino Garavani

One Stud Clutch Bag In Pink, £995

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A Statement Hat

Now, we know dresses are a big part of Royal Ascot – but so are the hats. The staple accessory for the races, a good hat is defined by three things: colour, shape and scale. Make sure your hat complements (or artfully clashes with) the colour palette of your outfit, be playful with the sculptural shaping of your headpiece, and know that, at Ascot, bigger is better.

Mannequin wearing pink fascinator

Snoxell & Gwyther

STORM Fascinator In Magenta, £185

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Pink hat next to black box

Rachel Trevor-Morgan

Pink Pillbox Hat, £350

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A Striking Suit

And now for the men. Suits are the typical choice for gentlemen at the races – and at Ascot, they are required by enclosure rules to be worn at all times. Whether you’re planning on wearing a full-length matching suit (ideal for the Queen Anne Enclosure) or plan to keep it simple with a suave jacket and trousers combo (you’ll be all set for the Windsor Enclosure), make sure you’re suited and booted in something sharp and smart.

Man in suit

Royal Ascot

Tailcoat Suit Two-Piece Jacket & Trousers Morning Wear Ex Hire (Multiple Sizes), £139

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Brown suit

Ted Baker

Brown Wool 3-Piece Suit (42R Regular Fit, W36 L32), £159

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The Final Touch: Cufflinks

And the best way to accessorise said suit? A pair of perfectly polished cufflinks, of course. You can use eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee service to track down some real gems, with cufflinks from a number of designer brands checked over by the marketplace’s team of expert verifiers. Just remember: this isn’t the event for novelty or gag items, so make sure to keep things sophisticatedly on-trend.

Pearl cufflinks

Vintage

Mother Of Pearl, Onyx & Diamond Cufflinks, £597.45

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Red and gold horseshoe cufflinks

Vintage

3.82ct Garnet 14Carat Yellow Gold Horseshoe Cufflinks (Circa 1950), £1,645

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Featured image: Rawisara Prachaksubhanit, Unsplash