Stepping out in London: A day at Royal Ascot

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

I check out London’s Royal Ascot horse races.

Visit London, the city’s tourism authority, dubs the Royal Ascot horse races “the most glamourous event on London’s sporting calendar”.

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I’m inclined to agree.

Royal Ascot is as much about the fashion as it is about the races.  And in my case, it is pretty much all about the fashion (yes, I am really that vain). Formal attire from attendees is expected, and ladies use June’s week-long event to trot out the most chic and delectable of outfits.

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There are fascinators and gloves and bold red lipstick-looks galore, as those of the fairer sex turn the grounds into a massive, grassy catwalk.

As a lover of all things fashion, this is right up my alley.

With Ascot frenzy descending on London this past week, I am reminded of my foray into this English tradition last year.  After ogling all the pictures from previous Ascots, I jumped at the chance to get in on the action. As such I scheduled a day at the races with two female companions so that we could live out our Royal Ascot fantasy.

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A little secret: the races don’t actually take place in London proper.  They are, in fact, held in the little town of Ascot (but of course!), in the county of Berkshire, 40 km outside of London.  As neither me nor my companions own a vehicle, and as taking the train out this way is an absolute pain, we elected to book a package day trip through company called Pillow Adventures for around 80 GBP (about $135 USD) a head.  While I thought the price steep, it included entry, a buffet lunch with free-flow champagne, and transportation to and from Ascot, and when I did the calculation it actually ended up costing slightly less than purchasing train tickets, lunch, and tickets to enter separately (and that would have been far more of a hassle). Besides, the fee was but a small price to pay in order to participate in the pomp and circumstance of Ascot celebrations.

But who cares about the details?  You probably want to see the outfits!

After agonising about what I was going to wear, I decided to go for a “Lady in Red” theme. I paired a fire engine red French Connection dress with a red fascinator I picked up at good ol’ Marks and Spencer.  I topped the look off with a bold red lip, courtesy of M.A.C (for all you gurus out there, the exact colour is called Ruby Woo, and it is great for all skin tones).  Looking snazzy as I was, I commissioned Liebling to stage an impromptu fashion shoot before heading out to the festivities.

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My companions, also up to the challenge, were glamourously decked out in floral patterns and emerald green.

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But what of the races? I admit, once we got to the grounds I spent way more time checking out my fellow fair damsels’ ensembles.  Unsurprisingly, there was a lot to feast the eyes on.  I’ll tell you what was even nicer, though: the lovely sense of collegiality that reigned supreme as women openly approached other women to compliment them on their outfits.  A selection of the fashion:

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The Royal Ascot is named as such primarily because it was founded by Queen Anne back in 1711.  This regal tie-in means that the Royal Family attends the races every year.  I managed to get a blurry glimpse of the Queen and co.:

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And lest you think me horribly superficial, I did watch a race or two.

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While I had a good time, my overall feelings on Ascot are mixed.  I loved the idea of getting all gussied up, and despite the initial foreboding skies and blustery winds, the day turned out beautifully.  I enjoyed the ceremoniousness of the occasion and the congenial air.  However, the amount of heavy drinking and embarrassing displays of inebriation by revellers left quite a bad taste in my mouth.  Some may contend that a party ain’t a party without copious amounts of alcohol, but I felt the levels of public drunkenness took away from the classiness of the affair.  Just my two cents, though!

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Are you a fan of horse races?  Have you ever been to the Royal Ascot, Kentucky Derby, or a similar event?

SHARING IS CARING

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