RacingBetter News
	Monday 10th November 2025

Horse Racing and Fashion: Dress Code at Royal Ascot

For centuries, Royal Ascot has been a gathering place for the British aristocracy and social elite. However, the five-day horse racing series is now at least as famous for the clothes worn by the participants as it is for the exciting races.

Royal Ascot is more than just a simple, internationally recognized horse race. It is a social event where tradition is mixed with luxury and style.

Members of the British royal family attend Royal Ascot every year. Until her death in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II herself attended the event with her family every year. In addition, international celebrities and European royal families are increasingly represented. 

The Short History of Royal Ascot

Horse racing dates back to the early 1700s. It was Queen Anne's idea to create a racecourse on the Ascot meadows, not far from Windsor Castle.

Horse racing dates back to the early 1700s. It was Queen Anne's idea to create a horse racing track on the Ascot field, not far from Windsor Castle. The first race was held in August 1700 and consisted of three races over a distance of more than 6,400 meters.

Nowadays, these nearly 300-year-old races are traditionally held in July, and tickets are at least as sought after as an attractive kazino bonus. They are usually snapped up by April. The highlight of the race is the 2,400-meter Gold Cup race.

Royal Ascot is also remarkable in terms of total prize money, with a total of £3.3 million distributed among the winners of the sixteen races. This amount is exceptionally high, even compared to the Vulkan Vegas kazino payout.

Dress Code for Participants

Thirty years after the first horse race was held, the famous dress code was introduced at the Ascot horse race. It contains strict rules for both men and women.

What Do Spectators in the Royal Enclosure Wear?

Royal Ascot is not a homogeneous space, as the grandstand consists of different levels, similar to a Vulkan Vegas kazino program. The most prestigious level is the Royal Enclosure, or the royal box. 

Only invited men wearing black or gray tailcoats and top hats are allowed to enter the box. Ladies wear suits or cocktail dresses with matching decorative hats.

General Dress Code Rules

However, the seats outside the royal box are not subject to such strict rules. Women are not required to wear hats, and men are not required to wear suits.

At the same time, elegance is the norm in terms of dress outside the royal box and throughout the entire racecourse. Among the visitors, we see only men in suits and women in suits and hats. This is no coincidence, as it is forbidden to appear on the racecourse with bare shoulders or even in shorts.

Why Hats and Top Hats?

As already mentioned, the first horse races were held in the 18th century, when women were still required to wear something on their heads. Women were keen to exploit the possibilities offered by headwear and experimented with a variety of colors and shapes.

At the same time, top hats were part of the formal attire of aristocratic men. This item of clothing was actually a symbol of their social status. Today, the importance of wearing a top hat remains as part of centuries-old etiquette.

Wearing a Tailcoat

The word tailcoat, which sounds like the name of a kazino bonus, means a short jacket. It is a men's jacket that is short at the front and long at the back. It is actually a formal garment worn by men during the day. At evening or night events, it is replaced by a tailcoat.

Is Royal Ascot Only Accessible to the Aristocracy?

In Great Britain, great care is taken to ensure that there are no financial barriers to observing traditions. Not only the elite can participate in Royal Ascot, but those with limited funds who are interested in horses can also purchase tickets. You can get a ticket for the price of a experience at Vulkan Vegas kazino – if not for a box, then certainly for a seat.

In the 19th century, wearing a top hat and tailcoat was a privilege of the aristocracy. Nowadays, however, you don't have to be a millionaire to buy yourself a few items of clothing like these.

During Royal Ascot in London, all the shop windows are full of tailcoats, top hats and hats. Their prices vary greatly, with the cheapest items costing about the same as a kazino bonus, and the most expensive items costing a fortune. 

There is a high demand for these products at this time of year. In London, in the run-up to Royal Ascot, so many hats are sold in stores that retailers can live off them for the whole year. 

And what is all the fuss about? The Ascot horse race is made even more glamorous by the fact that the British royal family attends it. Thanks to this, formal attire is rightly expected. Even photographers are not allowed to enter without a tuxedo.