Timeless Tailoring Takes Center Stage at Royal Ascot 2024
Timeless Tailoring Dominates the Royal Ascot Fashion Scene
The fashion showcase at Royal Ascot has long been a barometer and inspiration for summer event attire. As the racing season kicks off this week, the hot tip from Ascot is to swap showy dresses for colorful, flowing, and modern tailoring.
Leading the charge is the event’s first-ever creative director, Daniel W. Fletcher, a unisex designer who has dressed the likes of Harry Styles and Emma Corrin. Fletcher has delved into Ascot’s archives to curate a timeless yet contemporary lookbook for 2024, featuring brocade suits and crisp shirt dresses paired with ties.
“Dressing for the occasion is something we seldom find the time to do nowadays,” says Fletcher, a long-time racegoer who was “a little daunted, but incredibly excited” to take on this role.
Tailoring has always been a key component of Royal Ascot’s women’s fashion, but dresses have often stolen the spotlight due to their flamboyance. However, Fletcher aims to prove that tailored pieces can be just as show-stopping, drawing inspiration from the style of royal visitors over the decades.
“Some of my favorite women’s looks were the royals in the 1980s, wearing brightly colored jackets with big shoulders and nipped-in waists,” he notes. This fuchsia blouse and skirt from Lisou is a modern take on Princess Diana’s iconic postbox-red waistcoat and striped pussy-bow blouse from 1981.
Similarly, the Countess of Wessex’s blue belted jumpsuit and the Queen’s bright periwinkle and mint green skirt suits showcase the versatility of tailored elegance at Royal Ascot. Fletcher encourages attendees to embrace the tailoring trend, whether in the form of an oversized blazer, a curved-flare trouser, or a sleek, tailored dress.
“Tailoring has allowed everyone to feel more comfortable to find a look that suits them,” he adds. Fletcher’s top tip for elevating a high-street buy is to ensure a proper fit through tailoring, which can transform an ordinary suit into a high-end look.
As Royal Ascot fashion continues to evolve, Fletcher envisions a future where women may even venture into the morning-coat look, further blurring the lines between masculine and feminine styles. Top hats, however, remain optional.
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