Last minute ticket to Ascot! What to wear?

[LastMinutePoshOutfit]

Received a phone call this morning with invite to Royal Ascot next week! Got NO money and no time to shop, need to cobble something together but no idea! Suggestions please, am panicking! (We'll be in a company box/enclosure!).

https://www.ascot.co.uk/dresscode/flat-season
It's definitely a very dressy affair.

You need a dress that has proper shoulders. Not a party dress. A day dress. You need a hat or a hat on a headband. Not a flimsy fascinator. Ideally you will have a jacket that matches or co-ordinates. You cannot wear work clothes. You have time to do express delivery on mail order, but what do you already own? There are lots of hats on sale at Debenhams, House of Fraser etc. I would strongly suggest you look smart or youwill feel dreadfully out of place and be miserable. Any place in a box has cost hundreds of ££££ so people will dress for the occasion andit is expected and not really optional.

BUT nothing need be especially showy if it is smart and suits you.
Book a wash and blow dry for the day before.
What have you in your wardrobe from (eg) last year's weddings?

(Nb Deckchair this is Royal Ascot, not the flat season)

Have you looked at the Royal Ascot style guide? www.ascot.co.uk/Royal-Ascot

I would imagine that for a box you should follow the Royal Enclosure guidelines. Think smart, formal, and polished. It's impossible to feel over-dressed there, people really do make a big effort - it's part of the spectacle.

Sorry, wrong link
I'm going later in the year and have been dithering about whether I need a hat or not.
I'm still don't know, but Royal Ascot is definitely a hat and posh frock affair.
If you google images it might give you some ideas op.

Ok, so I think I've got a dress, it's a vintage one I bought ages ago but have never worn. It comes with matching belt but I'm thinking black heels, small black velvet clutch, black fascinator and swap the belt for a skinny black one to tie accessories together? I'll try and attach a (bad) selfie pic of the dress!!

It's a slightly silky fabric, with a nice weight and swish to it. Very full skirt. I think a black skinny belt will jazz it up a bit. Thoughts?

Sounding good so far - any chance of a real hat?

I like it but it's a bit summery to put black with. Have you any other possible shoes?

I have a reeeeally big head!!! Have never had luck finding one to fit! A proper hat would go with the vintage look though!

Yes I see what you mean. Alas due to a rather unfortunate set of circumstances I don't have access to any of my other dressy shoes (all in storage which I can't get to!). I also have really big feet so struggle finding shoes to fit!

Charity shop for a hat?

I also think black will not work well with that dress. Can't really see the colour but red would look nice if it is a pale duck egg colour? Or navy if you want to go darker?

Nice wedge sandals might work well at a race course?

Aah I would have LOVED to pair it with red! It is exactly a duck egg blue too!

What about friends..... can anyone lend you a hat, bag or shoes ?

Try a little hat, saucer on a headband, or a pillbox type with elastic that goes behind (iyswim) - no need to fit whole head in. Agree charity shops worth a look but (eek) afraid you may have to buy shoes.

I'll see what I can find! No friends nearby to borrow anything, we've just moved to a new part of the country (hence everything in storage!).

OK. This is a flat racing meeting (Mrs Badger) and it is the poshest event of the year. It has cost the host thousands of ££££ to do this. You are in a box and you are wearing a dress most people would wear to work. I am sorry but it is frumpy central. OK, if you have to have it, wear a cream hat or hat on a headband and nude shoes. Hats on headands fit anyone and you can get next day delivery. The disc style like Carole Middleton wears work well. Do not take a velvet bag! This is summer, not a Christmas party. Try a cream neat one. Wedges are not what you wear in a box. They are too casual. Wear standard pumps with lowish heels. Dune have some in their sale which are lowish with sparkly jewels on the front. You do not have to walk anywhere apart from the car park to the box. You are not standing around outside all day and you are not on grass in a box!

Try eBay. A lot of people sell formal wear and hats etc after weddings.

I have this outfit from a wedding a few years ago. Can't access any of my matching accessories though so would need to get a hat and shoes £££

I just light not have the figure to not be frumpy I think!

That looks much better and you are getting more wear out of it. If you could find a dusty pink hat it would look good. House of Fraser may have something and a company I know called Shu Shu have mail order hats in loads of colours if you cannot get to one of their shops in south Bucks and west Herts. You could give them a ring. I would try cream shoes and bag.These will be easy to find and can be reused for all summer events. A cream/off White hat with dusky pink flowers or the other way round. Do choose one on a headband - it will fit! Be very wary of second hand hats. They can be bent or screwed up. I can spot them a mile off and they can be very dated. Looking a bit more promising now.

I am going to Ascot next week and have gone for the last couple of years. We are invited by a client of DH's. We too are in a company box. The client requests that we follow the Royal Enclosure dress code so top hat and tails for the men, but we are not in the Royal Enclosure so the dress code does not have to be that formal. There are certainly people in neighbouring boxes who are not as formally dressed.

You will need to wear a hat, don't think fascinators are allowed. But you can get one from a charity shop. Unless it was completely manky I would probably struggle to know whether you had got it from
a charity shop

There are all sorts of outfits worn at Ascot, I much prefer people watching than watching the horse racing

I've been going since 1972! There are all sorts of outfits but some are just horrible and not remotely smart. Top hat is a bit over the top if you are not in the Royal Enclosure! And morning suit!

I prefer the racing. Shame the meeting is full of people who don't know what they are watching!