Cheltenham is famously known for its horse racing, and next month brings the biggest race meeting of the year with Ladies day, St Patricks Thursday and the infamous Gold Cup. The horses and jockeys are not the only spectacle of the event, as men and women come dressed in an array of the weird and wonderful – following the unwritten racegoer’s dress code.

Anything goes when you’re at the races!

Men, whether you are in the Club, Tattersalls or Best Mate enclosure there is only one way to dress for the races – in a suit. A classic men’s two- or three-piece suit, well tailored in an understated black, brown or blue is always a solid look with the obligatory flat cap or trilby. However, this is the races and anything goes!

Expect to see a sea of tartan and tweed (popular amongst men and women), clashing prints and bold colour choices – a successful recipe for any festival goer’s outfit. Guys accessorise your outfit with a quirky bow tie – there are plenty available on the market. As for foot-wear, you can’t go wrong with a smart pair of brogues.

Ladies, when it comes to the races, current fashion trends are irrelevant. The combination of bright colours, bold prints, lavish fur and feathered hats are all essential, as is flamboyance. With a large sum of money awarded to best dressed on Ladies Day, standing out from the crowd is a must.

Big on colour and print co-ordination

However, for a more subtle look, a blazer and dress combo would be perfect. Whether you decide to go all out or keep it low key, race goers’ outfits tend to be big on colour and print co-ordination – keep this in mind when building your festival outfit.

The races is a long day and for the majority of it you can expect to be standing, so comfortable footwear is essential. A good pair of knee high flat or heeled boots would be ideal. For an alternate look, trainers have concreted their fashion stance firmly in the ground. So a trendy, co-ordinating pair of pumps will keep your feet happy all day long and you looking right on trend.

It is wise to layer up

With the unpredictable British weather it is wise to layer up. A light weight quilted jacket worn underneath a gentleman’s blazer or thick wool jacket would be ideal. And for women a fur shawl or oversized wool scarf is the perfect cover up.