What to Wear to Royal Ascot

Dressing for One of Britain's Great Summer Occasions

Royal Ascot is as much associated with style as it is with racing. But deciding what to wear isn't simply a matter of choosing your smartest suit — your outfit should take into account your enclosure, the traditions of the event, the weather and your own personal style. For the gentleman who enjoys tailoring, Ascot is also a rare opportunity to dress properly for the occasion.

At Roomten, we'd approach an Ascot outfit with one principle in mind: respect the dress code, then make it your own through fit, cloth and detail.

Morning Dress at Royal Ascot

Morning dress remains one of the great traditions associated with Royal Ascot. A traditional morning outfit consists of a black or grey morning coat, formal trousers, waistcoat, shirt and tie, with a top hat completing the ensemble where required. The temptation with morning dress is to concentrate on the coat, but the proportions of the whole outfit matter. A beautifully fitted waistcoat, correctly positioned trouser waist and properly proportioned morning coat make an enormous difference.

The waistcoat also gives you an opportunity to introduce some individuality. Dove grey, buff and subtle pastel shades can all work beautifully without turning the outfit into fancy dress.

The Ascot Lounge Suit

Where a lounge suit is appropriate, summer tailoring comes into its own. Navy and mid-blue are obvious choices, but Ascot gives you an opportunity to explore lighter shades. Consider:

• Mid-blue
• Light grey
• Stone
• Beige
• Subtle Prince of Wales checks
• Lightweight textured cloths

A double-breasted suit can look particularly elegant at Ascot, as can a beautifully fitted three-piece.

Choosing the Cloth

Ascot takes place during the British summer, but that doesn't guarantee Mediterranean weather. Lightweight wool is therefore one of our favourite options. It breathes well, holds its shape and doesn't crease as readily as pure linen. Wool-linen and wool-silk-linen blends can introduce more texture, while high-twist wool is excellent if the weather becomes warmer.

Shirt and Tie

A crisp white or pale-blue shirt provides an excellent foundation. The tie is an opportunity for colour, but we'd avoid anything excessively novelty-driven. Silk, woven textures and subtle patterns all work well. Ascot is colourful, but there's a difference between colour and clutter.

Shoes

For morning dress, polished black shoes are the traditional choice. With a lounge suit, dark brown or black leather can work depending on the colour of the suit. Whatever you choose, make sure they're comfortable. Ascot involves considerably more standing and walking than many people anticipate.

A Roomten Ascot Suit

Ascot is one of those occasions where good tailoring is noticed. Rather than chasing a particular year's fashion, we'd create something that respects the traditions of the event while working with your proportions and personality. Whether that's traditional morning dress, a beautifully cut navy double-breasted suit or lighter summer tailoring, the objective is the same: Dress for the occasion without looking as though the occasion dressed you.

Planning Your Ascot Outfit?

Talk to Roomten about made-to-measure morning dress, suits, shirts and summer tailoring for Royal Ascot.