It’s late – and don’t I know it. Ascot Ladies Day happened more than 3 months ago, but I’ve been so busy juggling work, travels and all sorts that I am only just managing to give this post some much needed tlc. So, in case you hadn’t already figured it out, my colleague-in-crime, and now one of my greatest girly friends, Amelia, and myself trotted on down to Ascot (no pun intended) for it’s annual ladies day gathering during Royal Ascot week – in the drizzle.
Not only did the Queen make an appearance every day – her horse won the Gold Cup! What are the chances.
The occasion was the perfect excuse to play dress up, however it doesn’t come without its rules. For the gentlemen, top hat and tails for the Royal Enclosure and suits for the Grandstand, while ladies must be at their most demure, with dresses no shorter than just above the knee (no thighs on show please), wide straps – that doesn’t include spindly shoulders bearing spaghetti strings – and hats hats hats, the bigger and higher the better – or I suppose you could flirt with fascinators, but the regular Ascot set don’t seem so keen on those since the Duchess of Cambridge stopped wearing them.
Outfits were pulled together in a flutter and very last minute. My dress was from Zara (although it was summer season so is not available anymore), shoes – Aldo, bag – H&M sale, and my hat, wait for it… £5.99 from a charity shop in Hertfordshire – now if that’s not a bargain then I don’t know what is.
Amelia’s dress was Armani Exchange, Bag – Mulberry, shoes – Aldo – yep, same as mine, but then half our wardrobes are identical because we love the same kind of things, probably why we’re friends – just a guess though. And her hat, came in even better than mine at £2.99 from the same charity shop.
We bought the only two hats in the house for under a tenner! Magic!
It rained for most of the day, nevertheless we placed bets, small ones, and lost, tried exciting new vodka brand ‘Beluga’, and ended the day with bubbles of the Laurent Perrier kind, while we whipped up a storm, or at least tried to, on the dance-floor in the pop-up Ascot nightclub come bar before we finally headed back into London later in the evening.
Love A x