Dress to Impress at Royal Ascot

As notorious for its high society socialising and glorious headpieces as for the quality of the racing itself, Royal Ascot demands big impact styling. Where better to wear antique jewellery than at this historic racecourse?

Whether you’re watching from home with a glass of champagne in hand and a tenner on the horse with the funny name, or one of the elegant, dazzling crowd attending this year, Royal Ascot has long been a firm favourite in the racing diary.

For the racegoers themselves, the sartorial stakes are high. Royal Ascot is famous for its extravagant outfits and headpieces. Those watching the races from one of the four enclosures are guided by a series of dress codes that range from extremely formal to pretty relaxed. One thing’s for sure though, and that is that your outfit will be scrutinised. Fashion and glamour play an important role at Royal Ascot and style-spotting is one of the most fun aspects of the event.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Ascot. Credit: Getty Images

Whatever the dress and however flamboyant your headpiece, well-chosen, eye-catching jewellery has the power to finish an outfit and tie all the elements together. Antique and vintage jewellery is characterful, unique and sustainable – a modern girl’s best friend.

Here is our guide to styling your Royal Ascot jewellery:

It’s All About Balance

If you’re wearing a fabulous millinery creation with a wide brim, keep the jewellery low key to set it off without distracting from the main event. Think a frosting of diamonds in your ears. A simple seal pendant on a fine chain, or a string of pearls. An elegant gold bangle, glinting on your wrist.

Likewise, consider the fabric and details of your outfit. If your outfit is patterned or busy, keep things simple on the accessories front. You could pick out a tone from your outfit and match it with a gemstone – sapphire drop earrings, for example, or a large emerald cocktail ring. Alternatively go for gold.. literally. Chic, understated and guaranteed to go with everything.

If your hat and outfit are sleek and minimal you have license to go big on the jewel front. Dazzling chandelier earrings with precious gemstones will catch the sunlight and illuminate your face. A stunning gobstopper of an Art Deco cocktail ring is confident and stylish. A strong, collar necklace can transform a simple neckline. Be bold.

Less Is More

Make an impact by wearing one single piece of attention-grabbing jewellery and allowing the rest to take a back seat. That could be a pair of diamond, chandelier earrings, or perhaps a twinkling ‘lace’ necklace if your neckline exposes your décolleté. The Edwardian era produced very pretty, intricate jewellery.

Don’t Underestimate A Ring

Rings really come to their own in social occasions like Royal Ascot. When you’re raising a champagne glass to your lips or clutching binoculars to follow a big race, a spectacular cocktail ring can’t fail to catch the eye of your fellow racegoers. The Art Deco era designers were the masters of eye-catching ring designs.

Dust Off a Brooch

If you’ve not caught up with the fashionistas, brooches are big news once again, and what better place to rock one than Royal Ascot? After all, you’ll be in good company – the Queen often wears a brooch. One of her favourites is a diamond and sapphire cluster brooch that Prince Albert commissioned for Queen Victoria in 1840.

Brooches original and eye-catching and can be styled in a myriad of ways, from the classic jacket lapel to more novel approach – fastening a silk scarf around your neck, decorating your name badge, even worn on a ribbon around your waist… The possibilities are endless.

Accessorise Your Hat

With headpieces under the spotlight, what better place to position your jewels? Work with your milliner to incorporate a beloved brooch, or be bold and do the creative styling yourself. Just make sure a heavy brooch doesn’t tip the balance of a delicate headpiece.

Consider an antique tie pin with a single gemstone or playful motif as an original and easy addition to any headpiece. Tie pins were widely produced between 1830 and 1920 and there are plenty of collectable examples available today.

Animal Motifs

While Royal Ascot has become a heady social event in its own right, the majority of racegoers genuinely love horses and animals. The Queen herself is well known for her passion for horses, racing and – of course – her beloved Corgis.

Choosing jewellery with horse or animal motifs is a playful nod to the real heroes of Royal Ascot, and likely to catch the appreciative eye of your fellow racegoers. Animal motifs have been popular for hundreds of years so there are plenty of attractive examples throughout the eras.