How to Dress for Royal Ascot, Cheltenham and Warwickshire Weddings

There are occasions that demand more than a clean shirt and good intentions. Royal Ascot is one of them. Whether you are attending for the first time or returning for the twentieth, the Royal Enclosure dress code is not a suggestion. It is an expectation — and one that rewards those who understand it.

At F. Hazell Smith, we have been dressing Warwickshire gentlemen for exactly these occasions since 1902. Ascot, Cheltenham, Warwickshire weddings, Henley, private garden parties — we have helped generations of men navigate the question that matters most on such days: what, precisely, to wear.

The Royal Enclosure Dress Code

The Royal Enclosure at Ascot maintains one of the most specific dress codes in the British social calendar. For gentlemen, the requirements are as follows:

• A black or grey morning coat with matching or contrasting waistcoat
• A top hat — grey or black — to be worn at all times in the Enclosure
• A shirt with a collar and a tie or cravat
• Trousers matching or complementing the coat

Jeans, shorts and sports shoes are not permitted. This is not the place for creative interpretations. The Royal Enclosure takes the view that if a gentleman is in any doubt, he should err towards formality — and we would concur entirely.

The Queen Anne Enclosure and Windsor Enclosures

Beyond the Royal Enclosure, the dress code relaxes — but only to a degree. In the Queen Anne Enclosure, smart formal wear is expected: a suit or jacket and trousers, with a shirt and tie. A well-cut blazer over grey flannel trousers, a fine Oxford shirt and a silk tie will serve a gentleman admirably throughout the day.

In the Village Enclosure and the Windsor Enclosure, the requirement is simply to dress smartly — which, for a gentleman from Warwickshire, ought not to require much deliberation.

What We Recommend at F. Hazell Smith

For Royal Enclosure attendance, we would always begin with the morning coat. A charcoal or black morning coat in quality wool — properly fitted and pressed — is an investment that will serve you at Ascot, at weddings, at memorial services and at any formal occasion of note. Paired with a grey waistcoat, striped morning trousers and a white poplin shirt with double cuffs, the effect is precisely correct.

The cravat or tie is, in our view, the one place where a gentleman may express a considered degree of individuality. A silk cravat in a muted pattern — or a woven silk tie in a rich colour — lifts the outfit without departing from the conventions of the occasion.

For Queen Anne Enclosure visitors, we would suggest a navy or mid-grey suit of good cloth, a plain or lightly striped shirt, and a silk tie of quiet confidence. Brown or tan shoes are perfectly acceptable and lend a certain ease to the occasion that black Oxfords do not always permit.

Dressing for Cheltenham

Cheltenham races operate on a somewhat different principle. There is no enforced dress code in the main enclosures, but the Tattersalls and Club Enclosures attract a crowd that dresses well. Here, the tweed jacket has its natural home: a well-cut herringbone or houndstooth jacket in heavy tweed, worn over moleskin trousers and a brushed cotton shirt, is the correct country racing attire for a Cheltenham gentleman.

We stock a fine selection of tweed sport coats and country jackets at our Regent Street shop, chosen for exactly these occasions. Pair with a flat cap and a woollen scarf on colder days, and the effect is precisely right.

Warwickshire Weddings: What to Wear as a Wedding Guest

The Warwickshire wedding calendar is active throughout the summer and autumn — at venues from Warwick Castle and Mallory Court to Stoneleigh Abbey and the county’s many fine country houses and parish churches. As a wedding guest, the expectation is that you will dress to mark the occasion without drawing attention away from those who should be the centre of it.

A mid-weight lounge suit in navy, charcoal or a muted check is almost always the right choice. For summer weddings, a linen suit or a lightweight wool blend in a lighter colour is both comfortable and appropriate. A waistcoat, worn with or without a jacket, adds an element of formality that most wedding hosts will appreciate.

We keep a strong selection of suits, blazers and waistcoats at F. Hazell Smith for exactly this purpose — and our staff can advise on the complete outfit from collar to shoe. Many of our customers visit us in the weeks before a wedding with precisely this brief, and they leave with something that will serve them again and again.

Visit F. Hazell Smith in Royal Leamington Spa

F. Hazell Smith is located at 73–75 Regent Street, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5DX. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9.00am to 5.00pm. No appointment is necessary, though we welcome those who prefer a quieter, more considered visit. We carry out alterations in-house and advise on the complete outfit — from morning coat to pocket square.

Customers travel to us from across Warwickshire: Warwick, Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Rugby, Coventry and beyond. If you have a racing occasion, a wedding or a formal event on the horizon, come and see us. We have been preparing gentlemen for these moments for over 120 years.