The Ritual
The races are one of the last great excuses for genuine glamour. No wedding, gala, or work function quite matches the licence Cup Week gives people to go all out – statement hats, bold colour, or a dapper suit cut. And more and more, the real countdown starts weeks, if not months, before. Ask any group of friends heading to Derby Day or Oaks Day, and you’ll hear the same thing: half the fun happens before they even arrive. Outfits are planned months in advance. Hat appointments are booked early, because a handmade piece can take weeks to produce properly. Spray tans are timed to the day. Hair and makeup trials are even booked in. For many, the morning of the race itself has long been a tradition of its own: mimosas poured and playlists on. It’s part of why Cup Week resonates the way it does. The race is the finish line, but the getting-ready is half the story. While Fashions on the Field remains the headline act of Cup Week style, the appetite for race-day fashion content now stretches well beyond the competition itself. Get Ready With Me videos, outfit hauls, and trend forecasts have become as much a part of the build-up as the dress code announcements.
Fancy a Gallop? | 127
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software