Designer A-Z 
An Outfit for the Races – Ask Anna
Just how far in advance should you get your outfit for the races?
Unless you have a clear idea of what your outfit for the races is going to look like, I’d say start looking at least a month in advance.   We usually hear from women needing dresses for the races at least 3 or so weeks before their event.  Talk to friends about what they’re wearing- you don’t want to turn up wearing the same dress!
Dresses for the races vs. trouser suits/skirts?
Call me old fashioned, but the races as a sport are deeply entwined in tradition and the etiquette that accompanies it, down to behaviour, rules and of course dress code.  So, I’d always say dresses for the races over trouser suits or skirts for women. Of course trouser suits can look chic, but why not embrace tradition-dresses for the races are almost a given! Leave the suit-wearing to the chaps on this occasion.
What with the strict dress code that’s usually required at the races, how can you ensure an outfit for the races ticks all the right boxes without the risk of looking too prim or perhaps even over-the-top?
For starters, when picking an outfit, ignore trends and go with what suits you. Think about
what you can wear and not what you can’t.  If you are going to go for a particular trend in terms of your outfit, it needs to be worn in a classic way.
What are the style predictions in terms of dresses for the races this year?
If the British weather continues to surprise and the sunshine and St Tropez temperatures prevail, I think you’ll see a lot more dresses for the races in brighter colours- brights being a big catwalk trend anyway this season.  Expect to see colour blocking, floral prints, and fruit prints – another hit for Spring/Summer ’11. In other words we can expect dresses for the races this year with a little more chutzpah!
What kind of dresses for the races end up making the biggest fashion faux pas?
Both hats and dresses for the races built on the premise that ‘more is more’.  What ensues is fashion disaster and fashion victimhood on an epic scale. Hats that are too big end up looking out of proportion and detracting from the dress. Make sure it’s dress over hat when you consider your outfit for the races. Many do it the opposite way round, but it’s much easier to find a hat to complement your dress, than a dress to complement your hat.  And of course, it goes without saying; too much flesh on show is one of the biggest crimes of which many dresses for the races are guilty.  The dresses featured here are available in our designer dress hire dresses for the races section.
