From 10th to 13th March, thousands of visitors will flock to Cheltenham to enjoy The Festival – the culmination of the National Hunt racing season.
Cheltenham is held in early spring, which makes dressing to impress while staying warm and comfortable a difficult balance to achieve. Unlike many other racing venues, Cheltenham doesn’t have an official dress code – partially due to the event being held in colder weather. However, their official statement does recommend, ‘…the weather can be unpredicatble, so we would advise you to dress accordingly.’
The crowds drawn by National Hunt events tend to favour traditional racing attire – quality tailoring, smart tweeds and warm layering. The pinnacle of fashion during the Cheltenham Festival is of course Ladies Day, held on 11th March 2015, which sees the female attendees vying for some of the prizes available for those selected as ‘best dressed.’
Whether you are going for an enjoyable day out or if you are a regular racegoer, ArdMoor has a wide range of clothing and footwear for men and women which make for ideal Cheltenham attire.
What to wear – For Men
Footwear
First things first, you’re likely to be on your feet for most of the day, so sturdy yet smart footwear is essential. We would recommend a smart brogue such as the Hoggs of Fife Carnoustie shoe to compliment your choice of suit.
Or, if you’d rather wear a boot for your raceday, the Laksen Chelsea Boot is a classic and made with a hardwearing rubber sole for added comfort. For a practical boot which is suitable for both casual and smart occasions, look at the Hoggs of Fife Ayr Market Chelsea boot, which has a robust leather sole.
You can browse our full range of men’s footwear on our website.
Jackets
What better occasion than Cheltenham to treat yourself to a practical yet stylish tweed jacket? For a smart, tailored look the Laksen Balfour Sports Jacket Model Field is a stylish option, while being ideal for a day outdoors. Its tweed is made from pure new Scottish wool which has been Teflon coated to protect it against water and stains.
If the weather looks less than favourable, you may want to opt for something slightly thicker such as the Alan Paine Rutland Coat.
Trousers
We have a wide range of trousers which are both smart enough for Cheltenham and comfortable enough to be worn all day. Chinos are always a popular choice, our Musto Erling chinos are made with a heavier material for added warmth.
Layer up
Depending on the weather and your choice of seating at Cheltenham, it’s a good idea to layer up under your jacket. To keep warm as well as maintaining your smart raceday look, a shirt and jumper make the perfect combination. Some of our favourite picks include Musto’s Classic Button Down Shirt and Alan Paine’s Ilkley Checked Shirt – however our full range of men’s shirts includes a range of country brands also including Seeland and Hoggs of Fife.
Add a warm jumper of top for another layer of warmth, should the weather turn chilly. You can find a wide range of quality jumpers on our website – including this practical Seeland Reading Men’s Round Neck and another warm v-neck knit jumper from Musto.
What to wear – For Women
Every year, the Cheltenham Festival features statement hats, tweeds and plenty of feathers from the ladies – most notably for Ladies Day which offers some impressive prizes for those deemed to be ‘most stylish.’ In terms of ladies attire, Cheltenham advise that ladies may wear hats during the event but to make their choice with, ‘the weather rather than high fashion in mind.’ With that being said, we’ll start our suggested Cheltenham picks with some practical yet stylish hats.
Hats
The Heather Oxshott Ladies Tweed Twist Hat is an elegant ladies tweed hat which is warm and comfortable which comes in a dark brown/blue or pale green/lilac check to compliment your chosen tweed. Or have a look at the Heather Ruby Ladies Wax Twist Hat which is warm and fully lined with contrasting cotton twill. This traditional lookig and stylish hat will ensure good protection from the weather.
Jackets
A tailored tweed jacket can smarten up a casual race day look or can compliment a classic tweed skirt. One of our favourite picks is the Laksen Melville Dress Jacket. Or, should you need a slightly warmer option, the Hoggs of Fife Caledonia Jacket is one of our best sellers and is wind and waterproof.
Skirts
As we mentioned, the Laksen Blair Knee Skirt is perfect for the races with a Laksen jacket or even on its own. Another smart option is the Alan Paine Compton Skirt which is available in landscape tweed to compliment your chosen race day colours.
Layer up
Comfortable layers underneath your jacket are vital to ensure that you stay warm during The Festival. We stock a wide range of ladies shirts, including the Hoggs of Fife Brook Ladies Cotton Shirt, which is a neutral colour to compliment tweed jackets or colourful jumpers. Add a jumper on top such as a Musto Women’s Hollie V-neck Cable Knit which is available in a wide range of colours.
Footwear
As Cheltenham recommends, it’s important to dress for the weather and this should be reflected in your choice of footwear. Many ladies opt for their highest heel for a race day – but as the weather in March is likely to be on the chilly side and possibly on the wet side, comfortable and warm footwear is essential.
Country boots such as the Orca Bay’s Orkney Boot are smart enough for race day attire yet can be worn again and again for a wide range of outdoor activities.
Accessories
Alongside our wide range of women’s clothing, we also offer a number of carefully selected clothing accessories which can finish off a race day outfit nicely. We offer a quality collection of gloves, hats, belts and bags – including the Croots Helmsley Tweed Tote Bag which is ideal for storing all of your race day essentials. Or, to add a splash of colour to your outfit for Cheltenham, Laksen offer the ladies Laksen Henry Silk Scarf.
If you’re heading to Cheltenham, browse ArdMoor’s website to see our full range of quality country clothing. Don’t forget to post pictures of your race day outfits on ArdMoor’s Facebook page.
Need further assistance?
If you have any questions about the products on our site, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team – we’re happy to advise you!