Attend Royal Ascot

“I wasn't sure what to expect - would it be too crowded, take ages to get a drink, place a bet - be a nightmare to see anything? I'm pleased to say it was none of the above. The experience overall was so varied - from having a drink in the most beautiful-looking, amazing-for-people-watching settings and coming up close and personal to the monarch in the Royal Parade, to the infectious excitement of the crowd cheering on their bets as the horses whizz down the track and live music with a Royal Ascot cocktail to finish off the day – this is so much more than 'watching the racing'.”

“When I arrived in London on Thursday, I asked another British friend and designer, Stuart McMillan, to help me find a tie and a top hat. After swinging by Savile Row’s Concourse event, where beautiful vintage cars were aligned on the historic street, the hunt grew stressful. This is when I learned a very crucial fashion lesson: Never look for a proper top hat during the week of Royal Ascot. It’s like shopping for a Halloween costume the day before; nearly hopeless and deeply frustrating.”

“I was told by an ornery guard that one’s name badge and hangtag must always be visible. Both come with your name handwritten, and the colours change each day to avoid copycats. Women usually place theirs on their handbag; some men insist it should be worn on the left lapel so that it’s easily visible when shaking someone’s hand, but I saw a mix of both left and right… I don’t consider myself a layman when it comes to style, but there are moments of formal dressing where one is humbled by the rules of it all, which are so steeped in tradition that there’s no bucking them.”