What to wear to Cheltenham races. Creating the perfect Cheltenham Festival outfit – A guide on what to wear, how to style and the best places to shop!

With just over 4 weeks to go until we hear that unmistakable Cheltenham roar, I know there will be those looking for inspiration on where to start when it comes to building their perfect race day look.

Knowing where to start, what to wear, how much to spend, and where to look can be a stressful ordeal, but never fear, as a long standing member of Cheltenham racecourse, I consider myself somewhat familiar with the National Hunt etiquette and style.

What is the dress code?

Well… the good news is, there isn’t one! This means that there isn’t a way that you have to dress to attend the races! Wearing what you feel comfortable in is the best way to achieve unbeatable style confidence, and it is a great way to remember where to start when putting together your own outfits.

Whilst there is no set dress code, there are some helpful starting points if you have no idea where to begin when putting together your outfit for the day.

Where to start…

Start with what you already have! You can build off this!

If I break down to a basic racing outfit – which anyone could put together, I generally aim for this same format:
-Fedora hat/Fascinator
-Roll neck jumper
-Longline fitted jacket/coat
-Chocolate/navy/black jeans or a tweed skirt
-Tall suede or leather boots
-Finish with a silk scarf, gloves if required, and handbag.

Usually you will have at least some of the above in your wardrobe already, and this is such a classic race day look that can be created on any budget.

Don’t forget Cheltenham Festival isn’t in the Summer months like Royal Ascot. You’re going to need layers, footwear you don’t mind getting wet/muddy, and probably gloves and a scarf! Not to mention… an umbrella!! ☔️

Best places to shop?

This entirely depends on the budget you want to spend. I have broken this down into a couple of different categories.

BY BUDGET:
Buying just for Race Day: Primark, Marks & Spencers, H&M, Rydale, Joules
Investment brands: Hicks & Brown, Fairfax & Favor, Holland Cooper, Welligogs, Jenerick

BY ITEM:
Fedoras/Fascinators: Hicks & Brown, Rydale, Josephines Country Collection, Holland Cooper, Joules
Roll neck jumpers: Primark, Shein, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Holland Cooper, Joules
Jackets/coats: Primark, Marks & Spencer, Holland Cooper, Welligogs, Joules, Jenerick
Jeans: Primark, Lovall, Marks & Spencer, Holland Cooper
Skirts: Primark, Shein, Holland Cooper, Joules
Tall Boots: Primark, Rydale, Fairfax & Favor, Spanish Boot Company, Holland Cooper
Scarves: Clare Haggas, Acacia Zuri, Joules, Shein
Gloves: Welligogs, Barkworth Reeve, Holland Cooper
Bags: Katie Loxton, Fairfax & Favor, Barkworth Reeve, Joules

A lot of content you see online may be based around outfits worth a total of £1000’s, which may feel unachievable if you are working to a budget for your race day style. Don’t forget often creators are working with brands to create these looks, don’t let that make you feel out of depth! Use these outfits as really good inspiration, but don’t forget lots of high street brands offer good alternatives. I always believe in opting for investment staples, but when it comes to things like roll neck jumpers – I will nearly always buy mine from the likes the Primark. There are ways to bring down the total cost of your outfit effectively.

Give me some inspiration please!!

I’ve got you! Like I said, I am a regularly at Cheltenham, I know this style like the back of my hand. Have a little look below at some of my favourite race day styles.

You can zoom in on the images below to see in even more detail!

Steal my style and shop the looks here!

If you want even more inspo, check out my recent blog where I rated everything single outfit I wore over the 16 race days held at Cheltenham last year. You can find that blog here.

If you are heading to the Festival this year, I hope you have the most incredible time – it’s the best fun!

You can find lots more racing content on my blog using the ‘Racing’ drop down on the menu above, or over on my Instagram (@countryclassiclucinda)

See you in the next blog 💖

Lots of love, Lucinda xo

“There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse”
Winston Churchill

Discount codes:

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Welligogs – ‘LUCINDA10’ (10% off) (www.welligogs.com)
Spanish Boot Company – ‘countryclassiclucinda’ (10% off) (www.thespanishbootcompany.co.uk)
Katie Loxton – ‘KLDTI5O8’ (15% off) (www.katieloxton.com)

*Affiliate – codes work online on most full priced items, direct from brand websites.
All codes active, and in working order, at the time of publishing.