Formal warning

Never mind the horses, race meetings offer a great excuse to dress up – and that means investing in dressing-up clothes, which can, of course, be recycled for all those society weddings and Royal garden parties we’ll be attending.

According to Debenhams, sales of formal wear rise almost 20 per cent at this time of year, second only to the Christmas party season, and the company estimates that a third of its shopper in Leeds will be buying an outfit for the races this year.

Even in times of austerity, it seems that fashion-conscious race-goers are keen to invest in key pieces in a bid to impress down by the paddock, perhaps in the hope of being handed a card for the Best Dressed Lady competition.

Next month sees the Fashion on the Field event come to York races during the Ebor meeting, on August 17-20.

Designer Jeff Banks will join forces with the department store to find the most stylish dresser, with guest judges over the course of the four-day event including Ben de Lisi, Matthew Williamson, Pearce II Fionda and Aliza Reger.

“This event is going to be an explosion of inspiring fashion,” said Jeff. “It is a celebration of style that will see some of the most iconic names in the industry come together to select the best-dressed attendee. I can’t wait, and already we’ve had people from as far as Saudi Arabia registering to enter.”

So it’s time for Yorkshire to step up to the fashion challenge because we don’t want to see any of those awful pictures of mightily under-dressed, usually drunk, gangs of women that downmarket tabloids are so fond of featuring.

As Jeff points out: “Race-goers are well documented across the country, both in the print press, on TV and online – there isn’t a more public way to get it wrong.”

Here are his top tips: Say yes to a hat or fascinator – if you don’t wear one, you’ll feel under-dressed; choose your heels wisely – remember, you’ll be walking on turf; make sure you will be comfortable in your outfit for the whole day; and no denim.

* Fashion on the Field is open to both men and women – register on www.fashiononthefield.co.uk