silk, which we only use in the Royal
Ascot line, and it is very popular."
While such a collection can add a
dash of intrigue to an outfit, Ferner
Robson recommends not straying too
far from the Royal Ascot dress code.
"You need a black or grey morning
suit, a waistcoat and tie, a top hat
and black shoes, or you won't be al-
lowed into the Royal Enclosure," he
says. "There are areas where you can
experiment a little. You can go wacky
with a colored waistcoat, or with a tie,
and some people have been known to
try it with the shoes, but you won't be
let in if it's too much.
"I always say, if you're going to have
a brightly colored waistcoat, be more
reserved when it comes to the tie,
and vice-versa. It's nice to match the
look with a handkerchief, or maybe
socks; that's always fun. Then with
the top hat, you're not allowed to add
anything to it, like a colored ribbon or
decoration, and don't wear it like a
cowboy hat – a lot of people do, and
it looks horrific. Your hat needs to fit
you correctly, and not be too big.
"Then be careful whenever you take
your top hat off. Leaving it sat upside
down somewhere is only going to
wear out the silk, or worse still some-
one might be tempted to use it as a
champagne bucket. Never drink your
champagne from the bottle either –
always find yourself a glass! After a
full day at the event, it's surprisingly
easy to forget."
