Table of Contents
Do you hear the word ‘Ascot’ and what comes to mind? The top hats and tails of June’s Royal Ascot, no doubt.
But this year, for the second time in its history, arguably the world’s most famous racecourse has released a ‘jumping season’ lookbook, the winter equivalent of its iconic summer outfit guide. I was delighted to be asked to design it – I love all the sumptuous fabrics and elegant turtlenecks of winter fashion.
And just as the June Ascot lookbook provides all the summer event dressing inspiration one could need, I hope the winter version will be useful to all the women looking to look stylish in the cold. We all have memories of shivering during a winter wedding, but nothing ruins an outfit faster than the wrong coat and boots. The good news? The racing world has known this for a long time. From bonfire night to Christmas markets, here are your secrets to getting special pieces this winter…
Forget the dress, you need a party coat
For her: coat, £999, ridleylondon.com; dress, £650, lucievaclav.com; boots, £499, lkbennett.com; bow, £50, camillaking.co.uk; earrings, £1,700, kiki.co.uk; bracelet, £440,tillysveaas.com
The right coat is essential for any party. Don’t forget that people will see you arriving and leaving, so you should never ruin your outfit by putting on the same parka you walk the dog in; Look for coats that are more opulent. Fabric is key: I dressed the Ascot model in a £999 Ridley London silk and velvet opera coat. On Friday, &OtherStories launched a metallic coat with an ultra-luxurious pearl-encrusted collar (£195, stories.com ).
Bottom line, don’t buy a fancy Christmas piece that you’ll wear once and throw away. Follow Boden’s lead (the brand has eliminated sequins from its party wear this year) and opt for a floral jacquard or tartan.
Tartan dress, £250, marybenson.london and, right, floral jacquard dress, £185, sisterjane.com
remember, remember
Coat, £195, shrimp via theoutnet.com; jacket, £250 and skirt, £380, selfportrait.com; shoes, £329, lkbennett.com; hat, £165, ndlqmillinery.com; bag, Gucci via cocoon.club, memberships from £49 a month; wrist warmers, £65, rosiesugden.com; earrings, £85, pinarozevlat.com
With bonfire night this Wednesday, you might be heading to a fireworks party this weekend. A statement coat is a one-piece outfit that you throw on and go. I chose a Shrimps coat from discount site The Outnet for the Ascot style – they always have a great selection of faux fur from the luxury brand at super discounted prices.
A Dr. Zhivago style faux fur hat is the perfect way to enjoy the fun of fashion. Shaky bags and flares don’t go together, so choose a bag with a shoulder strap. The Ascot model bag is Gucci, but is supplied through Cocoon Club – it’s a designer handbag membership service that, from just £49 a month, lets you borrow from their collection of designer arm candy.
Bag, Gucci supplied by cocoon.club, memberships from £49 a month and, on the right, hat, £125, campbellsofbeauly.com
Coat, £259, issylondon.co.uk
time to shine
Coat, £1,395, clairemischevani.com; hat, £350, stephaniedoneganmillinery.com; boots, £200, dunelondon.com; bag, £150, jasperconran.com; earrings, £125, pinkpigletcollection.com
Post-Covid, pub gardens across the country have heaters. Believe me: you will be invited to drink “mulled wine outdoors” or eat in a kind of glass capsule in the garden of a restaurant before December 25th. And unless hypothermia is on your Christmas list, your usual LBD won’t do.
The Ascot model here wears a sleek, understated coat by Pippa Middleton’s favorite Claire Mischevani (£1,395), paired with gold accessories. The lesson? Gold accessories can prepare your everyday event with a brown coat. Trade the model’s gold bow-embellished hat for a gold hairpin that will sparkle under the outdoor leg warmers.
Bag, £19.99, debenhams.com and, right, hair clip, £8.90, Braidandbow.com
Earrings, £75, pinarozevlat.com
Boots, £66, riverisland.com
Ingenious hairstyle tricks
Hat, £695, racheltrevormorgan.com; skirt, £395, wiggykit.com
Wandering around a Christmas market for hours in the cold requires smart layering. I gave the models Marks & Spencer ‘Heatgen’ thermal vests to wear under their clothes at the Ascot shoot, and I also give them to the celebrities and socialites I style. A midi skirt is a good option, since underneath you can hide thermal leggings and long boots. Block-heeled boots are best for all-day walking, and I spray my clients’ suede boots with waterproof spray to keep their feet from getting soaked.
Cashmere socks, £38, rosiesugden.com and, right, boots, £64.99, hm.com
Chamois Spray, £12, amazon.co.uk and, right, Heatgen Heated Vest, £16, marksandspencer.com
Wow at weddings
Headdress, £250, victoriacharlesheadpieces.com
Replace the floaty floral dresses of summer weddings with more modern, moody suits in rich jewel tones. The Ascot model wears a Lisou suit: the velvet guarantees warmth and avoids having to think about a coat. Jigsaw just released a spectacular red velvet that is a double of the iconic Tom Ford suit worn by Gwyneth Paltrow in 1996. When designing the lookbook, I wanted to make millinery less scary by including more affordable and up-and-coming designers. Tiffers (tifffersmillinery.com) make veil headbands for under £200. A bag with handles that you can hang on your wrist while you juggle drinks and canapés is essential.
