Off to the Races?
Hats at the races have always carried a distinct significance. What began in the 1800s as a purely practical means of shielding spectators from the sun gradually evolved into a powerful symbol of status and wealth.
As the races secured their place on the social calendar and became a must attend occasion for the upper classes in the Victorian era, the spectacle of millinery naturally followed. Already well established at society functions, elaborate hats found a new stage in the world of sporting spectatorship. Silk top hats became the hallmark of gentlemen, and the racecourse moved hand in hand with the runway as guests socialised, placed their bets, and made sure they were very much seen while doing so. Today, these traditions remain iconic, with the occasion itself a celebration of individuality expressed through elaborate and memorable displays.
For gentlemen, the silk top hat became the unmistakable badge of enclosure formality, brushed to a mirror shine and worn with solemn determination. There was, one suspects, an unspoken rivalry over who could achieve the loftiest crown, tall enough to suggest importance but not so ambitious as to appear absurd.
For the ladies, the races offered a stage for equally striking expression. Who could forget Gertrude Shilling, affectionately known as the Ascot Mascot, whose exuberant and theatrical hats became a fixture of Royal Ascot throughout the 1960s to 1980s? With creations that seemed to defy gravity, she proved that at the races, one need not place a winning bet to steal the entire show.
Yet not every meeting demands such spectacle. Cheltenham Festival holds firmly to its own unwritten hat code. As a spring event, the delicate millinery of summertime fascinators gives way to more practical alternatives, ready for whatever the weather decides to deliver, often less sunshine and more a spirited sideways drizzle. The style here is quieter, with trilbies and fedoras in felt and tweed that look just as at home beside the paddock as they do in the enclosure.
The legacy of race-day millinery lives on in houses that have long shaped British hatmaking. Herbert Johnson, with over a century of experience, embodies this heritage, crafting hats with meticulous workmanship. Whether a structured top hat at Ascot or a refined trilby at Cheltenham, each piece reflects a tradition where quality and attention to detail are paramount, ensuring the wearer honours the spectacle of the race-day hat.
