Have you ever attended a large horse race? Or seen any of the tournaments on tv? If you have then you must have noticed that there seem to be a lot of fashion-forward people in racetracks. It does not seem to matter what kind of race these are, but most of the large tournaments feature a lot of these iconic fashionistas. But what is the reason behind this? Why did horse racing suddenly become a place for people to flaunt their wealth and class through their attire? Well for us normal people, it can be quite hard to understand. We just like to see the races and occasionally bet on them. But there are a few reasons why people who visit racetracks are one of the most fashion-forward people in all of the gambling world.
Respectability
As some of you might know, gambling was not always considered an acceptable way to pass your time. It became one of the more famous hobbies when a lot of regulations were put in place. Online gambling also helped normalize gambling. But before that, horse racing tracks will put dress codes and decorums in place so that people will view horse racing as a respectable hobby. The elites of the society came to visit the tracks and they had their unique sense of style. This is one of the reasons why people are still so well dressed at race tracks.
Trendsetting
Trendsetting has always been a part of horse racing culture. Designers sometimes put their works of art on the bodies of the society’s elites and that would set a trend immediately. Sometimes the results were this outrageous and sometimes they were seen as a fashion movement. It all depended on how the people reacted to it. But when it comes to fashion, any publicity is good publicity. So designers still sponsor well-known models and other personalities as they grace the racetracks in their designed clothes.
New Looks
While we are talking about designers, we cannot forget that they also use racetracks to unveil their new range. Especially in cities such as Paris which is famous for its fashion. There are horse racing tournaments that always feature the unveiling of new designer lines. So much so that people say that these tournaments are less about racing and more about fashion. Truly, these people seem to care more about fashion and less about racing. It is mostly a glorified and unique fashion event.
For the Ladies
Even though at first, horse racing had a certain dressing decorum due to societal stigma, it changed later. When people say that women were more attracted to these events because of the fashion, they changed their approach. They started advertising these events almost as fashion events to attract the ladies. And it worked. Many elite ladies graced the tracks with their elegance and beauty. It is not only a place to enjoy yourself but also to show off your cutting-edge fashion sense.
Fashion and Decorum
While we have been talking about fashion in the racetracks, we cannot forget about decorum. Most of the time, people will wear whatever they want to racetracks. As long as they follow the dress code, it is alright. Some people like to go the extra length and show off their amazing fashion sense. But when you are, say, attending the Royal Ascot, things would be different. It takes place in the UK. And as the name suggests, the royal family attends this race. Even though this race is more of a fashion event, there are a lot of strict decorums that guests must abide by. After all, you cannot be underdressed while being in the presence of the Queen of England. People also cannot show off their thighs or midriffs to show respect to the Queen.
Conclusion
As we can see, Haute Couture and horse racing go hand in hand. And it is not a sudden or new phenomenon. It has been going on for a long time. People like to show off their wealth and designer clothes on racetracks. The larger and well-known races always end up looking like runways. It is a really good treat for the eyes. Even more so if you are a fashion enthusiast. A lot of fashion designers and fashion enthusiasts take part in these races just for fashion.
