đ Royal Ascot Style Stakes: Zara Tindall Crowned Best Dressed While Lottie Moss and Lizzie Cundy Flop
The annual Royal Ascot racecourse recently transformed into a high-stakes runway where British royalty, high society, and celebrities put their absolute best fashion foot forward. While the five-day summer event is legendary for its world-class horse racing, it was the style choices that truly stole the spotlight, sparking an intense debate among fashion critics and readers alike.
Royal Reinforcement: Zara Tindall and Princess Kate Triumph
According to a highly anticipated public poll, King Charles IIIâs niece, Zara Tindall, emerged as the undisputed queen of fashion at the event, securing multiple top spots. On the opening day, the 45-year-old royal stunned onlookers in a custom lilac Rebecca Vallance midi dress. The glamorous piece showcased structured statement sleeves, scalloped lapels, and a cinched belted waist.
Zara effortlessly elevated her monochromatic look with a ÂŁ1,150 Anya Hindmarch “Mortimer” clutch bag in shell pink, matching lilac heels, and dazzling gold-and-purple drop earrings. The equestrian royal proved her style prowess yet again on Ladies Day, snapping up the third spot in another belted Rebecca Vallance ensembleâthis time in a vibrant sunshine yellow, paired with an Emmy London metallic gold heel.
“From Zara Tindall’s striking pastel palettes to the Princess of Wales’s nostalgic rewear, the royal women seamlessly dominated this year’s style poll.”
The Princess of Wales also secured a highly coveted spot on the best-dressed list, delivering a masterclass in sustainable luxury. Princess Kate turned heads in a ÂŁ1,095 daffodil-yellow Roksanda gown featuring an asymmetrical shoulder bow. Remarkably, this marked the third time the mother-of-three had recycled the striking dress, having previously worn it during a 2022 state visit to Jamaica and at Wimbledon.
Kate accessorized the sunny look with a veiled Jane Taylor London hat, an ivory Anya Hindmarch clutch, and heavily sentimental heirlooms: the late Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond chandelier earrings and Princess Dianaâs iconic three-strand pearl bracelet. Prince William perfectly mirrored his wife’s style, pinning yellow freesias to the lapel of his dapper top-hat ensemble.
High Society Sensation
It wasnât just the inner circle of the Windsor family turning heads. High-society favorite Yoanna Hanbury clinched the second-best spot in a bespoke yellow lace belted dress explicitly crafted for the races by London designer Sassi Holford.
Meanwhile, attendee Amelia Hutchins safely secured her place among the elite style crowd by opting for a soft, blush pink near head-to-toe Holland Cooper creation, beautifully rounded off with a dramatic hat from Beazley Millinery.
The Fashion Fails: Dress Code Violations and Red Card Disasters
On the opposite end of the spectrum, some notable names completely missed the mark. Model Lottie Moss failed to impress the public, landing at the bottom of the poll with a muted cream Karen Millen jacket and matching skirt combo that voters deemed underwhelming for the prestigious occasion.
However, the most controversial moment of the week belonged to former WAG Lizzie Cundy. The 58-year-old media personality was infamously barred from entering the exclusive Royal Enclosure on day one after wearing a daring, see-through netted lace dress with a provocative back slit.
While sheer fabrics are explicitly prohibited by Ascot’s infamously rigid, traditional dress code, Cundy fiercely defended her look online. She clarified that the outfit featured a flesh-colored beige slip underneath to create an illusion, arguing that while she respects the institution, it might be high time for Royal Ascot to modernize its historic regulations.
