LONDON — In the midst of conspiracy theories and scandals, the British royal family has always held up a high standard for attending horse-racing events.
Since the 1900s, members of the royal family have been traveling to Cheltenham, a town in Gloucestershire that’s 110 miles away from London, for the Cheltenham Festival. The event always takes place in mid-March and in the past has been attended by nearly every royal family member, from Princess Diana to Kate Middleton and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The affair at Cheltenham Festival is usually reserved for devoted racegoers rather than those attending purely for leisurely entertainment. The event brings in an estimated 100 million pounds in revenue for the spa town.
The top prizes to be won at the competition are the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle, which are all considered Grade I races.
Even though Cheltenham Festival doesn’t draw in the same crowd as Royal Ascot in June, the racegoers still dress to the nines in equally flamboyant colors and outfits — not always in a good way.
Here, WWD looks at the worst style moments from the event so far.
A tartan Vivienne Westwood skirt suit with floral tights and a coat with a leopard-print lining is a recipe for disaster. This is where Coco Chanel’s advice of “before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off,” comes in handy.
A velvet suit is a bold choice on it’s own, but when it’s layered with a fur coat it enters tsar territory.
Nobody is to blame for a full pink ensemble apart from “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig.
The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde comes to life at Cheltenham Festival.
See all the worst dressed stars in the gallery below.
