Changing Fashions At Ascot

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28939, 6 July 1959, Page 2

Changing Fashions At Ascot

[By

ZALIA THOMAS

LONDON Did the absence of the usual drive up the course by the Royal Family, in an open carriage drawn by four Windsor greys, rob this year’s Ascot of some of its glamour? Could it be that the social set is becoming a little more interested in following the horses than in vying with each other in the fashion stakes?

Never have so many men worn leunge suits in the paddock, though all those who came from the Royal enclosure wore morning suits and grey toppers Few of the women seemed to have made an effort toward originality. There were the usual gimmicks—for example, the woman in full Malayan costume and a coolie-style hat made from crocodile skin who admitted that she had no connexion whatever with Malaya. The few debutantes who attended this year’s meeting appeared to be more interested in placing their bets and forming a giggling queue at the 4s totalisator window than in displaying their expensive ensembles. Even the Queen brought out a yellow lace outfit which she wore for Friday's meeting last year.

The hat of the week was undoubtedly the mob cap which

appeared in all materials from plain cotton to expensive lace and was worn by young and old alike. The glorious weather for this year’s meeting was responsible for some very low-cut sun dresses and also for numerous “squatters” on the paddock lawns. Those things would have been considered very unbecoming a few years ago.

In contrast to this informality, men in morning dress and their wives, trod their way across the paddock to White's, the exclusive London club’s marquee furnished with gilt chairs and decorated with wonderful arrays of flowers.

Alcide—stable companion of Bali Ha’i lll—struck a new note among the horses with a underblanket woven in the same pattern as the string vests used by mountain climbers, in this instance in nylon.

Around the unsaddling enclosure many people took up their position long before each race, in the hope of seeing members of the Royal Family Their great moment arrives when the Royal entourage walks into the enclosure and they have a really close view. They can make a close appraisal of the Royal dressmakers. Princess Margaret's blue ensemble, closely matching the blue of her eyes, was an easy winner. V