Best Dressed at Royal Ascot 2026 (And What We're Stealing for Our Own Race Day)
Royal Ascot wrapped just last week, and if you weren't glued to the best-dressed roundups the way I was, let me catch you up — because this year's crop of looks gave us some serious race day inspiration.
Zara Tindall had fashion writers buzzing all week. Her looks included a pale yellow dress by Rebecca Vallance, a dark blue gown by Leo Lin, and a lilac puff-sleeve midi dress, also by Rebecca Vallance. The internet couldn't stop talking about her closing-day polka dot dress — fashion writers compared it to the brown polka-dot dress Julia Roberts wore as Vivian in Pretty Woman — but for my money, the lilac puff-sleeve midi was her real win of the week. There's something about a soft, romantic color paired with a structured silhouette that felt classic but with an edge, and it didn't need a viral moment to prove it was the better outfit. Yahoo!Yahoo!
So what does this mean for those of us watching from across the pond?
Royal Ascot's dress code is famously strict — hats are mandatory, hemlines have rules, and there's an actual enclosure you can be turned away from if you get it wrong. American tracks like Saratoga and Churchill Downs are more relaxed, but the same principles that made these looks work translate beautifully:
Commit to one statement piece. Zara's lilac midi worked because nothing competed with it — clean lines, one soft color, simple accessories. Next time you're picking a race day outfit, choose either a bold color or a showstopping hat. Let one thing be the star.
Re-wearing is chic, not lazy. The most photographed women at Ascot re-wear their favorites all the time — more on that below. You can absolutely re-wear your favorite Derby dress to next year's Oaks.
Range over the course of an event is its own kind of style flex. A soft pastel one day and a completely different mood the next (more on that below) shows you don't have to commit to one "vibe" for an entire race meet — just make sure each individual look is intentional.
If there's a breakout star of this year's meet, it's Harriet Phillips. Newly married to Peter Phillips, this was her first Ascot as a member of the royal family, and she made the most of it. On day one, she stepped out in an elegant pale blue Suzannah London dress, paired with a matching Jane Taylor hat and Jimmy Choo slingback heels — soft, polished, and exactly the kind of look that makes a strong first impression. By the final day, she'd shifted gears entirely: a bridal-white look from Beulah London, complete with a semi-sheer section and a netted hat from Jane Taylor, a wink back to her wedding just weeks earlier. That range — soft pastel to bridal white in a single week — is exactly why people can't stop watching what she wears next. The Royal Observer + 2
And then there's Princess Kate. Let's just be honest with each other: she's the reigning queen of Ascot style, and this year was no exception. She re-wore her vibrant yellow Roksanda dress — a piece she'd already worn on a royal tour and at Wimbledon — and somehow it still felt like the moment of the week. That's the thing about her style: it's never about chasing a trend or debuting something new just to be talked about. It's polish, consistency, and total ease in her own clothes, every single time. Other looks come and go, but Kate's the one who quietly, reliably wins. HELLO! Fashion
At the end of the day, Royal Ascot and a Saturday at Saratoga are different animals — one has a literal royal procession, the other has a mad dash to claim a picnic table by the rail — but the styling instincts hold up across both. Confidence in one strong choice, comfort built in on purpose, and just enough personality to make the look yours. That's the real dress code, wherever you're watching the race from.
