Antiquated Traditions we Must Resuscitate: Horse Racing

Dressing for the Occasion

14 September 2023, New York, New York, USA

Last week I was in Jackson, Wyoming for a wedding.

When attending a wedding in a geography that has any, and I mean any, connection to the West, cowboys, horses, cows, anything the least bit western it is fascinating how every American wedding guest immediately suction cups their fashion to said western theme. The best example of this is the inevitable man-swapping-his-double-windsor-for-a-bolo-tie. Yes, the bolo tie swap is a ye olde American wedding goer tradition. 

At this wedding, we had many a gentleman arrive à la bolo.

Some had planned to sport the aforementioned neck jewelery, while others acquired the accessory on location after sensing this may be their only moment to dress the western part.

Personally, I like this. I enjoyed seeing men, who ranged from fashion-centric to boring-banker trade their silk neckties for bolos. It showed an interest in dressing for the occasion. 

Dressing for the Occasion is our theme and focus in today’s Antiquated Traditions newsletter. We are approaching this theme from a horse-y perspective, with an emphasis, mainly, on horse racing. 

Dressing for the occasion is not the same as dressing up, fancy dress, formal attire, black tie, white tie - no, it is dressing to meet the moment. This distinction sounds minute however it makes up the critical difference between the art of dressing for an event and dressing in a uniform so as to not look amiss at an event. The latter approach is sort of clinging to a livery, an equation, if you will, which you are quite sure, based on experience, will get you through the door, unnoticed, unscathed and completely towing the attire line. 

Let me whip you up an example of dressing for the occasion rather than just dressing up in formal attire.

For example, at this previously mentioned wedding event in Jackson Hole, Wemple dressed for the occasion in a tumble of tweed and browns. Pairing a Harris Tweed jacket, snagged from Hornets Kensington last we were in London, with 1201M Trousers in Birthday Herringbone & Rasta Crepe from Imperfects. Underneath, Wemp sported a Ralph Lauren Iconic Oxford Shirt in white with my bolo tie. Shoes were Blackstock & Weber Mason Horsebit Loafer (I love their current colorways, @Bark has something), and the only other accessory was a pair of classic Ray-Ban wayfarer sunglasses in black. 

Wemple calls this look The Tweed Salad, while I dubbed it, Dead Poets Society meets Yellowstone. Take your pick. 

This type of styling is what we call dressing for the occasion. Consider where you are going, why, for what and with whom, and remember while we all need to get dressed in the morning dressing for the day, an event or an important moment sends a message to those around you and impacts how you carry and regard yourself. 

While planning for Part III in our Horse Racing Week, I was energized by

Leandra Medine Cohen

’s most recent newsletter,

The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen

, and how she styled a variety of looks inspired by The Row’s recent look book, it got me thinking about the format for this newsletter and how we can encourage resuscitating the antiquated tradition of dressing for the occasion of horse racing.

With that, I assembled 5 Iconic Horse Looks and styled 5 accompanying looks from my own closet, for the races, in their image.

1. Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Ascot, Ascot, England, 2018

   

   Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot, 2018 Chris Jackson / Getty Images

   It goes without saying - the late Queen Elizabeth II was a global icon. She was also a great lover of horses and equine sports, particularly horse racing. Given her credentials and the number of appearances she made at horse racing events across her lifetime, she is #1 on my list of Iconic Horse Looks.

   LL: Famously the late Queen of England would wear bright colors when she went out into the world as it would allow her to catch the eye of all viewers the moment she stepped into public view. This PR strategy makes sense as she was the nucleus of royal life in the UK and did need to always maintain her diamond status. Whatever her reasoning, she was not afraid of color. Wearing bright monochromatic looks to daytime formal events is a dying art - people are afraid of the act. Well, not I. Inspired by Queen Elizabeth II and her crisp lemon look from Royal Ascot 2018, I pulled together the following.

   

   

   Hat is from Fine Millinery Collection by August Accessories (You can only purchase vintage or second hand), Earrings are vintage clip on pearls (Which I feel like QE2 would appreciate), Broach is a stock pin gifted to me by a dear friend, Dress is Taylor (Not available for purchase, I found this in a vintage shop in Washington DC in 2017), Gloves are Georgina Sueded Cotton Day Gloves in Camel from Cornelia James¹, Handbag is patent leather proper vintage (No branding or tags, perfect condition), Shoes are square toe suede tassel pumps from Talbots (I acquired 8 years ago)

2. Audrey Hepburn, My Fair Lady, 1964

   

   Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, 1964

   Like Julia Roberts’ Pretty Woman polo look, Audrey Hepburn’s Eliza Doolittle gets her elegant glow up and debut at an equestrian event - Miss Doolittle stuns in this iconic scene in My Fair Lady where she is stalking ‘round an Ascot like Royal Enclosure², with a parasol, looking every inch ‘the part’ of aristocratic lady.

   Looking at Audrey in the above still is like eating whipped cream - it’s rich and delightful.

   LL: When it came to my version of Audrey in My Fair Lady, I wanted to maintain the color scheme but given how racing dress codes have evolved in the 21st century we needed to shorten the hemline. Mixing in antique accessories from the Victorian era, such as my earrings, nodded to the English setting of the film and note my reverence for the iconic race track scene’s pomp. It also felt right to wear an English brand.

   

   

   

   Hat is a Lo. Lynch original (Truly, made by me in 2022), Choker is vintage, Dress is Self-Portrait, Earrings are antique Victorian cameo screw on (See above for close up), Gloves are vintage cotton day gloves, and shoes are SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker (I found on The Real Real), Cat is Jasper

3. Bing Crosby, Del Mar Race Track, San Diego, California, USA, 1937

   

   Bing Crosby at Del Mar race Track, 1937, Image courtesy of the San Diego Historical Society

   When I think of horse racing I think, Bing. Bing Crosby, America’s darling, dashing leading man. He is not just synonymous with Christmas, he is all festiveness. As mentioned previously in WIOW: Horses, I attend a lot of horse races, specifically at my home track of Del Mar, and Del Mar was founded in the 1936 by, you guessed it, none other than Bing Crosby. Bing was among the founding members of the Del Mar Race Track - Where the Turf Meets the Surf, baby³, and certainly the most famous. He was even present on opening day in the 1930s, to the surprise of fans, taking tickets at the entrance to the Infield - complete sport.

   LL: Given the litany above, Bing was always going to be on my Iconic Horse Looks list. It is such a hoot to review old photographs of Bing at race tracks, as he defined the look of the early 20th century gentleman. Waistcoat, pipe, boater hat, wing tip loafers - what a gent (!). For me, emulating Bing, I had a ball. In my everyday life I lean into wearing men’s pieces, and formal menswear is just asking to be worn by ladies. The oversized uppers energy is all too flattering, and wearing a tie is my new favorite activity.

   

   

   Hat is vintage Brooks Brothers (Found in Washington DC), Jacket is Wemple’s from Polo Ralph Lauren (I added a hat pin to the lapel), Blouse is Organic by John Patrick, Tie is Wemple’s brand unknown, Waistcoat is Patty Woodard (Vintage purchased at No Shop in San Francisco), Pocket Square is Wemple’s from Barbara by B. Blank Designs, Trousers are Ralph Lauren Purple Label, and Shoes are two toned pumps from Cole Haan

4. Grace Kelly and her sister at a race track, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, 1956

   

   Grace Kelly & her sister in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1956

   Grace Kelly: Complete icon. She was an all American lady, Hollywood star, and Monegasque Princess…banger CV. As a classic Northeastern gal, she enjoyed equestrian sports and above is picture attending a horse race in Atlantic City, NJ (not so Grace Kelly adjacent today), with her sister. Ever the fabulous woman, Grace nails dressing for the occasion.

   LL: To me, under that double breasted outer layer, Grace was totally wearing a skirt suit, because what else? As I posit she may have been wearing a skirt suit, my base for this look needed to be a skirt suit as well. I also wanted to layer in some prep, given her Main Line roots, and practicality, for example a leather band wristwatch.

   

   

   

   Headscarf is no name silk scarf I acquired from when I lived in China, Skirt suit is linen confection from Kay Unger, Dress shirt is Talbots, Trench coat is Mango, Wristwatch is Ava from Vincero, Sunglasses are Komono, Shoes are Manolo Blahnik, and Pearls are pearls

5. Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman, Iconic polo match scene, 1990

   

   Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, 1990

   This had to be on our list.

   Although not a horse race, this life changing scene in Pretty Woman is set at a polo match, which will be our focus for the second half of The Month of the Horse, and is too excellent to ignore.

   LL: When it came to styling an ensemble in the same vein of Julia in the 90’s, first, I was honored I chose this moment for myself, and next, I immediately thought of myself spectating a polo match in Italy. Don’t ask me why Italy and why I would be spectating, bc I am a polo player and would be on the pitch - my day dreams are my day dreams. Were I spectating a summer polo match in Italy I would be luxuriating in a silk, sultry dress in flats, or near to, for divot stomping, and sporting minimal yet critical accessories. Behold.

   

   

   

   Dress is Calypso, Earrings are vintage from a dear friend, Bracelet is Chanel, Sunglasses are no name inexpensive pair I purchases years ago, Shoes are Manolo Blahnik, Cat is Jasper

As I type this newsletter I am headed to NYC for a wedding, work and jovial times in the City. Packing, I was more focused on occasion than ever. My carry on is chock a block with occasion pieces.

By occasion I do not refer to dressing up, fancy dress, formal attire, black tie, white tie etc, rather dressing purposely. Dressing to meet the moment. Consider it, hopefully we all have countless days ahead of us in this life and each day, we wake up and dress. Philosophers, Oprah, mothers, every/any one chats about living each day like it is your last or being present. Given we wake up, situate our physical body and get dressed. Is dress not an integral part of the practice of being human?

Dress is certainly the trimming, ornamentation, plumage, if you will, of each of us. It is our first impression and out of office reminder. Dress speaks volumes and prepares us for our day ahead.

If you are scrolling and thinking, ‘Clothing is not so big a deal.’

I ask you this: What would Christmas morning be like if all the presents beneath the tree were naked?

The answer: Nowhere near as thrilling.

We will meet again soon with Meet the Expert, Horse Racing. Subscribe below to receive all

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Cheers & chat soon,

Lo. Lynch

1. Fitting as Cornelia James was glove maker to Queen Elizabeth II, read more about their team and Royal Warrant in our interview with their team from Glove Week: Meet the Expert

2. Royal Ascot notoriously has a very strict dress code that all guests in the Royal Enclosure must follow, see here for reference.

3. Bing Crosby wrote the jingle that is still sung at Del Mar today