As race week arrives in Cheltenham, the town fills with excitement, anticipation and impeccable style. While the horses take centre stage on the course, fashion plays a crucial role in the wider experience of attending the races. According to George, the general sales manager at Peter Posh Cheltenham, dressing well is part of the tradition that surrounds the famous festival.
Cheltenham is widely known for its distinctive race-day fashion, where traditional tailoring meets bold individuality. For Williams style is inseparable from the event itself.
“I think it’s a big part of it,
“Style and the racing are separate things, but they come together on the day. People make a real effort.”
He points out that connection between celebration and clothing has deep cultural roots. “You go back to people like Federico Fellini and the way he explored dressing up and the way people look on celebration days.
“Everybody makes a big fuss about it. It becomes part of the atmosphere.”
Classic British tailoring dominates the fashion landscape at race meetings. According to George, certain fabrics and patterns consistently prove popular.
“Textured suits, tweeds and checks are always very big,” he said. “Anything with an interesting weave tends to stand out because it looks different from what you’d normally wear to work or a wedding.”
The race calendar also brings subtle trends. Colours and combinations shift slightly from year to year, influenced by the tone of major racing events.
“There’s often a colour that comes around for some big horse-racing days,” he explains. “Cheltenham and Ascot have their own feel, but the idea is always to look sharp while still being comfortable for the day”
Despite the fashion buzz, race week isn’t necessarily the biggest driver of business for menswear retailers. Weddings and formal occasions still dominate sales.
“That’s the vast majority of the business,” George says. “But because we’re here in Cheltenham, yes, we do see people coming in specifically for race outfits.”
Interestingly, most customers don’t plan their race-day look months in advance.
“We do have some people who come in early to buy their outfits ahead of Cheltenham,” he says. “But it’s not a huge number. We actually see more people coming in during the week itself.”
Last-minute purchases are particularly common, often for finishing touches.
“There are always belts, cufflinks, shoes, jackets,” George laughs. “People realise they’ve forgotten something or want to change things up.”
Some racegoers even return multiple days in a row, adjusting their outfits to keep their look fresh.
“I’ve seen people come in on different days wearing the same base outfit but trying to make it different. They’ll swap ties or change the colours around just to jazz it up.”
Among the many outfits he has spotted during race week, one look stood out in his memory.
“There was a chap wearing a really nice overcoat with a light cream tweed suit,” WIlliams recalls. “But what made it was the bright pink accessories. It was bold but really well put together.”
While George occasionally attends the races himself, he’s just as happy watching the spectacle unfold from the shop floor.
“You see everything come through the door, It’s part of the fun of being here during race week.”
At Cheltenham, it seems style isn’t just about clothing, it’s part of the celebration.
