Getting Suited and Booted

As the summer approaches, so does race season and although I don't personally agree with horse racing and so won't bet or watch the races, that doesn't mean I can't admire the beautiful dresses that get worn on race day. There are always some truly beautiful outfits and although I won't be going, I've picked out some of my favourite pieces for him and for her so that if you do want to go to the races, you can find some inspo and some tips!

EMBELLISHED CAMI DRESS / SILVER POINTED HIGH HEELS / PLEATED LACE DRESS / BLACK HEELED SANDALS / BEADED BOX CLUTCH / FLOWER DETAIL CLUTCH

So the first thing you'll probably notice is that I haven't included any fancy hats or posh fascinators in these picks and that is because I hate them. Yes, they're a classic race day or wedding day accessory and yes, some people truly can pull them off but I always just think that they take the focus away from the other beautiful parts of the outfit and can actually end up being a bit too much. I do love simple hair accessories for formal outfits but hats and fascinators get a big no-no from me I'm afraid. Seriously, if I ever get married there will be a note at the bottom of the invites saying no hats and no fascinators.

I prefer to use other accessories to make a statement and I absolutely love embellished bags to really glam up a formal outfit and my favourite style is the embellished box style. They're not too expensive and can be used time and time again for going out outfits, formal occasions and anything else meaning if you do want to spend a bit more, you can get your moneys worth. I also like to accessorise with some stunning but simple jewellery. Take the blue jewelled bracelet for example. It's simple but is so beautiful it immediately catches your eye and adds a real element of luxury to any dress, perfect for a formal occasion like the races.

Now onto the main part - the dress. The best thing about occasions like the races is that you can really go all out and let your dress show your personality and really let it make a huge statement. Here, I've picked out two quite simple but truly beautiful dresses that I would definitely love to wear for a formal occasion. The navy blue lace one is a bit more an investment piece but just look how beautiful it is. The detailing is absolutely stunning and because it's navy rather than black it's just a little bit different and more summery than the classic LBD - it would look amazing teamed with the silver court shoes! The cami maxi dress is more of a budget buy and comes in at £48 which is a really great price for an occasion dress. It may look really simple but actually, if you look closely you'll see it has some intricate embellishment on the straps and the neckline - beautiful!

So for the gents, it's mainly suits, suits and more suits! Suits are really a failsafe for any guy for any formal occasion and because they're so timeless, just one or two in your wardrobe will take you through occasion dressing year after year. Of course, gents look amazing in the classic black suit and you can't really go wrong with it but I love seeing guys taking a little risk with colours and styles so the three I've picked from Suit Direct are a little bit more unconventional than the classic 007 style black.

We've got plum, blue and grey and I don't know about you but I laaaav the plum one! Although blue and grey are a bit less traditional from the black, they're still quite safe whereas the plum is really unconventional - I love how rich the colour is! As for the shoes, lace ups and brogues always look incredibly smart and the best thing is that they're not so smart that they're unwearable and will just sit in the back of your wardrobe. Best of both worlds!

Suit Direct have actually written a race day guide for dressing so if you're struggling and don't know which suit to buy, which shoes  to pair it with or where to even begin you should definitely give it a lil read!

Amy x

*sponsored post. All views and words remain my own