Fashion comes first at Royal Ascot Ladies' Day

Jockey Frankie Dettori has no doubts-- Ladies Day at Royal Ascot is a world beater for dedicated followers of fashion.

Sporting top hat and tails with a pink rose in his buttonhole, the ebullient Italian argued that when it came to elegant racing it was no contest. Ascot beat the Kentucky Derby and Arc day in Paris every time.

"Absolutely. At Royal Ascot we have had 300 years of practice," he told Reuters, reveling in the fashion extravaganza as women paraded in their finest for Ascot Gold Cup day. For Dettori this is "the Olympics of racing."

Fashion designer Jeff Banks, resplendent in purple waistcoat, agreed.

"What I love about British fashion is its witticism. In France they take themselves far too seriously and in Kentucky it is all about the money -- how much did you spend on that."

Admiring all the finery and fascinators around him, Banks said: "I've been designing for 46 years and I never get tired of it."

Royal Ascot, immortalized by flower girl Eliza Dolittle in the musical "My Fair Lady," is the High Society highlight of an exhausting summer season that stretches from the Chelsea Flower Show to Wimbledon and the Henley Royal Regatta.

For party-going poseurs, it is all about cutting a dash, seizing a brief moment of fashion fame as paparazzi prowl the track in search of the outlandish.

Royal Ascot was once so exclusive that divorcees were banned and ladies had to wear gloves. Today aristocrats are outnumbered by hedge fund managers and Ascot's "fashion police" are on red alert for any sign of mini-skirts and midriffs which are banned.

Ardent racegoers are there to revel in one of the world's greatest racing festivals. The socialites just want to be seen.

That aggravates former jockey turned BBC commentator Willie Carson. "I am not into fashion when I am horse raciong," he said. "But we are always very glad that the ladies come to see our beautiful thoroughbreds."

But Ascot raceourse manager Charles Barnett is phlegmatic about the mix.

"There is a great cross-section of people who like racing and people here just for the fashion. Everyone mixes together."

Royal Ascot is given priceless social cachet by Queen Elizabeth who parades up the course in an open-top landau before racing every day.

In the 18th century, Queen Anne first spotted Ascot's potential when riding in the forest near Windsor Castle. The course was opened in 1711.

Betting is an essential ingredient in the Ascot cocktail and bookmakers enter into the spirit of the fashion parade - odds are offered every day on the color of Queen Elizabeth's hat.

Royal College of Art fashion show

Colour, embellishment, craftsmanship and a high-tech approach to fabric manipulation characterised the Royal College of Art's MA graduate collections shown in London today (June 10). Thirty-three students from the RCA’s prestigious School of Fashion - the world’s only wholly postgraduate fashion department - presented their collections to press and industry heads; ten students from menswear, and eighteen from womenswear.

The menswear collections took inspiration from J.G.Ballard’s novel, ‘Crash’, chavs, Spanish matadors fused with hip-hop culture, soldiers and skinheads. Designs included copper and silver metal yarn woven into tailored suits, smocking techniques to creative unusual shapes and volume, and a bling-bling hybrid of Pop-Art and bubblegum colours, fur and golden embroidery.

The womenswear collections included tunics and robes embellished with thousands of porcupine quills, hand-crocheted dresses with pom-pom hems, silken gowns decorated with handmade silk roses, and mini-dresses made from bands of fabric joined by metal rods. Zara Gorman’s hats made a dramatic accessory statement, being fashioned from leather, wood and plastic, cut in the manner of windshields, Venetian blinds and shells.

Other accessory designs were featured in the RCA’s static display, including footwear made with Perspex, PVC, latex, silicone and digitally-printed satin; together with artisan-influenced bags employing techniques such as basketry, and weaving and knotting, using bamboo and leather.

The RCA’s Fashion department was founded in 1948, by the former Vogue editor, Madge Garland. Among its most famous graduates are Ossie Clark, Bill Gibb, Philip Treacy, Antony Price, Julien Macdonald, Christopher Bailey and Erdem. More recent graduates who are creating a buzz are Holly Fulton, Heikki Salonen, David Longshaw, Rachael Barrett, the shoe designer Camilla Skovgaard, and the milliner, Jusatin Smith. The head of the School of Fashion is Professor Wendy Dagworthy.

Top 4 Fashion Accessories to Wear With the Celine Medium Canvas Luggage Bag

I was ecstatic upon learning that Phoebe Philo has returned to the fashion world. She is not back at Chloe, but is this time around working at Celine. Oh what a breath of fresh air she is for the Italian fashion house!

Her first runway collection after a long hiatus was a big hit with editors, celebrities and consumers alike. That is the reason why a vintage inspired luggage bag, namely the "Celine Medium Canvas Luggage Bag", is on the top of my shopping list for spring 2010. It is not an extravagant "It Bag", but for some reason it appeals to me.

We have picked out different items that we believe can be matched with the "Celine Medium Canvas Luggage Bag" for a perfect spring outfit:

1. Kimberly Ovitz Cecil Strapless Dress: When spring comes, every girl just has to have a little white dress in their closets. This one from Kimberly Ovitz is a winner. The sweetheart neckline and the visible zipper creates a nice juxtaposition to the piece.

2. Vince Rustic Linen Blazer: Another important trend this season is the color (or lack of ) khaki. This khaki blazer in linen will work well with the LWD above.

3. Derek Lam Odesa Lace Up Sandals: I could not help but drool over this Derek Lam creation. It has spring chic written all over it. The cork heels, the rope lace up, the washed pebbled leather, they all work well together in this covetable piece. And it sure complements the Celine bag.

4. Jessica Simpson Cat's Eye Sunglasses: Another trend dominating this season are cat's eye accessories. This Jessica Simpson pair polishes the above outfit seamlessly.

We hope that this outfit has inspired you to try something new for 2010!

The Hottest 2009 Swimwear Trends

Summer is just around the corner, and the evolution of swimwear certainly make big news in fashion. This year is especially great with a bikini – even if the dress still holds a piece of a permanent place in the area of classic swimwear. So if you want more naked or with a bikini with a classical piece, there are a number of trends for you this summer. The latest trends for 2009 include a shoulder bikini and Monokinis. One-shoulder bikini are ideal for some ‘add form in a bikini in order to draw attention to your upper half. However Monokinis ideal for those who want aesthetic benefits of a bikini, not all the claims. A monokini is a one-piece dress revealing, but still in one piece – that it is more likely to stay together and keep means covered. It is also easier to swim in a topless – and select the right one for your body type, can be much more flattering for a traditional bikini. Cut swimsuits and bikinis are another hot trend. Similar to the evolution of a shoulder, cut away design and offers interesting forms and draws the eye to specific parts of the body. Would you like to draw attention to your shoulders? If you decide to cut out a piece cut out the shapes on top of the swimsuit. Alternatively, if your eyes to the abs you worked so hard to clay, a tightening move alive with some excerpts. Another trend in swimwear 2009 is to do with accessories. Let’s face it: Wearing a swimsuit does not always mean you want to swim. You may just want to work on your tan or relax in costume. Or are you planning a pool party where you want to look stylish in your bathing suit without looking at the toes to go wet. Swimwear accessories should be very popular this summer, which includes everything from bathing suits Sheer Cover-ups and large sun hats jewelry that compliments a great dress. Just like any kind of bathing suit you choose for this summer, do not go without the accessories! Last but not least, keep a color scheme in mind when shopping for a swimsuit this season. trim because of the bold forms in a bikini, Monokinis shoulder and styles, color trends this season seems to turn solid and strong colors. Still, too many forms and expressions can be combined overloaded. So, if you choose a color for your swimsuit, you must also keep in mind your skin tone. some colors just look better on certain skin tones. So not only store-based colors that look as usual – to consider what is best for you. This way you are sure you will find a swimsuit for this summer.