The new Royal Ascot dress code - no minis, no halters, no knickers on show

London, June 14 : Organisers of Britain's most famous and fashionable race meeting, Royal Ascot, have issued a dress and etiquette guide for those attending - no minis, no streaky fake tan and no knickers on show.

The new Royal Ascot code warns ladies against the perils of fake tans, flashy jewellery, faulty footwear - and, most essentially, points out the hazards of lacking in the lingerie department.

Women could be banned from the Royal Enclosure during Royal Ascot if their skirts are too short or if their dresses have straps less than an inch wide.

Visitors who display their midriff or wear off-the-shoulder tops or halter necks will also be turned away on the orders of the Queen's representative, the Duke of Devonshire.

The duke, the chairman of the course, has clarified the strict dress code for next week's event in guidance sent to all 80,000 Royal Enclosure badge holders.

The code dictates that only "formal day dress" is acceptable and that ladies must wear hats or "substantial fascinators."

Women are also advised to keep their underwear under wraps during the five-day meeting starting on June 17.

The same guide warns that streaky tan lines are "a total fashion faux pas", and that how a hat looks "from the neck up is the most important and can make or break an outfit".

Men have also been asked to wear either black or grey morning dress, including "a waistcoat, with a top hat, which must be worn at all times in the Royal Enclosure".

Charles Barnett, the chief executive of Ascot, said: "Royal Ascot is a place where new fashions are showcased and, therefore, things have to move on. However, the Royal Meeting remains a place for formal daywear."

"Last year we wrote into the conditions that midriffs must be covered in the Royal Enclosure, and in the 1990s we specified that trouser suits were acceptable for ladies, so the amendment to the dress code wording this year is far from without precedent.

"The new wording has been met with pretty much universal support from Royal Enclosure patrons. They and we know how important it is to protect the integrity of the Royal Enclosure dress code and all the traditions that make Royal Ascot unique, going forward," he added.

ANI