Ayr is Scotland’s premier racecourse and the venue for both Flat and Jump racing throughout the year. One of the main Scottish festivals is the Coral Scottish Grand National which takes place on 11th and 12th April 2025. 

Official Dress Code

Hospitality Facilities – Dress to impress with smart dress encouraged. Smart Casual dress code is accepted but  strictly no jeans, sportswear, shorts or trainers are permitted. No football colours allowed in any area of the course.

Club Stand – Dress to impress with smart dress encouraged. Smart Casual dress code is accepted and smart jeans and trainers are permitted but no ripped/torn denims. No football colours allowed in any area of the course.

Grandstand -There is no formal dress code for this area except no football colours allowed 

 Although there is no official dress code, the gents tend to dress up in jackets and tie to show off their sartorial style.

The Style Awards 

Held on Ladies day which is Friday 11th April, The Style Awards has tremendous prizes on offer and yes there are a few categories for the gents:

All prices are correct at time of publishing

Most Stylish Gent

Gents, It’s time to look and be debon’Ayr’ if you want to win the Most Stylish Gent Award. Suits are the popular choice for this festival and a three piece suit is a good sartorial move. A waistcoat will provide another layer of warmth against the elements if the weather is a bit chilly, and if warm enough to remove your jacket, then you still look dapper. 

Note: Opt for wool waistcoats and leave the silk/satin waistcoats to the wedding parties.

Sartorial Rule: On a single breasted waistcoat always leave the bottom button undone. Why do you ask? That’s a good question and there are a few possible theories. We favour the horse riding theory: to prevent the waistcoat from creasing when riding the gentleman kept the bottom button open. However the most popular is of the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) unbuttoning his due to a feeling of tightness and his court followed suit thinking this was a new trend.

Choose a light colour such as Walker Slater’s Martin Jacket in navy herringbone cashmere wool cotton £345.00 with matching their Martin Trousers £145.00 and Martin Waistcoat £105.00. Team with a crisp white shirt or one with a touch of colour such as their Cotton Stripe Harry shirt £86.00 with sky blue stripes. Although a tie is not compulsory, it does bring a sartorial outfit together. Bring out the blue in the shirt with their Knitted Silk Slim Tie in bright blue £48.00. Accessories will help you be the first over the finishing line! So don’t forget that silk pocket square  Walker Slater’s Lammond Silk Hank £35.00 and a lapel or tie pin to add a touch of sparkle and shine. Dahlia Bud Pearl Lapel Pin/ Tie Pin by Lee Renée Ltd has a round iridescent peacock pearl set in the middle of silver petals. £106.00. Can be worn on the tie or the lapel. If you like a cap then don Walker Slater’s Distinctly Dapper Tweed Shandwick Cap £58.00. Best foot forward in Joe Browns’ Double Stitched Suede Brogues in cobalt blue suede £65.00 and remember to bring a flash of colourful fun with a pair of socks. SockShop‘s 3 pair pack Pringle Black Label Bamboo Socks was £12.99 now £9.09. Choose the windowpane pattern for just a splash of colour.

Sustainable Style Awards

This category is open for both ladies and gentlemen. Here you can show off your style in a preloved or upcycle an outfit you already own. If you do purchase something new then not only do you have to attain the highest stylish standards but also need to consider your garments have been sustainably sourced. 

Moss Bros do have a range of sustainable suits with at least 85% of their materials coming from sustainable sources. Look sartorially stylish whilst being an eco-friendly warrior in Moss Bros 3 piece Khaki Linen suit Jacket £209.00 Trousers £120.00 and waistcoat £110.00. Be in the pink with sustainability in Alder and Green’s  Pink Organic Twill Slim Fit Shirt £125.00 Made from 100% organic cotton and recycled polyester on the collar stiffener, buttons and labels. Team with their The Alder Liberty Tie in pink £75.00 In 100% Cotton Silk and handcrafted from luxurious Tana Lawn Cotton by Liberty Fabrics. Complete the dapper look with Isabel Manns Anarchic Azure Pocket Square £20.00 100% silk and sustainably made from their surplus fabric that went into creating our clothing. Go racing ahead for sustainability with Lee Renée Ltd’s Wild Horse Lapel Pin/Tie Pin in 18ct gold vermeil £117.00 and can be worn on the lapel or the tie. Handmade in Hatton Garden using recycled gold/silver and sustainable packaging. Classic footwear never goes out of fashion plus a classic pair of loafers looks great with a suit or casual trousers/jeans, so double the value. Moss Bros Highgate Brown Tassel Loafers £69.95 Upper and lining made of leather with a synthetic sole.

Most Stylish Couple

For the most stylish couple, both your outfits should complement each other. A subtle way would be for the gentleman to wear a tie the same colour as the ladies dress. The whole outfits do not have to be completely matchy-matchy. Here we have coordinated Joe Browns outfits and focused on the orange in the ladies trouser suit to complement the gentleman’s terracotta blazer.

The gent wears Joe Browns’ Sundown Blazer £99.00 with their Check Waistcoat £59.00 which has a paisley pattern back and will still look dapper when you the blazer is removed.  Wear with a crisp white shirt with added detail such as their Distinctive Double Collar Shirt with orange touches. As jeans are not permitted in the hospitality facilities, change the jeans for a pair of trousers or Joe Browns’ Charming Chino Trousers in Tobacco £40.00 and add a pair of their smart  Savile Mixed Leather Brogues £75.00 Pair with Sockshop’s 3 pack Pringle Bamboo Cotton Blend Argyle Socks in brown with diamonds of orange and wine. Was £14.99 now £10.49. Don’t forget the final dapper touches such as the Joe Browns’ Luxury Peacock Feather Pin £9.00, Although a tie is not compulsory it will increase your chances of winning the Most Stylish Couple or Gent. We have teamed the Joe Browns outfit with Walker Slater’s Knitted Silk Slim Tie in Gold £48.00 and their Silk Pheasant Hank | Gold £38.00

The lady wears Joe Browns Fabulous Floral 3 piece trouser suit Fabulous Floral Jacket £75.00 Fabulous Floral Trousers £55.00 Fabulous Floral Waistcoat £48.00 Teamed with their Red Rebel T Bar Shoes £55.00 and Gold & Red Cut-Out Bag £45.00. Be bold and accessorise with their Golden Sunset Stone Layer Necklace £20.00 Headpieces are not compulsory but the majority of ladies do wear a fascinator or a hat plus to win the Most Stylish Couple or Lady you have a better chance with a headpiece. You can rent a hat such as Stephanie Gallen Millinery Coral Swirl Fascinator for £45.00. A saucer style in coral, with quills, swirls, pleated crin and swarovski detailing.

Walker Slater images provided by Walker Slater

Sockshop images provided by Trace Publicity

Joe Browns images provided by Joe Browns

Lee Renee Ltd images provided by Lee Renee Ltd

Moss Bros images provided by Moss Bros

Alder and Green images provided by Alder and Green

Isabel Manns image provided by Isabel Manns

Stephanie Gallen Millinery image provided by Stephanie Gallen