Just a few minutes away from Epsom town centre, Epsom Downs Racecourse holds racing and music events from April (The Spring Meeting) through to September (Season Finale). Its most famous racing event is the iconic Derby Festival, which includes the Betfred Derby known as the Greatest Flat Race in the World. It is Britain’s richest horse race and the most prestigious of the five Classics. The Betfred Derby Festival will be held over two days on Friday 6th June and Saturday 7th June  2025. The first day is Ladies Day featuring the Betfred Oaks and the second day is Derby Day featuring the Betfred Derby. 

Official Dress Code for the Queen Elizabeth II Stand Enclosure on Derby Day 

For Derby Day, the Queen’s Stand becomes a celebration of traditional tailoring and is about uniformity and elegance rather than standing out from the crowd. Epsom racecourse says: Male racegoers are required to wear either black or grey morning dress which should include a top hat, service dress or full national costume.This dress code applies to both Queen Elizabeth II Stand ticket holders and Queen Elizabeth II Stand Hospitality guests. All prices are correct at time of publishing.

Note: .Black morning coat is worn with striped or houndstooth trousers whilst the trousers and waistcoat for the grey morning coat should match the coat in colour and fabric, like a suit.

Check out Joules for an inexpensive morning coat Black Slim Fit Morning Suit Jacket £149.00 striped Black Slim Fit Morning Suit Trousers £100.00 and their Light Blue Morning Suit Waistcoat £90.00 

History Snippet: The morning coat was originally tailored to suit the needs of the nineteenth century equestrian gentleman who leisurely spent his mornings riding, hence the name of the coat. The curved front edges were designed to ensure the rider’s knees would be free from any flapping fabric and the two buttons at the back enabled him to fasten the coat tails up out of the way.

Wear braces with a morning coat rather than a belt. A belt will add bulkiness underneath your waistcoat and jacket, whilst braces will streamline the silhouette. Oliver Brown’s Moire Silk Braces – White has a wavy appearance which historically has made it highly prized for formalwear.  £115.00. Hand-made specifically for Oliver Brown by Albert Thurston, the oldest and most renowned braces maker in the world.

Add colour to your morning coat with a pocket square which should be made of silk or linen and neatly folded in the pocket rather than flamboyantly pushed in. Oliver Brown’s Horse Racing Pocket Square is perfect for the races sporting a colourful pattern of four horses and a jockey £49.00. Another way to introduce colour or extra flourish is to wear a boutonnière.

A double cuff white shirt is traditional and gives a crisp look to the whole outfit. However you don’t have to stick to plain white if you prefer to add more colour. A pale or soft shade (plain or striped) is also acceptable but the collar and cuffs should still be white. Striped Shirt with White Collar and Cuff by Oliver Brown £115.00.

A pair of cufflinks is a must for the double cuff shirt and here is where you can flash your  individual style: sophisticated elegance in gold and silver simple designs; decadence with pearls or gemstones; or a fun playful twist with novelty designs. THOMPSON Satin Dot Knot Cufflinks by Tateossian is rose gold plated with a raised dot feature.£109.00

Your tie should be silk and the pattern subdued such as Oliver Brown’s Pure Silk Geometric Tie in Navy/White £69.00. Add Zen Tie Clip in Rose Gold Colour Plating by Tateossian £145.00. Tie clips keep your tie securely in place and also add a touch of glitz.

When wearing a morning coat, the shoes should be black with laces, plain and highly polished (although not patent). The best shoe style to wear is the formal plain Oxford shoe.Satchel Black, Lace Up Shoes by Dune London £99.00 Don’t try to jazz up your ensemble with coloured or patterned socks, opt for just plain black or grey. Plain Socks from SOCKSHOP offers black or charcoal. £7.99

Both black or grey top hats are acceptable for black morning coats, grey top hats partner well with grey morning suits.Top hats can be expensive, however Christys have  Wool Felt Top Hat for £195.00 with a matt finish. If you want to be more flamboyant then go for their Fur Melusine Top Hat which has a glossy finish but is more expensive at £395.00. Both are acceptable for Derby Day.

History Snippet: It’s surprising to know that Top Hats got off to a shaky start when the hat maker John Heatherington wore the first one to be seen in public on the streets of London in January 1797. At the sight of this unusually tall hat, women screamed and fainted, children cried, so the poor man was arrested and fined for ‘frightening timid people’. Proving it had stamina; the top hat stayed the distance and secured its place in high fashion when Prince Albert started wearing one in 1850. Originally made out of fur felt (beaver being the most expensive), silk came to gain the lead in the fashionable stakes. Silk is still out there in front but is no longer manufactured, making vintage models a rarity and highly coveted.

If you decide to wear a watch then one with a leather strap is more formal such as GUESS® genuine leather watch £175.00

Official Dress Code for the Queen Elizabeth II Stand Enclosure on Ladies Day 

There is no official dress code, Epsom racecourse encourages racegoers to come “dressed to feel your best” and says “ From bright and bold to subtle and sophisticated. This is racing’s most spectacular carnival, after all.” Not Permitted: Fancy dress, inappropriate or offensive outfits, as anything deemed vulgar or derogatory may be refused entry. Sports clothes: team colours and team kits are not permitted.

We Say: In the Queen’s Stand, a sharp suit, collar and tie is the sartorial choice for most dapper gents at this race. 

Choose a light coloured suit so you stand out from a sea of navy and dark greys. T. M. Lewin’s Chiswick suit comes in light blue as well as light grey and sand. The lightweight fabric is perfect for a warm day. Made from 100% wool, ideal for breathability & comfort. Chiswick Slim Wool Suit Jacket £275.00 and matching Chiswick Slim Wool Suit Trouser £125.00.

Team with their Light Blue Chalk Stripe Twill Slim Fit shirt £65.00. Go for a silk tie such as their Textured Spot Silk Tie in denim blue £30.00. Introduce another colour with your pocket square Pink Silk Pocket Square £25.00.

The brown oxford shoe is less formal than black especially in suede, but they bring a modern look to a suit and go well the lighter coloured suits .Houghton Men’s Brogue by Fairfax & Favor in cognac is also available in chocolate suede and dark tan leather. £185.00. Have some fun with your socks but don’t go too wild. Sockshop Gentle Grip Fun Feet Socks comes in a pack of 3 for £6.99 The mid blue socks with ladybirds would complement the suit. Comes with navy and grey socks with bugs . Accessorise  with Thomas Sabo’s Silver automatic watch with ice blue dial £535.00 and their Venetian bracelet in silver from £250.00

Official Dress Code for the Other Enclosures.

There is no official dress code in the Grandstand, Lonsdale, Upper Tattenham and The Derby Family Festival enclosures. They encourage racegoers to come “dressed to feel your best” and Epsom racecourse says “ From bright and bold to subtle and sophisticated. This is racing’s most spectacular carnival, after all.” Not Permitted: Fancy dress, inappropriate or offensive outfits, as anything deemed vulgar or derogatory may be refused entry. Sports clothes: team colours and team kits are not permitted.

We Say: In the Grandstand Enclosure, suits are still worn but a blazer with chinos or smart denims also goes down well. For the other enclosures it is more casual.

For the Grandstand: Grey Slim Fit Check Blazer by Joules is a sartorial alternative to the suit . In 50% cotton 50% polyester £179.00. Increase your dapperness with a colourful silk pocket square such as  THE PAINTED DESERT pocket square by Geoff Stocker £45.00 and Fern Leaf Lapel Pin In Palladium Plated by Tateossian £120.00.

Wear  the blazer with Joules’ contrasting Linen Blend Navy Blue Long Sleeve Shirt £45.00 and their Oakham Mid Wash Blue Slim Fit Denim Jeans £49.95 for a smart casual look.

A pair of loafers will raise the sartorial bar. Fairfax & Favor Bedingfeld Loafers in Navy & Burgundy £185.00 The burgundy tassel contrasts with the navy suede resulting in a statement look.

Accessorise with THOMAS SABO stone bracelet Colourful stone beads of  dumortierite, simulated lapis lazuli, jasper, tiger‘s eye with a sterling silver skull. From £80.00.

For other enclosures go for casual relaxed outfits. A linen blend short sleeved shirt will keep you cool on a warm sunny day such as Joules’ Linen Blend Red Stripe Short Sleeve Shirt £45.00 Also available in various colours. The shirt will go with a pair of shorts, chinos or jeans, We’ve chosen Joules’ lightweight, breathable Get A Move On Dark Blue Trousers which also have stretch. £50.00 Keep the sun (or showers )off your face with their Daley Brown Nylon Cap £18.00. Team with their Navy Blue Leather Trainers £60.00.

Accessorise with Tateossian’s Herringbone Leather Bracelet In Navy £189.00 and Harrison pilot mirrored Sunglasses by THOMAS SABO Were £145.00 Now £72.50. Take Joules’ Jenkins Brushed Cotton Quarter Zip Sweatshirt just in case the weather turns chilly. £60.00 – Here in dark blue but also comes in mint green and cream.

Joules and Fairfax & Favour images provided by pr agency Bloxham PR

Oliver Brown images provided by Oliver Brown

T.M. Lewin images provided by T. M Lewin inhouse PR team.

Christys images provided by Christys

Dune Men images provided by PR Shots

Tateossian and Thomas Sabo images provided by pr agency Task PR

Guess and Sockshop images provided by pr agency Trace Publicity

Geoff Stocker images provided by Geoff Stocker

Aerial view of Epsom Downs Racecourse provided by Canva.com