Held in late September, Ayr Gold Cup is one of the most high profile racing festivals in Scotland. Held over three days, this year from Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th September  2025. 

Ladies, We Say…It may be the end of September but the ladies of Ayr are not prepared to relinquish summer on this occasion, and the Ayr Gold Cup Ladies’ Day sees the full panoply of cocktail dresses, eye-catching hats and headpieces, along with heels, fake tan and fabulous hairdos. 

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.

All prices are correct at time of publishing.

 Rule 42 Boutique – Official Fashion Sponsor

Rule 42 Boutique is the Official Ladies Fashion Sponsor of the Ayr Gold Cup Festival and will be giving away £350.00 voucher to spend in their boutique for the winner of the Most Stylish Lady Award! Rule 42  is a Scottish family owned fashion business, specialising in affordable Occasionwear, Party, Prom and Evening Wear. Dresses, accessories and fascinators created by their in-house milliner. They are available online Rule 42 Boutique or visit their two boutiques in Glasgow and Kilmarnock:n 113a Orchard Park Avenue, Glasgow G46 7BW. 01414337638 & 36 Bank Street, Kilmarnock KA1 1HA.

From left to right: Mixed Purple & Red Tone Floral Midi Dress £50.00 with “THE CARLA” Forest Green Looped Bow Style & Feather Fascinator £55.00; Purple Plum Lace Ruffle Detail Midi Dress £45.00 with “THE MELODIE ” Orchid Purple Twisted Feather Fascinator £42.00; Blue & White Floral Midi Dip Hem Wrap Dress £55.00 with Metallic Silver Vegan Leather Grab Bag £23.00; and Pink & Wine Tone Floral Puff Sleeve A Line Dress £50.00 with Burgundy Vegan Leather Grab Bag £23.00

The Style Awards 

Held on Ladies day which this year is Friday 19th September, The Style Awards has tremendous prizes on offer and several categories including The Most Stylish Lady, The Most Stylish Hat and the Most Stylish Couple. Entrants need to sign up on the day in the Style Awards Marquee during the first two hours of the gates opening. They will be selected by random from attendees in the crowd.

There is no separate category for the Stylish Sustainable Outfits, this will be incorporated into the traditional categories. Each category will have three spaces reserved for Sustainable Raceday Wear – celebrating outfits that are pre-loved, rented, or upcycled in style. If you want to stand out as a Stylish Sustainable Racegoer, then just sign up on the day in the Style Awards Marquee during the first two hours the gates open.

The Most Stylish Lady

Go pretty in pink with Jacquard Midi Puffy Dress by ROTATE Birger Christensen in light pink. 350 Euros. Also available in burgundy and in white, The dress features a fitted midi-length silhouette with voluminous puff sleeves. It has a high round neckline and a structured shape with textured jacquard fabric. The dress fastens at the back with a concealed zipper and has a slit at the back for ease of movement. Although a hat is not compulsory, you really need a show-stealing one in order to catch the crowd’s eye and become a finalist in the Best Dressed Ladies Competition. Stephanie Gallen Millinery’s Crescent Pink is a modern halo style, wrapped in dusky pink netting adorned with pearls and secured on a metal hairband. £40.00 to hire for 4 days, plus postage. Shine with Charles & Keith UK’s Asymmetric-Strap D’Orsay Stiletto Pumps in silver metallic £59.00 and their Kadee Ruched Bow-Charm Hobo Bag in metallic pink £79.00 Accessorise with Sea Moss Moonstone & CZ Dress Drop Earrings by Sheila Fleet Jewellery £262.00 and matching Sea Moss 6-link Cubic Zirconia Bracelet £397.00 Inspired by the heart-shaped tips on some of the sea moss forms, Sheila worked with her in-house designer, Olivia Yorston, developed a beautifully organic collection. Each earring is enhanced with a moonstone and cubic zirconia, whilst each bracelet link has two cubic zirconias. Both hand-enamelled in Sea Pink enamel in their Orkney workshop. 

The Most Stylish Hat 

One of the prizes for this category is a voucher from Glasgow based milliner Stephanie Gallen. Her pieces are handcrafted and she offers bespoke (takes about 6- 8 weeks) or you can hire for the event. Above image shows a few of her headpieces for hire, which you can find on her Hat Hire section of her website

The Most Stylish Lady

The Most Stylish Couple

For the most stylish couple, both your outfits should complement each other. Here we have curated the same colour palette in shades of burgundy and berry wine. 
Rule 42 Boutique’s   Satin Waistcoat Pleated Skirt Midi Dress  is in an intoxicating berry wine shade. £65.00  Team with a lighter colour hat such as Stephanie Gallen Millinery’s Edith – A classic teardrop shape, covered in a pale pink velour and trimmed with 2 pink silk roses. £45.00 to hire for 4 days plus postage. And a statement necklace with Sheila Fleet’s  Lunar Bright Drop Necklace   £349.00 In sterling silver with three individual cup-mark designs. The circular designs have a textured silver finish and are hand-enamelled in ‘Hot Pink’ enamel. Inspired by Ness of Brodgar in Orkney, where people carved hollows or cup-marks of various sizes in rough rock thousands of years ago. Complement with their Primula Scotica Cubic Zirconia Stud Earrings £106.00 Inspired by the small purple Primula Scotica flower which is only found in the Orkney islands, Caithness and North Sutherland. Complete the look with Charles & Keith Burgundy Lu Patent Leather Slingback Pumps with its blade heel and stiff patent leather bow. £99.00 and their Sammie Knotted-Handle Elongated Bag in bubble gum pink. £79.00

Team with Slater Menswear – the official menswear sponsor of Ayr Gold Cup. The gentleman wears their Burgundy Textured Three Piece Suit offering a stand out colour to the normal greys and dark blues. Was £199.00 now £125.00 from their exclusive OneSix5ive range. Styled here with a burgundy & pink Floral Tie £8.00. Wear with a double cuff white shirt such as White Bluff Collar Double Cuff Long Sleeve Shirt £20.00 to show off Sheila Fleet’s Paisley Leaf Enamel Cufflinks in sterling silver. A contemporary take on the paisley design in polished silver relief. Hand-enamelled in their Orkney workshop in Champagne enamel. £194.00 . Add their Bumblebee Small Lapel Pin on to your lapel. Not your ordinary bumble bee colours as this one is in vivid Hot Pink enamel and framed by polished silver wings £85.00  Finish the dapper touches with Slaters light pink  Oxford Pocket Square £4.00. Stand tall in Cheadle Lace Up Derby Brogues in dark burgundy leather  £89.00 and add a flash of pink with a pair of Plain Cotton Rich Socks £3.00

Rule 42 Boutique images provided by Rule 42

Stephanie Gallen Milliner images provided by Stephanie Gallen

Sheila Fleet Jewellery images provided by Sheila Fleet Jewellery

Charles and Keith UK and ROTATE images provided by pr agency Purple PR

Slater Menswear images provided by Slaters