Summer Racing Fashion Guide 2017 SummerRacingFashionGuide2017PDFDOWNLOAD | Page 56

Perfect Picnics
1
Let it Rain
To start off with, you’re going
to need something to either shield you
from the sun or (this being the UK) a spot of
rain. A pop-up gazebo will do both, in style –
the LG Outdoor Hamilton 3m Pop Up
Gazebo in Taupe (1) costs £99 from John Lewis.
And a great way to make sure you find your way
home after a trip to the on-course bookies is to
customise it with ribbons or flags – get them
made in your favourite colours! Bunting and
Bows will make the flags of your
choice (2), from four flags for
£19 through to 12 flags
for £35 on Etsy.
Allison Graham introduces the
at the races and suggests 'sport' of competitive picnicking
some elegant essentials
I f you’ve ever watched or attended Royal Ascot then you will
have noticed that there is a popular sub-sport closely related
to horseracing.
The carparks opposite the racecourse are often packed with
racegoers from mid-morning onwards. What’s taking place is
a rather British version of the ‘Tailgating’ often seen outside
American sports stadiums. But instead of ribs and chicken
wings (yum!) you are far more likely to see haute couture food
to go along with the haute couture outfits worn by the
picnickers. And you’re rather more likely to hear the popping of
champagne corks than you are the cracking of beer cans.
The people you can see enjoying their pre-racing feast are
initiates of a not-so-secret society of race-going foodies.
Picnicking, especially in the summer, is an integral part of the
racing experience.
This type of outdoor feasting is not just apparent at Royal
Ascot – many Ladies’ Days offer picnic tickets and if you go racing at all, you will frequently see swathes of people camped
out in the racecourse carpark before the festivities begin. Or
perhaps they will have crossed the racetrack and be ensconced,
replete with blankets, pergola and ice bucket, on the grass
encircled by the race track (often known as ‘centre course’).
Wherever they are, they will all be eating, drinking and
making merry. It’s an immense amount of fun. Either enjoy a
‘grown-up’ party; elegant and sophisticated to the max, or have
fun with the kids – plenty of space to run around (so long as it’s
not near cars or horses) and a relaxed day out.
Some racecourses will even let you take a small barbecue
with you and Cartmel actually hosts a Racing UK Barbecue
Raceday on 24th July where racegoers are invited to bring their
own barbie and cook lunch before racing – there will be a prize
for the most stylish picnic or BBQ at the meeting!
A word of warning: this kind of outdoor dining bears little
resemblance to the picnics of your youth. Rather than taking
2
5
8
4
3
Seat yourself in Style
Opt for a beautiful blanket, and tuck it into a
neat strap for carrying from the car to the
centre course. Picnic blankets (3) from Kirsty
Gadd on Etsy come in various colours, priced
from £40 to £60. Leather carry straps (4) are
handmade by Nanuck's Forest Crafts, priced
£20 and available in various colours (via Etsy).
For a raised alternative try a pretty picnic
chair (5) such as this floral number (pictured
opposite page) from Joules (£39.95) or be
super-sociable with a dou