The Grand National: The Fashion-Theme That Surrounds One of the Biggest Horseracing Events

The Grand National Festival is one of the United Kingdom's oldest and most prestigious horse racing events. It takes place in April each year and attracts spectators for its off-track activities as much as for the action on it. 

The races held at Aintree annually take place throughout a three-day meeting with well-dressed fans attending throughout and one specific day offers awards for the leading fashionwear on show. 

Here we will look at the history of the world-famous horse racing festival, as well as how fashion has long been intertwined with one of the sports showcase events. 

The history of the Grand National and Ladies' Day

The Grand National was first run in 1939 and has taken place almost every year since. The 2025 festival will be the 177th edition of the festival and it could be one of the most historic as I Am Maximus could become only the second double-champion of the 21st century. 

The 2024 winner is the favourite to retain its crown in the racing odds for next year at 12/1. Corbetts Cross and Inothewayurthinkin will represent the strongest opposition according to the early horse racing tips for the 2025 national. 

While much of the focus will be on who wins the various races at the festival next year, some may be more interested in the festivities that will surround the racing. 

There is a tradition of dressing well when attending the races and that especially applies when attending one of Britain's most prestigious offerings. 

Ladies' Day on the second day of the annual event is a particularly important one when it comes to fashion as women are invited to don their best dress with several awards being available for the most impressive outfits. 

The ladies' fashion tradition has accompanied the Grand National since the late 19th century and its latest instalment in 2024 saw 45,000 people attend - for some it is an even bigger draw than Grand National Day. 

What Ladies Day entails and the awards on offer

Ladies' Day at the Grand National is arguably the biggest single day on the sporting calendar when it comes to showcasing fashion. Women of all sorts of backgrounds attend in their most glamorous dresses with the aim of both enjoying the racing action in style and perhaps even capturing one of the awards on offer. 

There are no rules when it comes to what unique outfits may be worn besides the fact that there is no fancy dress or sportswear permitted. This means that both simple and exceptionally bold attire is typically on show and these are capable of competing for differing accolades.

The Ladies' Day Style Awards annually recognise the best dressed on day two based on certain criteria. There is the simply termed Best Dressed Award which regularly goes to a racegoer with an eye-catching sense of fashion. 

There is also the Most Sustainably Dressed Award which recognises an outfit that allows a final balance between glamour and the ability to comfortably last the day of racing.

The Grand National is ultimately not just a high-class sporting event but a high-class occasion in which extravagant and luxurious dress also takes centre stage. There are not many greater offerings when it comes to fashion and sports coming together.