Grand National Fashion: Fashion is a National pastime

Mar 27 2008 by Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post

Ladies Day in Liverpool is one of the country’s grandest events for sports lovers and fashionistas alike. Emma Pinch reports

Above Left: Lemon multicoloured halterneck Alice top, £69; and Lemon multi-coloured Annabel skirt, £89; Kathryn hat, £29, all from Hobbs. Above Right: Tabathy dress, £95; and Kyoto satin bag, £35, from Coast

IT MAY be the pinnacle of the steeple chasing calendar, but the Grand National is a front runner as a fashion fixture these days, too.

Above Left: Lottie multi-coloured print dress, £85; Harlow teal wrap, £30, both from Coast; Kathryn hat, £29, Hobbs. Above Right: Isadora beaded dress in lime green, £169.99; lime green viscose silk shawl, £45; Kady lime spotted bracelet, £15; and Patty bag in lime, £89, all from Hobbs

Around 50,000 people turned out last year on Ladies’ Day to show off their racing colours, with the city’s WAGs leading the field.

Scouts will be scouring the crowds for the event’s best dressed on Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5, and once again the fashionable winner will be crowned by Coleen McLoughlin at the Style 2008 final on Saturday.

Retro spot dress, £135; Whistles, topper hat, £50, from Coast

Here, Style City runs its eye over some of the picks of the race dresses from Liverpool’s Metquarter.

* THIS week’s fashion shoot was taken at Aintree Racecourse, which is the stage for six additional races throughout the year, as well as being a well- equipped corporate venue, with a golf centre and driving range.

Grand National ticket line: 0151 522-2929

Lemon multicoloured halterneck Alice top, £69; and Lemon multi-coloured Annabel skirt, £89; Kathryn hat, £29, all from Hobbs

Notes

Stockists: Hobbs, tel: 0151 227 9336; www.hobbs.co.uk, Whistles, tel: 0151 227 9327 www.whistles.co.uk; Coast 0151 227 9452 www.coast-stores.co.uk all at Metquarter, 35 Whitechapel, Liverpool, L1 6DA.             

Venue: Aintree Racecourse, Ormskirk Road, Aintree, Liverpool L9 5AS. Tel: 0151 522 2929

Model: Kristina Maguire, from Pulse Model Agency. Tel: 0151 707 2535 www.pulseagency.co.uk

Hair and make-up: Lisa Mottram, at Andrew Collinge, Castle Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 227 2366

Stylist: Emma Pinch

Photographer: Tracey O'Neill