Ladies' Day at Grand National - thoughts?

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

I don't know why I find this annual bizarre parade of 'fashion' and flesh so depressing...but I do. Anyhow, what are your thoughts?

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/66767000/jpg/_66767991_tv017665659.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-22039564

[brigadista]

its up to them

[human strike]

Is that what passes for fashionable these days? Pfft.

[bcbm]

could you explain more about what this even is?

[hatzel]

could you explain more about what this even is?

Pretty much back in the day the big race meetings were amongst the most important social gatherings for the aristocracy, and needless to say people would wear their best attire as a display of opulence, as well as watching others to keep track of the latest fashion trends and so on. As the races became a little more 'open' to the broader public, some guy (I think this might have been at Ascot, but I'm not sure exactly) decided it was important to maintain a connection to the traditional social place of the races, so designated a particular day as one that should be a little 'higher class' than the rest, where people would have to wear formal attire, and this pattern has been copied by dozens of racecourses. They occupy the same kind of position on the racing calendar as the Monaco GP does on the F1 calendar (with the addition of top hats rather than the ubiquitous sunglasses, so the vibe is obviously different), that is to say, they can be must-attend events for celebrities, fashionistas and the well-to-do, and anybody who doesn't fit into any of these categories but attends anyway will probably get terribly excited about it all, like their stepping into high society for a day, it's quite an event. For the media it is a perfect opportunity to scrutinise everybody's outfits (particularly the women, of course, as the name suggests) and marvel at the latest styles, much like Americans might do at the Oscars or something, I dunno...

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

So...it's bourgeois and petit-bourgeois nonsense then.

[bcbm]

much like Americans might do at the Oscars or something, I dunno...

sounds like the kentucky derby actually