The Investec Derby Festival, taking place this year on 3-4 June, is rightly renowned for its fashion as well as its horse racing. Yet amid the glamour of Ladies' Day and the annual Style on the Downs competition for the best dressed lady, you could be forgiven for thinking that no one much cares what men wear to the Investec Derby Festival – but how very wrong you would be.
The attention may not be on the men in way it is on the women (or, for that matter, the horses), but you only have to see the storm of appreciation David Beckham caused at the royal wedding to realise that a little bit of detail goes a long way when it comes to menswear at formal events.
The dress code for men in the Queen's enclosure on Derby day is strictly black or grey morning dress, complete with top hat – after all, you could bump into the Queen coming out of the royal box. Morning dress is not necessary for Ladies' Day, but men in the Queen's enclosure are still expected to wear a jacket, collar and tie.
The dress code is far less stringent for the grandstand and not applicable in other areas of the racecourse, but there are still certain unofficial style rules for men to adhere to: jeans are a complete no-no, so are heavy fabrics in wintery colours, and no matter how tempting, do not just throw on the same suit you wear to work with a crumpled T-shirt and think that constitutes 'smart-casual'.
"No denim! Be a bit more adventurous," says Philip Start of the upmarket British menswear label Mr Start. He is a big fan of cotton suits: "They are very smart, but with a casual heart. You can dress them up or down. It doesn't have to be a traditional suit that you'd wear to work, it can be a very nice, slim-fitting wool lightweight suit that you can dress up and won't crease."
Stay away from anything too loose or baggy; the weight of the suit or jacket is key. Terry Betts, senior buyer of luxury menswear website Mr Porter, says: "We favour a summer kid wool mohair mix such as the cloth used by Richard James, a superior summer fabric which is cool to the touch."
Shirts should be fine and crisp, says Smart: "If the shirt is cut well, the fabric can be traditional but the cut can be modern. That looks great, and doesn't look like you're trying too hard." Betts adds: "Turnbull & Asser's two-fold 120's offer the perfect balance between lightness and formality."
What are the common errors men make when dressing for all-day summer events? "Heavy fabrics and candy colours are common errors," says Betts. Instead, try a cleaner palette with a flash of colour accentuating rather than dominating. Avoid overly bright colours, but this season's trend of colour blocking does give men the chance to widen their colour palette. "Separate jackets and trousers allow you to introduce a lighter colour without feeling too conspicuous," says Betts. "It's about making sure you mix them with care and attention, not just dragged out and stuck on," adds Start.
Patrick Grant, the owner of E.Tautz on Savile Row, and Oliver Spencer are some of great British menswear designers to look out for. "And Mr Hare continues the lineage of British shoemaking tradition by producing some of the finest footwear on the market," says Betts.
There is a trend for menswear to be more formal at the moment. The Investec Derby Festival is the perfect time to embrace it.
