As Seen on Good Morning Britain

Last week I joined the Good Morning Britain sofa alongside presenters Kate, Ranvir and the irrepressible Lizzie Cundy to discuss dress codes, and why they still matter deeply in today's society.

The conversation was sparked by Lizzie's appearance at Royal Ascot's Royal Enclosure — and a dress that, by most accounts, tested the boundaries of the enclosure's strict dress guidelines.

The Royal Enclosure: A Standard Worth Upholding

Royal Ascot is one of the most prestigious events in the British social calendar. The Royal Enclosure, in particular, carries with it a code of dress that has been carefully maintained for generations — and for very good reason.

The guidelines exist not to restrict individual expression, but to preserve something far more valuable: uniformity, decorum, and collective dignity. When everyone adheres to the same standard, the occasion is elevated. The event becomes greater than any single outfit.

The Royal Enclosure's dress code requires, among other things:

Dresses and skirts of modest length — typically falling below the knee

Covered shoulders and modest necklines

Formal hats or substantial headpieces — fascinators alone are not permitted in the Royal Enclosure

A level of formality that reflects the occasion's significance

These are not arbitrary rules. They are the architecture of an occasion.

Understanding Lizzie — And Why It Still Matters

I have a great deal of warmth for Lizzie Cundy. She is vibrant, confident, and as someone who is also a personal stylist, I completely understand the impulse to use clothing as self-expression. Fashion is, at its best, a form of communication.

But here is what I explained on GMB, and what I believe sincerely: there is a time and a place for every expression.

At the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, however, the dress code is not a suggestion. It is a condition of entry — and one that every guest accepts when they accept their invitation.

Why Dress Codes Still Matter in Modern Society

I am often asked whether dress codes are a relic — a leftover from a more rigid, less inclusive era. My answer is always the same: absolutely not.

Dress codes serve several vital functions in contemporary life:

They communicate respect. When you dress appropriately for an occasion, you signal to your host, your fellow guests, and the institution itself that you understand and honour the context. It is, at its core, an act of consideration for others.

They create shared experience. There is something genuinely beautiful about a room full of people who have all made the same effort. The formality of a state dinner, the elegance of a Royal garden party, the occasion of a graduation — these are elevated by collective standards of dress.

They protect the integrity of institutions. Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show — these events carry centuries of tradition. The dress code is part of what makes them what they are. Erode the standard, and you erode the occasion.

They are not about exclusion. A common misconception is that dress codes exist to keep people out. In fact, they exist to bring people together — to a shared standard, a shared occasion, a shared moment.

A Final Thought

I always say that etiquette is not about judgement. It is about equipping people with the knowledge to navigate any situation with grace and confidence.

The most liberating thing I can give anyone — whether a child learning to hold their cutlery or a guest preparing for the Royal Enclosure — is the knowledge of what is expected. Because when you know the rules, you can move through any room in the world with absolute ease.

Lizzie is fabulous. Her style is her own. But at Ascot, the dress code belongs to the occasion — and the occasion, on this point, is non-negotiable.