It was a day full of poise and Pimm's as a sea of bright hats, elaborate fascinators, fitted dresses,and high heeled shoes flooded the grandstand at Fakenham Racecourse for Ladies Day.
Keeping their headwear at an elegant angle while juggling a handbag and a full glass of something bubbly is a tough task, but the scores of women at the second annual event more than rose to the challenge.
Hundreds were dressed to impress as they flocked to the mid-Norfolk racing event yesterday afternoon.
From leopard print and snakeskin, to floral and stripes, fluorescent and pastel, short and long, the dresses were varied and vibrant and made for a sea of colour in the bright sunshine.
Maria Corder, 46, from Castle Acre, wore a bright yellow hat, glamorous large sunglasses and a dress she bought for a wedding.
'It was only when I got here that I bought the hat because of everyone else's,' she said.
'But its's wonderful here and so nice to come out for the day and just feel so glamorous!'
Fakenham sisters Brigitte Doughty and Geraldine Lees wore almost identical bright colours to the race – something they said was a total accident.
They said it was their first Ladies Day and both enjoyed getting dressed up for the occasion.
Some of the Fakenham fashionistas admitted their outfits were more cheap chic than couture, with many combining high street buys and charity shop bargains.
Helen Chaplin, from Stowmarket, said her pink hat was secondhand, but that she chose her dress and jacket around its style.
'It's all part of the fun', she said.
Her first time at the Fakenham Races, Mrs Chaplin praised the intimacy of the event and said the Norfolk women made a huge effort for their Ladies Day.
Bez Brown, part of the Red Hat Society's group in Swaffham – the Swaffham Sparklers – led a group of eye-catching women dressed in bright red hats and purple dresses around the event.
The group, known as chapters, meet and form friendships and is aimed at women over 50.
Dee Payne, also dressed in bright red and purple and from the Diss group, said: 'It's a break from cleaning the blinds and taking down your net curtains!'
Jo Potter from Norwich was celebrating her sixth wedding anniversary with her husband Andrew at the races.
She said she was relishing being able to dress up for an occasion, and was enjoying the celebratory champagne and sunshine.
David Hunter, chief executive of Fakenham Racecourse, praised the style and elegance of the women yesterday.
He said: 'I say myself that I am an interested third party in what ladies wear and I am very pleased that so many ladies and gentleman have made a real effort in looking so good.'
He said he hadn't seen one badly- dressed woman and that the second year of Ladies Day was a success.'
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