Queen’s Plate fashion

Last Sunday, I went to the 156th annual Queen’s Plate, a horse race that kicks off the Canadian Triple Crown. It was my first time attending, and my first time betting on horses and it was so much fun! The best part of it though was the Queen’s Plate fashion. Everyone brings on the prep or ecclectic with ladies in sundresses and hats, and the men in cool shirts and suits.

I wore a white lace dress from Zara (similar lace Lilly Pulitzer dress here), minimalist heels from Zara (similar Steve Madden Stecy heels), a vintage handbag and a fascinator hat by Canadian designer, Ophelie Hats.

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Before we went in the stadium to watch the races, we visited the Hats & Horseshoes party happening outside. It was free to attend, and there was plenty of people watching, food, drinks and Queen’s Plate fashion to take in! I would definitely recommend coming to the party, even if you can’t get in to a private event under the tents, the food trucks and atmosphere make it worth while.I also got to chow down on some delicious pulled pork fries!

My Zara white lace dress was perfect under the hot July sun. I love the structure of the dress, with the scallopped cut outs and star designs. I kept things simple with black and white and let my fascinator take centre stage with minimal accessories. Queen’s Plate fashion is all about the hats, and I think it’s so neat that events like this are reviving the millinery trade! I wish I could have brought my DSLR to take streetstyle pictures of all the cool outfits and hats I saw, it was all so whimsical!

We were almost successful in winning our exactor pick with Shaman Ghost as our top pick, but sadly, Conquest Boogaloo only snagged third. I didn’t end up gambling away more than $20, but it was fun to actually have stakes as you cheered on the horses. I will definitely be back next year to take in the races and, of course, the Queen’s Plate fashion!