York Races fashion front-runners through the years - in photos

Lady in red causes a stir at York Ebor Festival Race Meeting. Undated. Picture: Frank Dwyer

Hot on the heels of this year’s four-day Ebor Festival which welcomed its royal patron, Queen Camilla, on the opening day, we look back at some of the stunning fashion statements captured at the races over the years.

Some of the most memorable have been at the ever-popular Ladies Day - a highlight of the racing fixture as it offers a chance to pair the thrill of racing with striking style, dramatic millinery and plenty of personality.

Horsing around at the 2018 Ebor Race Meeting at Emma Farry's (horse) Hen Do. Picture: Frank Dwyer

(Image: Picture: Frank Dwyer)

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Our archive photographs show no shortage of colour, confidence and creativity. Over the years, face goers have arrived in flowing gowns, bold prints and sharply tailored outfits, often topped with towering fascinators, floral headpieces and hats designed to turn heads in the crowds.

Ladies Day at York's Ebor Festival. Undated.

Some ensembles are elegant and understated; others are gloriously extravagant, reflecting the enduring appeal of Ebor and Ladies Day, where fashion is every bit as much a talking point as the action on the track.

A grand day out at Ladies Day at Ebor festival. Photo: Anthony Chappel-Ross/ The Press

Attendance was up by three per cent on last year with 27,000 people passing through the turnstiles on the final day of the meeting as the sun shone.

The four days saw a record 459 runners declared with an average field size over 16, competing for a record investment in prize money approaching £7.5m across the Ebor Festival.

Ebor Festival Ladies Day with a head of hats on show at York Racecourse. Pictured, Natalie Fowler, Elizabeth Parker, Sasha Parker and Helena Towse. Photo: Mike Tipping/ The Press

Chief executive and clerk of the course William Derby thanked everyone who supported the meeting, acknowledging that the economic backdrop remained "a challenge in many households".

An eye-catching headpiece turns heads at Ladies' Day in 2019. Photo: Nigel French/ PA Wire.

If you love delving into York’s past and seeing photos and reading stories from yesteryear then make sure you check The Press every day for its regular nostalgia stories.

And don’t miss our eight-page nostalgia supplement every Wednesday in the paper.

We also have more than 3,000 members in our online nostalgia group on Facebook, Why We Love York - Memories. It is free to join and you will find us at www.facebook.com/groups/yorknostalgia/.