Royal Ascot is five days outdoors in June, photographed from every angle, in whatever the weather decides to do. The hat has to clear the Royal Enclosure dress code, hold its shape from the Royal Procession to the last race, and still look like yours rather than the rule book's.
The Royal Enclosure asks for a hat, or a headpiece with a solid base of at least 10cm across. Say where you are sitting when you order and we will confirm your piece measures up. Each one is blocked to your head measurement and made by hand in the London atelier. A commission takes one to four weeks.
Choosing yours
Three things that decide an Ascot hat
The Royal Enclosure has a measurement
A hat, or a headpiece with a solid base of at least 10cm across. Fascinators are not accepted in the Royal Enclosure. Tell us if you are in the Royal Enclosure and we will confirm the base before your piece is made.
Read the full dress codeBrim size follows your outfit
A wide brim is glorious in the parade ring and wants room in a crowded box. An upturned brim or a pillbox keeps your face open in every photograph taken that day.
Order a month ahead
A commission takes one to four weeks and the atelier is at its busiest in the run up to June. Ready to wear pieces ship straight away.
Made for you
Monika will design a piece around your outfit, match the colour by hand to your fabric and block it to your measurement. One to four weeks from the first conversation.
Hats and headpieces made for the Royal Meeting, hand blocked and finished in the London atelier. Every shape here can be made to order in your colour, and the base is measured against the Royal Enclosure rule before your piece is made. One to four weeks from the first conversation.
Royal Ascot hats made to order
Tell us your enclosure, your date and the colour of your outfit. Monika Perlińska designs the piece around it, matches the colour against a swatch of your own fabric and blocks the hat to your head measurement.
If you are in the Royal Enclosure the base measurement is confirmed before the piece is made, so it answers the 10 centimetre rule on the day. Brim scale, crown height and trim are all set to you. No piece is made twice, so your colourway stays yours.
Lead time is one to four weeks from the first conversation to the finished hat. June is the fullest month in the atelier, so begin a clear month before the meeting. Begin a commission or read the Royal Ascot hat guide.
Choosing a shape for the Royal Enclosure
A blocked shape is the reliable answer. A straw pillbox, a disc or a structured bow carries a solid base and reads correctly in the enclosure, while a wisp of feathers on a wire does not. A sweeping brim is the bolder silhouette and wants a deeper crown to stay level through a long day on your feet.
Ascot is photographed all day in strong June light. Mid tones with texture hold their shape on camera, very pale colours lose their edges under strong sun and very dark ones flatten into silhouette. Woven straw helps a pale colour keep its identity. More on colour that photographs well.
Questions
What are the Royal Enclosure hat rules?
Women in the Royal Enclosure wear a hat, or a headpiece with a solid base of at least 10 centimetres in diameter. Fascinators are not accepted there. A blocked pillbox, a disc or a structured bow answers the rule, while a slim headband on its own does not.
Ascot publishes its dress code and reviews the wording every year, so check the current guidance. The 2027 Royal Enclosure hat rules.
Will you confirm my hat meets the 10cm rule?
Yes. Tell us you are sitting in the Royal Enclosure when you order and the base measurement of your piece is checked against the current published code before it is made. Ask for the base measurement of any ready to wear piece here and we will give it to you before you commit.
When should I order a hat for Royal Ascot?
Allow a clear month before the meeting. Lead time is one to four weeks from the first conversation to the finished hat, and June is the busiest month in the atelier. Ready to wear pieces ship straight away. If your date is close, write first and Monika will say what is possible.
Can you match a hat to my Ascot outfit?
Yes, from a physical swatch. Send a cutting from a hem or a seam allowance and the straw, ribbon and thread are chosen against it in daylight. A colour name or a phone photograph will not carry the colour, so the cloth itself is what the match is made against.
Do you fit Royal Ascot hats remotely?
Yes. Fittings take place in the London atelier or by video call for clients abroad, and your head measurement is checked before the block is chosen. On a commission we post you a tape. The measuring method is in the size and fit guide.
How much is delivery for a Royal Ascot hat?
Delivery within the United Kingdom is £20.00 and takes 3 to 5 business days. Every parcel is tracked, insured and signed for, and there is no express service. Full delivery and returns terms.
Racing all year: shop every race day hat.