Glamorous racegoers have arrived for the start of Royal Ascot as the five-day festival gets underway today.
Jewel-coloured dresses, statement hats and dapper morning suits were all on display as revellers descended on the Berkshire racecourse this morning.
Royal Ascot, the jewel in the crown of the UK racing calendar, starts today with the Queen Anne Stakes and will run until Ladies' Day on Friday.
The Queen will officially mark the start of today's festivities with the royal carriage procession at around 2pm - but racegoers are wasting no time in getting the party started.
Hat's off to them! Journalist Flora MacDonald Johnston, left, and Australian model Georgia Fowler in statement headwear
More is more! Ines Hernandez from the Dominican Republic, left, wore a gloriously eye-catching hat for the occasion
Feathered fancies: Head-to-toe orange was one racegoer's bold look, left. Right, Zara Sassoon in a frothy white ensemble
Sticking to the theme! Rebecca Johnson flashes a beautiful smile in her customised Royal Ascot hat at the course today
Summer style: Suits and dresses were both on show as racegoers arrived. Right, a woman heads off from London Waterloo
Time for a selfie! Glamorous racegoers arrive for the first day of Royal Ascot as the five-day festival gets underway
Dream team! Racegoers pose for a snap on their way in, left. Right, Rebecca Johnson matches with her Royal Ascot date
Starting young! Dapper Chase Spranklin, 10, from Florida, was dressed to the nines for his outing to Royal Ascot today
Setting up camp: One of the favourite bits about Royal Ascot for many people is the picnic that takes place outside, pictured
Watch the hat! Designer Amanda Wakeley whips out an umbrella, left, and Zara Sassoon uses a hat box as a rain shield
Cheers to them! A group of well-dressed racegoers toast to the start of a fun day with a picnic near Ascot Racecourse
Great British past-time: Polite racegoers wait in line in their Ascot finery as they arrive at the Berkshire racecourse today
Royal Ascot is a much a social occasion as a sporting event and racegoers take the opportunity to turn on the style, from chic hats and summer dresses to sharp suits.
Visitors to the high-profile racing event this year also have a wider choice of garb, as organisers say they are free to choose a gender dress code they 'feel most comfortable' with.
Under the changes, women will be allowed to dress like men and vice versa – as long as they stick to the rules.
This year's Royal Enclosure dress code says 'Gentleman' must wear black or grey morning dress with a waist coat and tie.
Girls' day out! Tangerine dresses were the order of the day for this gaggle of glamorous women at Royal Ascot
Strike a pose! Australian model Georgia Fowler made sure to give the photographer different angles as she arrived
Great British summertime! A tablecloth, wine and silver ice bucket made this Royal Ascot picnic a very civilised affair
Turning heads: Ines Hernandez, left, and Rebecca Johnson, right, were among the standout arrivals at Royal Ascot
Pushing the boundaries: One woman dons a suit, left, following the relaxing of the Royal Ascot dress code this year
Can you ever have too many hats? Jodie Kidd makes a statement with a teetering tower of top hats at Royal Ascot
Old fashioned glamour: A group of women in orange dresses strike a pose on their way into Royal Ascot
All out glamour: A racegoer is fabulous in a red ensemble, left, and Australian model Georgia Fowler strikes a pose, right
'Ladies' are not allowed to wear strapless and off-the-shoulder dresses, while mid-riffs have to be covered and fascinators are also banned.
In previous years, it has insisted attendees cover their midriffs and avoid wearing fascinators and that still stands.
While in previous years there has been no official style guide for the Windsor Enclosure, except to dress for a formal occasion, now female attendees are requested to wear fascinators, like those in the rest of the enclosures.
Royal Ascot has put in place strict dress
