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crown jewels
June 17, 2015

The Craziest Fascinators at Royal Ascot

By Stephanie Eckardt

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Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The five-day Royal Ascot, Britain’s largest horse race, has begun, and so has its over-the-top display of peacockery. Each day begins with a royal procession (the queen has avidly attended every Royal Meeting during her reign), followed by races hanging on millions of dollars in prizes. As usual, the competition isn’t just among the horses: Racegoers adorn their heads as if there were a prize for gravity-defying accessories at stake, too. Click through to see the most impressive and impractical fascinators from the first two days of the races — including butterflies, giant hibiscus flowers, and mini umbrellas — and marvel at their top-heavy wearers’ ability to stay balanced.

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1 / 34 Photos
Anouska Lancaster  Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Jackie St Clair  Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Lizzie Cundy  Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Anwar Hussein/2015 Anwar Hussein
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Anwar Hussein/2015 Anwar Hussein
Georgina Parham  Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Isabell Kristensen  Photo: Anwar Hussein/2015 Anwar Hussein
Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Photo: Anadolu Agency/2015 Anadolu Agency
Sophie, Countess of Wessex  Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/2015 Max Mumby/Indigo
Sally Bercow  Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/2015 Max Mumby/Indigo
Isabell Kristensen  Photo: Julian Parker/2015 Julian Parker
The Tootsie Rollers  Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Martha Ward  Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/2015 Getty Images
Lily Lewis  Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/2015 Getty Images
Mary Portas  Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Pei Bei  Photo: Chris Jackson/2015 Getty Images
Jackie St Clair  Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
Denise Lewis  Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/2015 Getty Images
Sophie, Countess of Wessex; Autumn Phillips  Photo: Samir Hussein/2015 Samir Hussein
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Tags:

  • fascinators
  • royal ascot
  • crown jewels

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