The Most Unfashionable Celebrity Outfits at Royal Ascot 2025

Despite her daughter Kate Middleton having to pull out of her Ascot 2025 appearance, Carole Middleton still attended. Unfortunately, the former party-store owner’s look wasn’t a celebration. She went for a lace dress that looked like it could’ve been plucked off the clearance rack at a discount retailer. Even her Philip Treacy hat couldn’t save the look; the famed milliner’s toppers typically retail for $2,000 and up on average, but this still looked like a bargain-bin ensemble.

Will her Royal Ascot 2025 look rank positively or negatively on Princess Beatrice’s best and worst looks list? The latter, we’re sorry to say. Prince Andrew’s daughter looked like she was ready to whip off her pink gingham outfit and lay it on the ground for anyone who wanted to indulge in a course-side picnic. That is a chic hat, however.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, appeared at the races on multiple days looking sensational in floral-print dresses that cinched at the waist. This look, however, didn’t deliver for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter-in-law. The white mod-inspired dress, with daisy appliqués and a tight collar, looked outdated and did nothing for the duchess.

The official Royal Ascot dress code states that a coordinated pantsuit (meaning matching color and fabric) is acceptable in the Royal Enclosure. So it’s not that Zara Tindall’s blue suit was going against the rules, nor was it off-trend with the icy-blue color. What didn’t work was that it felt much too casual and like work-wear for the occasion. But we commend her for trying something different. This time, it wasn’t a success, though it would have worked for an office meeting.

Australian fashion designer and hat maker Angela Menz is worth a mention for her overly comic looks, which left her looking like a Dr. Seuss character. We’re here for a bit of whimsy, but one touch is usually enough to make an outfit playful. This much is OTT, especially at such a prim and proper event.

All you need to know about Lady Joanna Morton Jack’s outfit was that the colors didn’t work together. Red: Yes, definitely a hot color this season. Pastel mint-green: Yes, also on-trend for summer 2025. Together, though? Uh-uh. Red and mint clash. We wouldn’t even use them next to each other when decorating at Christmas. Those are great earrings that the daughter of the third Earl of Hallifax is wearing, however.