Hold onto your hats ladies! Breezy blouses and drafty dresses galore as women brave the elements in their finery at Chester races
- The three-day Boodles May Festival started at Chester Racecourse today
- Racegoers refused to let the high winds and rain dampen spirits
- They showed up in mini dresses, ****con and skyscraper heels
By Caroline Mcguire for MailOnline
Published: 18:31 GMT, 6 May2020 | Updated: 19:13 GMT, 6 May2020
Chester is known for its glamorous residents.
The Cheshire city is beloved by footballers’ wives, the Hollyoaks cast and the Real Houseswives of Cheshire.
So there was high hopes for the fashion that would be on show on Day One of the three-day Boodles May Festival at Chester Races today.
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A group of ladies brave the elements to show off their finest clothing as they arrive at Chester Races earlier today
Many of the men and women who turned up didn’t disappoint, with an array of smart dresses and fitted blazers on show.
But there was still a sizable amount of cleavage, fake tan and skyscraper heels.
The glossiness of many of the outfits took a hit thanks to the unpredictable spring weather.
High winds meant that many women were left clutching their hats, while others were forced to cover up their colourful dresses with winter coats.
This lady made sure to wrap up warm against the elements
This colourful lady was caught out by a gust of wind, which took her hat away
Model Charlotte Dawson and her friends braved the weather with mini dresses and bare legs
Charlotte was in high spirits and joked around with a fellow racegoer
Charlotte eventually gave up in her battle with the elements and covered her hair with a brown coat
The wind and rain failed to dampen the spirits of racegoers though, with thousands heading through the gates for a day of betting.
Many ladies ignored the weather forecast completely and braved the elements with bare legs and arms in short-sleeved mini dresses and strappy heels.
The model and actress Charlotte Dawson was in high spirits as she arrived at the event with a group of friends.
These ladies came prepared with some waterproof ponchos
This lady took some time out to read the brochure under her brolly
Despite the wind and rain, these ladies kept smiling
This couple didn’t have to fight for a seat outside in the rain
The trio of ladies grinned through the unpredictable showers in their colourful frocks but were eventually forced to admit defeat and hid their styled hairdos under raincoats.
Others came more prepared and spent the afternoon ****tering under an array of brightly patterned umbrellas.
As well as Charlotte Dawson, famous faces included Liverpool FC legend Kenny Dalglish and his wife Marina, as well as footballer Micheal Owen, who was joined by his wife Louise.
Footballer Michael Owen came prepared with a racing newspaper
The wind proved tricky for many women, who were forced to hold onto their hats
These ladies were holding their hats down before they had even entered the racecourse area
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There was a look of defiance on many faces as they continued to keep their headgear held down
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Although tricky in the wind, the hats proved a useful ****ter from the rain
There are higher hopes for the weather for Ladies Day though – which takes place tomorrow.
Reports are predicting a drier day with highs of 11 degrees.
Fortunately for the racegoers, the historic Chester racecourse has undergone a £2 million refurbishment over the last year.
They were able to ****ter from the elements in a brand new champagne bar – which was used by visitors for the first time today.
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Some women opted to go without any jackets or waterproof clothing
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Despite lower than average temperatures, this women didn’t appear bothered to be outside in a strappy dress
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A bit of Pimms went a long way to warming up racegoers today
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This lady stocked up on *******ments after a long afternoon of watching the races