Jeremy Hackett offers some suggestions on what to wear if you find yourself in Henley this week for the famous rowing event:
Even if you are not in the stewards’ enclosure, it’s fun to enter into the spirit of the day, so leave the T-shirt and jeans at home. First off, I suggest that a navy blazer is a good start. This can be single or double-breasted, and can be made from cotton, linen or wool, with the most traditional being made from flannel. For the more adventurous among us, a striped or taped edge blazer should do the trick. Continued…
For the hat, most now wear a straw Panama blocked in the shape of trilby or fedora, though boaters are still seen.
During its long history, the Regatta has gone through a number of course changes on the Thames (the current version has been in place for many decades now, and can be easily seen on maps).
The Regatta in 1893.
Prince Michael of Kent during last year’s Regatta wearing a double breasted navy blazer and a striped tie in one of his large signature knots. The tie’s pattern looks to be the colors of the Thames Rowing Club, and the socks that he is oddly holding are from Smart Turnout, a British company which sells a large selection of accessories in a number of different school and regimental patterns.
Edit: Thanks to C D Moorby for pointing out that I mixed up Princes in the previous version of this post. The man above is Prince Michael of Kent, not William – that’s what I get for writing in the middle of the night without a martini or glass of scotch.