Zara Tindall is easily one of the most stylish British royals, whose iconic fashion sense spans from the coolest casual looks to revolutionising the modern approach to race day fashion. Certainly, when it comes to the races, where she feels most at home as an Olympic equestrian, the 44-year-old always brings out her best looks for the races, and her Cheltenham outfits are always a sight to behold. As a writer on HELLO!'s Lifestyle desk who covers royal style every single day and especially follows Zara Tindall's style, I think her most recent look might be one of my favourites – but, more importantly, I'm obsessed with how she handled what could have been an awkward wardrobe malfunction.
When arriving for Countryside Day at the Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday, 14 November, which celebrates rural life and tradition as well as the sport, Zara was pictured walking through the stormy conditions, which have come following forecasters issuing an amber warning for rain as Storm Claudia, named by the Spanish meteorological service, has been bringing immense downpours and strong winds for much of the country.
For a slightly more low-key day at Cheltenham, like this, it's vital to look smart without coming off too formal – and the weather conditions limited her choices a little bit, meaning she'd certainly need to wrap up more. Fortunately, Zara completely nailed the assignment. She brought out her 'Christie' jacket in herringbone from L.K. Bennett, as well as a burgundy rollneck sweater from Karen Millen, knee-high 'Regina' boots and a 'Loxley' cross-body bag from Fairfax & Favor, the lifestyle brand with whom she had a campaign this year and now serves as brand ambassador.
To accessorise, she wore a gorgeous pair of stud earrings from Van Peterson, which featured elegant freshwater pearls and amazonite in 18-carat gold-plated silver.
The centre of the spectacle was undoubtedly how she saved herself from a potential wardrobe malfunction: the classy daughter of the Princess Royal looked so composed as she took Storm Claudia in her stride, clutching tightly onto her hat as the rapturous wind tried to whisk it away from her.
Zara's choice of outfit falls perfectly in line with her typical autumn and racing style, down to the warm colours, long coat, and knee-high boots, all of which she has been known to sport in the colder months. However, the coordination between the burgundy hat, a gorgeous Oxley fedora from Hicks and Brown. and sweater, popping against her darker coat and boots, really elevates the look.
Zara Tindall's racing style
While the Olympic equestrian's style was generally quite daring in the 2000s, with outfits leaning more towards cowgirl chic and daring bodycon looks, her racing fashion has always been leant on the more classically elegant side of contemporary royal style. When it comes to Royal Ascot and Cheltenham, Zara typically opts for floral dresses or beautiful long coats – but this year she brought out a suit at Ascot for the very first time, meaning that we may be in for some more adventurous racing outfits from her in the coming years.
HELLO! got a first look at her Fairfax & Favor campaign earlier this year, where she shared: "My number one style tip for dressing at Cheltenham would be to create a balance between elegance and personality." She has also previously revealed that her mother taught her "the importance of having good-quality clothing that keeps you warm and comfortable outdoors". When it comes to racing style in colder weather, Zara has everything figured out!