What do I wear to the Polo?

It’s almost time for the annual sojourn to the BMW NZ Polo Open at the Auckland Polo Club in Clevedon. As a regular on the event circuit in my previous professional life, I attended many a day at the Polo and also helped judge the best dressed filly of the two-legged type.

However it was always more of a challenge than it should have been with much confusion over the dress code.. and one of the questions I was most often asked was ‘What do I wear to the Polo!?’ So here are a few tips:

1. There may be horses on the field, but you shouldn’t dress for a race day. No fascinators, heels or party dresses. Instead wear something chic and appropriate for a long, hot day in a sunny country field.

2. Summery dresses, elegant shorts or casual trousers. Whatever fashion option you go for, the key is to make sure the fabric is natural – and breathable – otherwise you’ll swelter in the steaming heat.

3. Footwear should also be ‘field friendly’ – so opt for glam flats or wedges (no stilettos!) The stomping of the divots is a long held tradition and as everyone heads out to stomp, all eyes are on your feet so opt for beautiful sandals or colourful wedges – no jandals!

4. Sunglasses, a good sunhat and some long sleeves to throw on for added sun protection as the day goes on are also essential.

The key to dressing for the Polo is to look elegant whilst still being somewhat practical about the function of what you’re wearing!

As far as the event itself, the best advice I can offer is to watch how many drinks you down! Most of the invitations will see you hosted in a marquee with the alcohol flowing and it’s very hard to keep on top of how many refills you’ve had over the course of a long and usually very hot afternoon. The heat, combined with the socialising also results in you downing far more alcohol than you had intended – so be warned!

Enjoy x