Goodwood History

This year’s Goodwood Revival Meeting was the seventh in the series—time flies when you’re having fun. One thing that marks the Revival is the dress code. It is not onerous, just a jacket and tie for a man—and only in the paddock—but it makes the occasion special. What started off as a small gesture has become a feature. It has also provided entertainment, like when someone thought he could get in wearing a T-shirt because he fronted a TV crew. He was wrong.

Women who dress in period for the Revival often look stunning, but then the frocks which have survived were all made by leading fashion houses, however, women did not wear Dior to a motor race. In 1948, rationing dominated Britain. Even bread was rationed and it had not been during the War. Items of clothing were labelled so much money and so many ration coupons. Women’s magazines would feature a dress pattern as a give-away selling point as, today, magazines come with DVDs.