Grand National Style Award judge shares her tips on how to be a fashion winner at this year’s Ladies Day

Ladies Day returns to Aintree Racecourse, part of the Randox Grand National Festival on Friday 8 April

The Style Award is back at Aintree for Ladies Day all part of the Randox Grand National 2022 and this year and it’s got a new style partner – womenswear brand Never Fully Dressed.

Launched in 2009, the label is known for its bold, feelgood prints and colour clashes and has become a big favourite with influencers and fashion bloggers. It’s also been worn by celebs including Beyonce, Kendall Jenner, Ashley Roberts and Fearne Cotton.

After starting out by selling customised vintage from her parents’ attic at Spitalfields and Portobello markets, founder Lucy Aylen has seen Never Fully Dressed grow into an international brand with 1.2million Instagram followers.

Now it’s teaming up with Aintree for Liverpool’s favourite fashion event of the year and Lucy is about to experience Ladies Day herself for the first time. This year’s Style Award winner will receive the following:

• £500 Never Fully Dressed voucher
• £5,000 cash prize
• The Ultimate UK Staycation Spa Break with Iconic Luxury Hotels
• £1,000 donation to your chosen charity
• x2 Garden Club Tickets to Ladies Day 2023
• A Randox Health package 

We will be at Aintree Racecourse across the three days of the Randox Grand National Festival to bring you all of the coverage as it happens and will once again be partnering with the Ladies Day Style Award.

The Guide Liverpool caught up with Lucy of Never Fully Dressed to find out what she’s looking forward to most and what her tips are for Style Awards entrants this year …

What made you want to be the official style partner for Randox Ladies Day and the Style Award?

“I was brought up going to the racing, so it’s always been on my radar from a personal level and then it came up as an opportunity and we thought it sat really well with our customer. We have that element of fun in what we do and how we dress so it felt like the right fit.

“We’re based in Essex and I think Liverpool and Essex have a lot of similarities in enjoying getting dressed up.

“I’ve only ever been to Aintree for the Grand National on the Saturday when I was younger, so I’ve not been to Ladies Day before, but I’ve heard so much about it so I’m really looking forward to walking around, seeing what everyone’s wearing and just really getting involved in it.

“Liverpool’s a fun time city. We’re passionate as well about women just feeling good in themselves and I think clothing has got a big part to play in that. We want people to put something on, feel amazing and go and have a good night or go and smash whatever they’re doing that day, that’s our ethos.”

Lucy Aylen, Never Fully Dressed

What trends should we be looking out for this year?

“A lot of colour. I think everyone wants that little mood lifter, print and print clash, and then it’s fun to accessorise with hats. We do a lot of pink and orange together for summer, and as well as being nice and bright that’s quite a flattering combination for a lot of colourings as well.

“With prints we’re seeing a bit of everything. For us it’s always floral, always animal print – leopard print is our signature – and abstracts which sometimes feel a bit safer for people if floral or animal print isn’t for them.

“Fruit prints are starting to come through for spring/summer and I love a fruit print – dresses with bananas, cherries, peaches, and lemons are quite a staple for spring/summer. We’ve got some embroidered cherries, so again that’s a nice choice if you’re not a bold print person.

“The last two years have been a tops time because of Zoom when we were dressing from the waist up, but now we can go out dresses have made a comeback. Short has got shorter and long has got longer, which feels a bit more sexy and glam, so I think we’ll definitely see that coming through.

“And with hats I’d just say go for it – the bigger the better!”

What will be your dos and don’ts for this year’s Style Award?

“I like something that feels effortless because it really suits someone. Anyone who’s having fun with an outfit is great because that’s infectious, like when you’re in the toilets and girls are going to each other ‘oh your outfit’s amazing’. It just spreads joy. It doesn’t have to be runway perfect, if it makes me smile that’s more important to me.

“As for don’ts, the main one is not to wear anything that doesn’t feel right. Don’t choose something that ticks a box or does a look but isn’t you and isn’t your natural style.

“If something feels forced then you often don’t wear it as well.”

Have you decided what you’ll be wearing for Ladies Day?

“I’ve not picked my outfit yet, that’s the bit that’s making me nervous because I feel like I need to get it right! Our office is full of colour and print at the moment so I’m looking forward to picking something, although it’s a bit more about making sure no-one else is wearing the same dress, like when we have our Christmas do at work.

“I do love a sample, so maybe I’ll pick a summer sample that’s not on sale yet just to make sure nobody else has got it.”

This year’s prize is HUGE! Check out what you could win below:

First Prize

Find out more about this year’s Style Award and book your tickets for Ladies Day on Friday 8 April HERE.