This is the time of year when many of us start having more fun with our clothes and we’ve seen several bold shades emerge as spring/summer fashion colour trends for 2026. Now Royal Ascot has launched their inaugural Colour of the Year: Bright Tomato.
The decision was informed by both trend forecasting and Ascot tradition – and it’s featured in the new dressing guide, The Royal Ascot Handbook: The Art of Dressing Well. Racegoers are being encouraged to embrace the colour on Ladies Day on 18th June and the Princess of Wales already has the perfect outfit.
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M&S Cotton Rich Boucle Slim Fit Knitted Top
With its boucle finish, this cotton-rich knitted top adds texture as well as colour to an outfit. It’s designed to be fitted and the slightly shorter length makes it perfect for wearing with high-waisted trousers, jeans or skirts. The ribbed trims are a neat touch.
M&S Polka Dot Red Printed Midi Slip Skirt
A slip skirt can be made more casual with trainers and sandals or dressed up with heels and this one has a delicate polka dot print running all over it. The waist is elasticated for comfort and the skirt falls to midi-length in a classic A-line shape.
ME+EM Red Raglan Sleeve Maxi Dress
This ravishing red dress is crafted from soft, breathable cotton with the stretch and drape of jersey. The finish is matte but textured and the design features raglan seams which create a soft, relaxed shoulder. Layer over a linen blazer on a cooler day.
Mint Velvet Red Cotton Cheesecloth Dress
This dress has open stitch detailing, a feminine tiered skirt and a shirred back. The V-neckline frames the decolletage and the orange-toned red is a beautiful, bright choice for the season. Style with espadrille wedges or heels for a Kate-esque outfit.
Mango Red Fitted Double-Breasted Blazer
Even in spring/summer you can get a lot of wear out of blazers and this one is made from a wool blend fabric. The wrap design makes it feel a little more cool and contemporary than your typical blazer and it also has notched lapels.
ME+EM Red Trim Cheesecloth Blouse
Crafted from lightweight cotton cheesecloth, this ME+EM blouse is framed by short cap sleeves. The placket and collar are elevated with a scallop edge trim and this would work especially well as a contrast against white or light blue denim.
For Ascot 2023 she turned to one of her go-to British clothing brands, Alexander McQueen, for a bespoke midi dress. The flowy sleeves and V-neckline brought a feminine feel to the frock whilst still being modest enough for the Royal Enclosure.
Her Philip Treacy hat matched perfectly and so did her suede court heels. It was a striking look and something in this colour would make a gorgeous summer wedding guest dress. Like Kate, you could coordinate accessories, but I would probably go for a neutral or metallic bag and shoes to mellow things slightly instead.
Bright red seems daunting and yet it looks fabulous with tan, white and black, so most people will already have wardrobe staples they can pair with it. It also works as a contrast against blue denim, though the Princess of Wales tends to choose tomato red for smarter occasions.
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Other than at Royal Ascot, Kate has memorably worn this Colour of the Year to Cardiff Castle during the Platinum Jubilee weekend in 2022 and for a Portage Session for her Shaping Us campaign in 2023.
In Cardiff she wore a long orange-red coat dress with navy blue accessories and a year later she stepped out dressed in black and beige with a red Zara blazer. Red frocks and coats immediately draw the eye as the main component of an outfit and you can keep the rest of your look very simple to allow them to shine.
Meanwhile, her red blazer lifted the darker colour palette of her 2023 style and made it more fun. Tailoring is always going to have a formal edge, so picking a bright colour like red can help prevent a blazer from looking overly business-like.
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There are many more occasions where the Princess of Wales has worn this colour, from the 2025 Commonwealth Day service to the launch of the Forward Trust’s ‘Taking Action on Addiction’ campaign in 2021. It also feels low-key patriotic given red appears on the British flag and we all know how often the Royal Family also opt for blue and white.
Now bright tomato is officially Royal Ascot’s Colour of the Year, there’s an extra reason for the Princess to dress in this shade over the summer – and I’m feeling inspired to as well!
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Catherine, Princess of Wales