CALLING ALL HAT DESIGNERS AND HAT BUYERS: THE BIGGEST HAT EVENT OF THE YEAR IS BEING HELD JUNE 20 TO JUNE 24 IN BERKSHIRE ENGLAND

Get out your cameras and head to the Royal Ascot, a horse race extravaganza that heralds the hat with equal footing as the Queen. According to reports 300,000 well-dressed English nobles and friends will be wearing their Sunday best hats and apparel to this event.

Part of the dress code includes a hat, so be assured that this event will be the real cotillion for hat wearers from England and beyond. The event was founded by Queen Anne in 1711, and is touted as the world's most glamorous and snootiest racing event of the year.

The dress code at the Royal Ascot is very strict: men must wear black or grey morning dress with a vest and a top hat and women must adhere to ladylike dress fashions. At the 2002 event, Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster weren't allowed in the Royal Enclosure because of his white shoe/blue suit combination and her white mini-skirt.

Although Philip Treacy (the English hatter to Camilla Parker-Bowles) will not be there, his hats will be in abundance at the event.

"I don't go to Ascot myself, but there is a little part of me that goes with each hat I make," says Treacy. "That's a lot of parts. Ascot is the greatest hat-wearing event in the world — our busiest time of the year — and a period during which I eat, sleep and breathe hats."

"Ascot stands head and shoulders above every other racing meeting because it is the one event of the year where you are expected to put on a show. Society ladies are allowed to indulge their wildest creativity with flamboyant hats and outfits. This is the peacock event of the social diary."

The new Grandstand at the Royal Ascot will be having its official opening and Her Majesty The Queen is set to officially open the new racecourse on June 20th in the Parade Ring.

Call 0870 727 4321 or check out: http://www.royalascot.co.uk for information.