Jul 05, 2026

12 Millinery Hats You Should Try for the Qatar Goodwood Festival 2026

Twelve hand-made hats for Glorious Goodwood 2026, chosen from the Merve Bayindir atelier for the lawns above Chichester, from wide-brim straw to sculpted occasion pieces.

Glorious Goodwood is the summer meeting where British flat racing feels most like a party. Held high on the South Downs from Tuesday 28 July to Saturday 1 August 2026, the Qatar Goodwood Festival trades the formality of Ascot for linen suits, Panamas and the relaxed, understated dressing the meeting has been known for since King Edward VII swapped morning dress for a Panama and a linen jacket. Headwear is not compulsory, yet a good hat is part of the picture, and never more so than on Ladies’ Day. Below are twelve pieces from the atelier, each hand-made in London, weighted towards the wide-brim shapes that earn their place over a long day in the sun.

Editorial flat-lay of several straw and occasion hats fanned across pale linen with a sprig of greenery, soft daylight, overhead angle.

A quick word on the Goodwood dress code

Goodwood is guided by relaxed, understated dressing rather than strict rules. The Richmond Enclosure is the smartest, with softly structured dresses and smart separates for ladies and a jacket, collared shirt and tie for gentlemen, while the Gordon and Lennox enclosures are progressively more relaxed. Ladies’ Day falls on Thursday 30 July 2026, the fashion high point of the week and the day to reach for a statement piece. As with the race headwear worn at Ascot or the derby headwear at Epsom, a considered hat completes the look.

Wide-brim straw for a day on the downs

These eight straw pieces are drawn from our summer line, all hand-woven and finished by hand. A generous brim gives shade on open downland and frames the face without tipping into ceremony. Prices include UK VAT.

Sereen · £375

The female model is posing, wearing Sereen, the natural woven straw hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a taupe and rust silk ribbon and finished with long scarf ties featuring delicate illustrated figures. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir Millinery.

A natural straw hat with a generous brim, a taupe and rust silk band and long printed scarf ties at the back. Warm and quietly assured, it is the most Goodwood of the group, at home with sand and caramel linen.

Cielor · £325

The female model is posing, wearing Cielor, the royal blue woven straw boater hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a soft pale grey silk ribbon and finished with long scarf ties featuring delicate illustrated figures. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A royal blue straw boater with a wide brim, a pale grey silk band and illustrated scarf ties. It brings a clean lift of colour against white or soft beige, with very little else needed.

Vianne · £325

The female model is posing, wearing Vianne, the white woven straw boater hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a soft beige silk ribbon and finished with a tied scarf featuring illustrated panda motifs at the side. Designed and Made by Merve Bayindir millinery

A crisp white boater with a beige silk band tied into a bow and a printed scarf detail at the side. Fresh and gently playful, it suits champagne and powder tones on a bright afternoon.

Noen · £375

The female model is posing, wearing Noen, the natural woven straw wide brim boater hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a black ribbon and finished with an oversized black satin bow at the side. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir Millinery.

A generous handwoven brim with a deep black satin band and an oversized bow whose ribbons can be tied under the chin. It frames the face with confidence and carries a simple dress on its own.

Azuril · £325

The female model is posing, wearing , Azuril, the white woven straw boater hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a soft blue watercolour scarf and finished with delicate blue beaded floral embellishments at the side. Designed by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A white boater wrapped in a silk band washed with soft blue watercolour tones and finished with a beaded floral at the side. Pale and quietly romantic, it is an easy choice for a sunlit day on the lawn.

Brisa · £325

The female model is posing, wearing Brisa, the natural woven straw boater hat with a wide brim, adorned with a brown floral-print ribbon tied in a bow and finished with a small embroidered flower detail at the center. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A natural boater with a caramel silk band printed in ivory blossom and a small embroidered flower at the centre. The garden-party note of the group, warm and soft, worn with cream and light linen.

Tarin · £325

The female model is posing, wearing Tarin, the natural woven straw boater hat with a wide brim, wrapped in a cream and rust silk ribbon and finished with a tied scarf featuring an illustrated female portrait detail. Design and made by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A composed natural boater with an ivory band edged in terracotta and an illustrated scarf tie. Clean lines and warm neutrals make it a steady, versatile choice across the five days.

Solea · £325

The female model is posing, wearing Solea, the natural woven straw boater hat with a wide frayed brim, accented with long sheer orange ribbon ties at the back. Designed and Made by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A wide-brim boater with a softly frayed edge and long sheer saffron ties that catch the light as you move. Sun-washed and easy, it is made for a golden afternoon on the downs.

Sculpted occasion pieces for Ladies’ Day

For the front row on Thursday 30 July, four sculpted pieces bring the dressier end of the occasion range. They ask for a calm outfit and let the hat lead.

Silken Grace · £1,100

Model is showcasing the right top front side of a grey asymetric wide-brim hat decorated with striking oversized bow with silver metallic details. The bow matches the shape of the asymety of the hat. Worn to tilted to the right side of the head, fitted with a wire and elastic.

A grey occasion hat with a sculpted, asymmetric wide brim and an oversized bow finished with fine silver detail, worn tilted to one side. The dressiest of the straw-adjacent shapes, it sits well with soft grey and dove tailoring.

Timber · £1,000

Female model posing wearing the Timber wide brim asymmetric yellow hat tilted to the left. Decorated with two pink buntal stripes crossing the hat as well as each other, embellished the centre of straight ribbon is a dark blue bead bead cluster. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir millinery.

A yellow asymmetric wide-brim hat tilted to the left, crossed by two pink buntal stripes and finished with a deep blue bead cluster at the centre. A warm, graphic choice for anyone who wants a note of colour on Ladies’ Day.

Clyra · £3,100

The female model is posing, wearing
Clyra, the mint coloured sinamay base hat with a wide sculpted brim, featuring delicate yellow flowers lining the underside and finished with a bold yellow feather accent on the outer edge for a striking contrast. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir Millinery.

A mint sinamay hat with a wide sculpted brim, delicate yellow flowers lining the underside and a single bold yellow feather on the outer edge. A ready-to-ship piece, considered and softly architectural, worn with cool pastels.

Feyra · £3,100

The female model is posing, wearing
Feyra, the powder blue sinamay base hat with a wide, gently sloping brim, adorned with clusters of soft pastel organza flowers in lilac, pale yellow, and blush tones that gather along the crown and trail lightly across the surface. Designed and made by Merve Bayindir Millinery.

A powder blue sinamay hat with a wide, gently sloping brim, gathered with clusters of soft organza flowers in lilac, pale yellow and blush along the crown. Also ready to ship, it reads as romantic without losing its clean line.

At a glance

Hat	Style	Colour	Price	Best for
Sereen	Wide-brim straw	Natural and rust	£375	A long day in the sun
Cielor	Wide-brim boater	Royal blue	£325	A note of colour
Vianne	Wide-brim boater	White and beige	£325	Bright, soft days
Noen	Wide-brim sun hat	Natural and black	£375	A statement entrance
Azuril	Wide-brim boater	White and sky blue	£325	Pale romance
Brisa	Wide-brim boater	Natural and caramel	£325	Garden-party florals
Tarin	Wide-brim boater	Natural and terracotta	£325	Quiet neutrals
Solea	Wide-brim boater	Natural and saffron	£325	Golden afternoons
Silken Grace	Sculpted wide brim	Grey and silver	£1,100	Ladies’ Day dressing
Timber	Wide brim, asymmetric	Yellow and pink	£1,000	A graphic statement
Clyra	Sculpted wide brim	Mint and yellow	£3,100	Ready-to-ship polish
Feyra	Wide brim, floral	Powder blue pastels	£3,100	Romantic occasion

Styling notes for Goodwood

Keep the outfit calm and let the hat lead. Linen, cotton and soft tailoring in natural tones sit at the heart of the Goodwood look, with pastels and a single clean colour in place of heavy prints. The lawns slope and the grass is real, so wedges, block heels or smart flats are wiser than a fine stiletto. Carry a light layer for the late-afternoon breeze on the downs, and keep jewellery quiet so the brim can do its work.

Ordering, and what to expect

Most pieces are made to order in the London atelier, so with the Festival at the end of July it is worth ordering with time in hand. The ready to ship pieces, Clyra and Feyra among them, are dispatched within the next working day. Every order arrives in a custom box, with worldwide DHL Express shipping included.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have to wear a hat at the Qatar Goodwood Festival?

No. Unlike Royal Ascot, there is no rule that ladies must wear a hat at Goodwood. Even so, hats and Panamas are very much part of the look, and most guests wear one, particularly on Ladies’ Day.

What kind of hat suits Goodwood best?

A wide-brim straw hat is the classic Goodwood choice, giving shade on open downland while keeping the look relaxed. For Ladies’ Day, a sculpted occasion piece is well placed.

When is Goodwood Ladies’ Day 2026?

Ladies’ Day falls on Thursday 30 July 2026, the same day as the Markel Magnolia Cup, and is the fashion high point of the Festival.

Do I need to order in advance?

Our made-to-order pieces are crafted in London, so allowing time before the Festival is wise. If your plans are close, our ready-to-ship pieces are dispatched within the next working day.

Find your Goodwood hat

Every piece above is designed and hand-made in our London atelier by Merve Bayindir, a member of the British Fashion Council with selections in the Royal Ascot Style Guide. Explore the wider range of fascinators, hatinators and wide-brim hats, or begin with our Summer Casual Headwear for the straw shapes that suit a day on the downs.

Sources

Qatar Goodwood Festival, Goodwood

Dress Code, Goodwood Racecourse