What to Wear to the Goodwood Revival 2026

From the Merve Bayindir atelier, a guide to the only motorsport meeting where the crowd dresses in period, and five hand-made pieces for the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

There is no other event quite like it. For three days in September the Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex turns the clock back to the years between 1948 and 1966, and tens of thousands of visitors arrive dressed for the era. The cars are historic, the aerodrome is full of vintage aircraft, and the crowd is the exhibit as much as the grid is. For a milliner this is the most interesting weekend of the British calendar, because it is the one occasion where the hat is not an accessory to a modern outfit but the thing that makes the whole look land. This is a guide to dressing for it.

The essentials: date, place and time

 

Why the clothes matter here more than anywhere

The Revival began in autumn 1998, bringing racing back to a circuit that had closed in 1966, and the period dressing was part of the idea from the start. Goodwood is direct about it: dressing up is not required, but the vast majority of visitors do it, many going to considerable lengths, and the resulting spectacle is a large part of what makes the weekend what it is. The only place the code is firm is central Paddock access, where gentlemen need a jacket and tie and ladies a dress or suit.

The era itself gives you a useful brief. When the circuit opened in 1948, fashion sat at a crossroads between the pared-down, rationing-shaped tailoring of the war years and the screen glamour that followed, with Rita Hayworth, Lena Horne and Ingrid Bergman setting the tone. That is the span you are dressing within: austerity and Hollywood, tweed and satin, a headscarf and a cocktail hat. In 2026 the theme adds an Italian accent, with La Dolce Vita and Italian motorsport heritage running through the weekend, which nudges the styling towards sunglasses, silk and a sharply tilted hat.

This is the one weekend where the hat is not the finishing touch. It is the thing that dates the whole outfit correctly.

What headwear actually reads as period

Three shapes do the heavy lifting. The pillbox is the clearest 1960s signal, worn straight and high on the crown, and it is the shape most associated with the decade’s most photographed women. A veiled cocktail piece, worn tilted to one side, takes you back to the 1940s and early 1950s, and a birdcage veil does more period work than almost any other single detail. The fedora covers the country and touring end of the era and suits tweed, while a beret reads continental, which fits neatly with an Italian theme. Goodwood’s own advice is worth repeating: accessories carry a look, and a hat, a silk scarf and a strong red lip will period-shift a contemporary outfit faster than a whole reproduction wardrobe.

Five Merve Bayindir pieces for the Revival

The five below are hand-made in our London atelier and drawn from our autumn and winter occasion line. Each is a modern piece rather than a reproduction, which is the point: they carry the period silhouette without looking like costume. Prices include UK VAT.

Fayne Pillbox Hat

£750

A black straw pillbox with a structured woven crown, wrapped in a sheer sinamay band that curves over the top and finished with a mesh bow at the side. This is the cleanest 1960s shape of the group. Worn straight and high with a shift dress and a strong lip, it does the decade in one move.

Ombra Fascinator

£1,000

A black sinamay round fascinator topped with sculpted looped detailing and framed by an open birdcage veil that flares out on both sides. The veil is the period marker here, and it photographs beautifully in the paddock. Wear it with a fitted black dress and gloves.

Duskir Fascinator

£1,200

A black round hat with a structured crown and soft floral texture, banded with wide ribbon and finished with a long sheer lace veil embroidered with black florals. The most dramatic piece of the five and the most 1940s, it suits a tailored suit with strong shoulders.

Corvina Pillbox Fascinator

£700

A classic button-shaped black felt base carrying a swirl of sharp white and black feather blades radiating from a white beaded centre. Graphic and monochrome, it works with a polka dot dress or a plain suit, and the scale is easy to wear over three days on your feet.

Sable Fedora Hat

£550

A burgundy felt fedora with a sleek black band and gold-coloured metal chain detail. The Italian note of the group, and the most versatile: it carries tweed on the Friday and a silk shirt and sunglasses on the Sunday without changing character.

At a glance

Styling notes for the circuit

Pick one decade and stay in it. The most common mistake at the Revival is mixing a 1940s jacket with a 1960s hemline and a modern shoe, which reads as fancy dress rather than period. Angle matters as much as shape: a cocktail piece belongs tilted towards the brow on one side, while a pillbox sits straight and high. Book a vintage hair appointment if you can, because the right set finishes the hat far better than the hat can finish itself. Practically, this is three days on grass, gravel and paddock tarmac in changeable September weather, so bring a block heel and a coat that fits the era. Denim and trainers are out, and Goodwood is clear that guests should avoid controversial uniforms and culturally appropriated dress.

Ordering, and what to expect

Our pieces are made to order in the London atelier, part of a deliberate, low-waste way of working, which is not far from the Revival’s own idea that clothes and cars were once built to last a lifetime. With the meeting in the third week of September it is worth ordering early. When the date is close, our ready to ship pieces are dispatched within the next working day. Every order arrives in a custom box, with worldwide DHL Express shipping included.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Goodwood Revival 2026?

It runs from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September 2026 at the Goodwood Motor Circuit near Chichester, West Sussex.

Do you have to dress up for the Goodwood Revival?

It is not compulsory, but the vast majority of visitors dress in period style and the spectacle is central to the event. Central Paddock access does carry a firm code, requiring a jacket and tie for gentlemen and a dress or suit for ladies.

What period should I dress for?

The Revival celebrates the years the circuit was in operation, 1948 to 1966, so 1940s, 1950s and 1960s styles are all appropriate.

What is the Best Dressed competition?

Scouts select entrants from among the visitors, and the competition is hosted at the Revival Style Village north of the Revival High Street, alongside fashion talks and DJ sets.

What should I avoid wearing?

Denim and trainers sit outside the spirit of the weekend. Goodwood also asks guests to avoid controversial uniforms and culturally appropriated dress, and reserves the right to ask inappropriately dressed visitors to leave.

What is the 2026 theme?

La Dolce Vita, celebrating Italian style and motorsport heritage, centred on the Turning Circle at Gate 2.

Find your Revival 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 our pillbox hats, fedora hats and beret hats, or browse the full range of hats and fascinators for a period silhouette made in London.

Sources

Goodwood Revival, official website:  goodwood.com/motorsport/goodwood-revival/