Declining standards of dress? Good, let people wear what they want

In the week in which Britain took a bold step back to 1973, it seems appropriate that the question of appropriate dress has once again prompted plenty of debate in our world following a letter in last Sunday's Racing Post that bewailed the declining standards at British racecourses.

The letter, which embarrassingly for the Royal Mail appeared to date from the era of Chamberlain rather than Chamberlin, noted that racegoers at Cheltenham were dispensing with neckties, waistcoats and well-polished brogues. Apparently some of the oiks even had the effrontery to appear bare-headed.

I was at Cheltenham in a professional capacity so didn't turn up in my usual snazzo clobber – shades, espadrilles and an 'I Heart Guinness' T-shirt – but if I had I wouldn't have expected anyone to look askance. In fact, I wouldn't expect anyone to even notice.