By Ruth Styles From Daily Mail UK

Stars of Channel 4 show give a masterclass in outlandish dressing as they join the glamorous fillies on parade at Aintree

Racegoers vied to win the title of best dressed racegoer on Ladies Day at Aintree

The winner of the prestigious prize will get a luxury holiday worth £10,000 in the Dominican Republic

Despite the chilly weather, summery sleeveless frocks and open sandals proved popular with the style set

Other trends to win the approval of the Aintree crowd included monochrome and summery floral print

The highlight of today’s on-course action is the Melling Chase which comes with prize money worth £200,000

But not everyone got it right, among them the stars of the new series of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Chic in monochrome, a rainbow of bright colour and in pastel blooms, the style set was out in force for Ladies Day – the highlight of the Grand National Festival for the nation’s fashion fans – as they went for glory in the sartorial stakes.

But although many looked lovely, some, among them, the stars of the upcoming series of Channel 4 reality show, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, were left to bring up the rear courtesy of some inelegant choices.

Proving their love for bling isn’t limited to wedding wear, the girls sported outlandish creations by Liverpudlian designer Thelma Madine but seemed to be enjoying their day – despite the odd strange look from other racing fans.

While the Channel 4 stars took the prize for most bizarre outfit, others let the side down in the sobriety stakes and looked a little on the squiffy side as they tottered through the enclosure in their platform heels, while during the 2.30pm race, a fight broke out between drunken racegoers.

The rest, perhaps with the prospect of the top prize, a £10,000 Caribbean trip, in mind, concentrated on taking the big fashion prize – turning Aintree into a sea of brightly coloured maxi-dresses and gorgeously embellished frocks, many of which were topped with chic fascinators.

The ladies were joined by Aintree stalwart Danielle O’Hara, who was elegant in a chic coral frock and nude patent heels. But not even her glamorous get-up could eclipse the stylish ensembles worn by other racegoers, with bold blooms and bright colour proving popular.

Highlights included a pink trouser suit that one stylish racing aficionado teamed with chic flat pumps, a textured cream dress enlivened with a colourful bloom-embellished clutch and a structured coral dress toned down with black accessories.

Others plumped for ensembles that were a riot of print and colour, both of which are Aintree staples, with the majority of ladies opting for a glamorous take on summer’s floral and pastel trends.

As always, female racegoers cranked up the glamour with fake tan, voluminous waves and elegantly manicured talons proving especially popular with local style-setters.

Later, Liverpool’s favourite style icon Coleen Rooney is expected to put in an appearance with bookmakers Coral offering odds on the colour of her frock with purple currently the favourite with odds of 4/1 and the colours of Manchester United bringing up the rear on 100/1.

Although Mrs Rooney has taken part in the best dressed racegoer competition in years gone by, this year, the winner of this year’s best dressed racegoer prize will be chosen by style spotters from local boutique Liverpool ONE, who will be donating gift cards worth £250 to Aintree’s most fashionable filly every month for a year.

‘All eyes will be on Aintree in April,’ said Donna Howitt, marketing and business performance manager at Liverpool ONE.

‘There’s no greater event that profiles Liverpool as one of the most stylish cities in the world.

She added: ‘We are delighted to partner with The Crabbie’s Grand National Festival, which is a fantastic experience for racegoers and fashionistas alike.’

Ladies Day at Aintree is one of the biggest events on the fashion calendar and pulls in vast crowds of up to 40,000 people every year.

Unusually, however, tickets for the day were still available as racegoers arrived this morning – an anomaly put down to the cost of prepping for the event by race organisers.

Others, however, have put the drop in sales down to the increasingly risqué frocks on show, with etiquette consultant William Hanson telling the Telegraph that organisers risked ‘putting off’ potential racegoers because of the ‘lax’ dress code.

Despite Mr Hanson’s warnings, fears that racegoers might fail to turn out on Ladies Day proved unfounded with guests dressed in their best thronging the Grandstand.

Although nearly all eyes were on the fashion, some did manage to watch some of the racing action; kicking off with the Aintree Top Novices Hurdle, which comes with a £60,0000 prize.

Other highlights include the Melling Chase, which has a top prize of a whopping £200,000, the Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle and the last race of the day, the Aintree Mares Only Standard Open NH Flat Race.

For more on this story with LOTS more photos go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2596282/Glamorous-revellers-pull-stops-vie-title-best-dressed-racegoer-10-000-Caribbean-holiday-Ladies-Day-Aintree.html#ixzz2xw602G9k