IT'S Horse Show again, writes Robert O'Byrne, important as the outcome in the RDS's main arena may be for some, the succession of social gatherings are what make this summer annual truly memorable for many participants. So while equestrian events continue until next Sunday, the party pinnacle is reached on Friday with two balls, one in the Society's own concert hall, and the other at the Burlington Hotel.
What's the best fashion - when dressing for a ball in the pared back 1990s? Take your cue from the Horse Show's official competitors and look every bit as sleek and well groomed as a thoroughbred. Those enormous gowns of the last decade, each requiring absurd amounts of luridly coloured taffeta and velvet, are thankfully no more. Now the preferred choice is for something utterly simple, stripped of all fussy detail and focusing only on carefully cut fabric.
Led by Gucci, silk jersey is a clear favourite at the moment; its stark minimalism appears refreshingly clean when compared with other materials and it perfectly captures the retrospective 1970s mood around lately. If the dress is to have surface interest, its style must be completely understated. That's why nothing beats a slip today tiny straps at the shoulders supporting a slender column which falls down to the ankles.
The best achieve impact, wear one of these dresses with very few accessories. A pair of evening mules, some discreet jewellery - perhaps a delicate tiara if you can find one - and a featherlight wrap to protect against the evening chill: this should be all you need. After that, everything else is redundant. Even words.