It is the first time MenStyleFashion decided to attended Goodwood Revival. I went behind the scenes to discover why we should embrace Goodwood Revival. This event is an example of Haute Couture on wheels. It is a huge three-day runway display of the finest vintage cars and fashion in the world.
Parking At Goodwood The Vibe
I started driving to Goodwood Revival early so I set off at 7 am and it was fabulous driving to Goodwood from Worthing seeing vintage cars on the motorway. How could I make an entrance too? I chose to turn up in a Tesla Model 3, a dead silence went it comes to sound, and everything opposite to Goodwood Revival.
I was getting some odd looks when it came to parking! The world of electric cars amongst the older generation is still unknown.
As I parked the roaring engine sounds of those vintage cars gave me goosebumps. Goodwood is super loud. Damn, earplugs make sure you bring earplugs!
There were traffic jams already happening at 7:25 am but the buzz was exhilirating everyone was smiling and waving. This was the calmest and most sophisticated road rage I have ever experienced.
Why Is Goodwood Revival An Event To Attend?
I felt my heart sink as I saw those vintage cars coming into Goodwood Estate. I love to drive and experience vintage cars and my heart began to pump harder as I knew I was going to experience the finest vintage cars in the world.
This is not only a car show this is a fashion runway too.
What overall trends are now worn both by men, women, and children at Goodwood Revival? How is Goodwood Revival all about leading the way when it comes to sustainable fashion? How dangerous is it to be racing at Goodwood Revival?
What is so exciting and admirable about watching the vintage cars race?
Why do we as humans thrive on the unknown dangers about vintage racing and dare I say it death defining moments, crashes? Because history can be repeated at Goodwood Revival. For those three days, the thrill of the dangers of racing vintage cars is why we all come dress up and watch.
Vintage Fashion
What were we trending during Goodwood vintage fashion? As press, you have to be stylish and practical in what you wear. I was surprised that most press wore impractical outfits. Overalls were the biggest trend at Goodwood Revival everyone was wearing them in their own way.
Gracie Opulanza wearing vintage YVL chunky gold accessories and Vintage Fendi Eyewear. Wearing overalls the iconic racing-inspired outfit for both men and women at Goodwood Revival
Hat And Braces
When attending Goodwood Revival a hat is an essential part of the Revival style. I have never seen so many men wearing black trouser braces or suspenders.
Press Access
This was hard work filming, take images of social media marketing in real-time. Looking fresh and stylish too had its challenges. As press, we get amazingly unique and rare access to the racing drivers. Nowhere in the world do press ever get this close to the drivers just before they race.
I just loved feeling the fashion, adrenaline, energy, and privilege amongst the Goodwood public and drivers.
I am always impressed by how the drivers remain very calm. And at every race, it was amazing to be one of the very rare females getting amongst the men for some preaction racing. How lovely does this flag lady look, very classy indeed?
The Duke of Richmond and Gordon just before he went racing!
Christian Edward Johnston Horner OBE is the Team Principal of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team, a position he has held since 2005. He was racing and he too had to pay to race.
It is a different race technique and from personal experience, racing vintage cars is very exhausting on the body and on the mind.
Why it important to preserve and support this British Vintage form of racing event? The answer is simple because there is no other racing and fashion event like Goodwood Revival and the cars here are never seen on the everyday roads.
Vintage Dior Catwalk
These cars are rarely ever seen on the roads of the UK. Just like vintage Dior, Goodwood Revival is all about bringing out the finest of car engineering that was created many years ago. These cars for me are all about Haute Couture on wheels. Vintage Cars are electrifying and beautiful to hear and watch. This is why Dior was here too capturing the era of fashion.
Vintage Dior
Vintage Dior
I have been to many fashion weeks and could not believe my ears when I heard about the exclusive vintage Dior catwalk. To get this access is normally very rare. Here at Goodwood Revival, all you just had to do was book a table eat, drink and everyone had front row access. Watch the video.
The public are always in fine form and willing to be part of my photography. There is such a team spirit on and off the track too.
It is somewhat like watching Roman Gladiators on wheels ready to die all in the name of racing passion. You don’t have to be a lover of cars to love Goodwood Revival.
For those fashion icons and those who love to dress up the clothes and cars embraced here is all about reliving history.
Fashion Revival
Everyone dresses up in everything from the late ’40s to late 60 styles meaning you see Land Girls and RAF pilots as spectators. There is Revival High Street, where you can buy vintage clothes. So if you somehow you forgot the dress code invite, just pop into here and get sorted in no time.
Goodwood Revival The Family Spirit
Goodwood Revival is the magnificent spectacle of tradition and colour steeped in history and alive with the young and old displaying vintage fashion, old motorcars, and motorcycles.
Everyone in their own way good or bad adopts their own retro street-style embracing hairstyle and fashion trends. Dancing, eating setting up picnics embracing an absolute festive vibe.
Christian Horner with his daughter at the children’s pedal car race
Team Goodwood Revival
I never expected it to be so organised and so big. There is a dedicated event team who look after everything from the grounds and the parking to the food and entertainment. Many of the team are vintage experts and in total 750 full-time staff make this event happen. During the event the amount of staff double.
I really loved the dedicated team of actors in traditional costume, to add a real sense of role play and interaction with the public.
Goodwood has a dedicated theatrics panel who come up with themes.
Film Revival
You can be part of the film recording here at Goodwood Revival. The Revival setting is very creative with lots of replicas of vintage shop fronts, cafes, and car brands showing the history of the car racing. Because of the unique nature of the event, a lot of the sets have to be built and recreated from scratch. They are very sustainable conscious by reusing set dressing from years before.
Dangerous Racing
Why would men risk their lives to pay and drive these cars at Goodwood Revival? Is Goodwood Revival the Most dangerous racing car event in the world? For me, the drive is thrilling and for the adrenalin junkies, it is dangerous to race. These cars are old and don’t have the safety technology to preserve the driver’s life.
The first race I observed I thought honestly these drivers were just going to race very slowly. I thought Goodwood Revival was about admiring and hearing the car. Somewhat in my mind, it would be Haute Couture runway of displaying fashion and car engineering and that does happen here.
I did not think they would literally race the cars.
My heart went into overdrive. How mad were these racing car drivers? How reliable and safe were these vintage cars? Why on earth would you risk your life and the potential of smashing up these iconic cars?
Men drive for passion to recreate and race in the footsteps of others gone before them. A reminder of the dangers historically that racing car drivers chose to endure. This automotive memorabilia is an art form of racing. A transport experience taking us all back to another era, that we would love to have been part of.
To drive these cars is tough on the body and the mind. To drive rare cars like this is an unstoppable experience. There was one crash and the crowd went dead silent. Thank goodness no one was injured but the car was smashed up! That’s the very expensive risk the car owners are willing to take.
Vintage Car Tours
Everywhere around the Goodwood Estate, there are cars you can buy at auction, this is very interesting to watch. On show, there are also plenty of garages taking me back in time on how to repair the cars and how leather was applied to the seats. Again a reminder of the car bespoke of interior design.
As part of the Revival’s celebration of 60 years of the mini, there was a mini-parade. Ironically two days later I was at the exclusive Mini launch in Bruge , driving the fastest mini in the world. The mini-revival lives on!
Conclusion
Why did I choose to ditch the runway? I had so many catwalk events to attend at London Fashion Week which happened to be the same weekend as Goodwood Revival.
It is so more fun and exciting than any catwalk event I have ever attended. I chose to stay for the simple reason, here at Goodwood Revival it is one big organic trendsetting fashion show.
It trends sustainable fashion because the clothes are vintage and the fabrics are of high quality. They can also be worn outside Goodwood Revival a very good eco message. For me fashion has always been a part of my lifestyle. Thanks to Goodwood Revival, I could live, eat and drink the car racing lifestyle.
If you have never been to Goodwood Revival it is time you slot it into your fashion calendar.
