The Style Award is a hotly fought contest every year on Ladies Day at the Aintree festival - and this year will be no different.
The day is known as one of the most stylish in the city's event calendar. And with brilliant prizes up for grabs - everyone dresses to impress.
All Grand National racegoers love to make a stylish impression, spending weeks and even months putting together the perfect outfit. Open to both men and women, the competition always attracts huge queues around the racecourse.
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Over the years, we've seen trends and prizes change. But the competition is always one of the highlights of the day.
As Ladies Day approaches, we take a look back at winners from the past decade who have shone on Style Contest and won the day. From classic looks to quirky pieces, they're bound to give hopefuls this year some inspiration.
2013
The Ladies Day Style Award competition is open to everyone to take part in, not just those from Merseyside. A decade ago, Andy Champ from Fulham was crowned 2013 winner, wearing a black suit and grey waistcoat.
The engineering consultant from Fulham, who was celebrating his stag weekend, walked away with a £5,000 prize. The 44-year-old also won a £500 bet on the Grand National, an iPad and the use of a Mercedes-Benz car one weekend a month for a year.
He caught the judge's eye in a velvet jacket from Marks & Spencer, teamed with a bespoke double-breasted waistcoat and said it was his friends who made him enter. At the time, Andy said his winnings would “certainly come in handy” for his impending nuptials.
He previously said: "It was my first time at Aintree, I’ve been to other races like Ascot but we wanted to come to Liverpool for my stag do."
2014
Fashionable frontrunner Becky Nightingale was named 2014's winner, wearing a pastel-coloured dress, purple bag and light pink shoes. Becky, from Halewood Village, won at the time when Crabbie's sponsored the Grand National and Liverpool ONE sponsored the Style Award.
The mum-of-two impressed the judges with her pretty floral dress, with a lilac box clutch and dusky pink hat. The 30-year-old was crowned winner of the Ladies Day Best Dressed competition wearing a high street look bought from Debenhams and New Look.
At the time, Becky said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. I have been coming here since I met my husband Paul at Aintree in 2006 and I would have never have thought I would have won. I’m thrilled."
Becky won an exclusive one week holiday for two people to the Dominican Republic, a bracelet and necklace courtesy of Hot Diamonds and £3,000 to spend at Liverpool ONE over the next 12 months. The Best Dressed competition that year was judged by three of the UK's most influential style bloggers: Prince Cassius, Fashion Influx and Two Shoes, One Pair.
2015
Aintree designer Toni Salters picked up the award from TV fashion expert Gok Wan back in 2015. Toni, 40, wore a bold combination of a dress from LK Bennett, a quirky New York Kate Spade watering can handbag and a wide-brimmed vintage hat bought for £20 from a vintage shop.
She won the Style Award on her home turf during a trip to the races to celebrate her twin sister Lynn’s baby news. At the time, she said: "I can’t believe I have won. I’m ecstatic - I think I might burst into tears.
"I’ve been coming to the races for years but it’s the first time I’ve ever entered the Style Award competition. I’m a local girl and I’ve grown up in Aintree and I always come to Ladies Day with my family and friends. "
Toni became the proud owner of a new Mini Roadster, courtesy of Aintree Racecourse. Toni also enjoyed a £6,000 prize package from Liverpool One - including a £250 monthly Liverpool One Gift Card, a monthly booth at the Palm Sugar Lounge and a year-long gym membership among many other incredible prizes.
2016
Anna Gilderoy caused a frenzy when she won the Ladies Day Style Award back in 2016 with everyone wanting to know where her dress was from. Anna, who was celebrating her 25th birthday, wore a £70 dress from Chi Chi London.
She picked up a Range Rover Evoque and £8,000 of gifts from the Grand National’s style partner Liverpool ONE. Anna was bought tickets for the races by her auntie Rita Williams and the pair travelled from Durham to spend Aintree weekend in Liverpool together.
Neither had been to the event before and Anna said she was shocked to be chosen from 10 finalists to take the top prize on Fabulous Friday. She impressed the panel of judges - style ambassador Alex Longmore, singer Laura Wright, Liverpool hairdresser Andrew Collinge and Faye Mines from John Lewis Liverpool ONE.
Anna, a trainer for a kitchen company, only bought herself a new car two months prior.
2017
Faith Amond was delighted to win the award back in 2017. The mum-of-three prides herself on her stylish attire, but was shocked to be announced the overall winner at the time.
The 64-year-old wore a dress by Irish designer Elizabeth Kennedy, a hat by another Irish designer Jennifer Wrynne and her shoes and bag were from LK Bennett. As winner of the Style Award, Faith won a Range Rover Evoque worth £35,000, a hair and beauty hamper from Barbara Daley hair & beauty and £1,000 to spend in Outfit.
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At the time, Faith, from Carlow in Ireland, said: "My jacket is the only thing I’ve bought this year, everything else I already had in my wardrobe and it’s all just come together really well. I can’t believe I’ve won. The prize is wonderful and it’s just such an honour to be winning at Aintree."
Faith, who was in Liverpool for the full racing weekend, said she loved the city and its people. She said: “We’re always made to feel very welcome, through the years I’ve gotten to know a lot of the girls, they’re all just so friendly.”
2018
In 2018, Robyn May Quinn, from Northern Ireland, impressed judges in her nude floral dress with her gold leaf tiara which completed her outfit perfectly. Speaking to the ECHO immediately after her win, Robyn, aged 19, said: “I went for the tiara as I thought that suited the dress the most.
“But it’s just surreal, I don’t think it’s set in yet, I can’t believe it. It’s amazing.” Robyn's outfit was bought from Bows Boutique in Derry, while her hat was made by a designer called Amy Farrell, also based in Derry.
Her shoes were also from River Island. On why she entered the competition, Robyn added she was approached as she was entering the racecourse.
She said: "I think it might have been the flowers and the colours and the hat [... which caught the judges’ eyes]” The winner took home the luxury car, a shopping voucher for Outfit stores and hair and beauty products from Barbara Daley.
2019
Aintree's 2019 winner was Sue Moon who took home a new car and a year's worth of free clothing. Sue wowed the judges in a mustard mid-length coloured dress from Asos, which she paired with a black hat and black shoes.
Speaking to the ECHO on the course, the 54-year-old from Euxton said that although she attends Aintree every year, this was the first time she had entered the style competition. Her friends could be heard shouting "Mooney" from the crowds as she accepted the award on stage.
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The award was chosen by ITV Racing stylist, Sarah Kate Byrne, Jay Hynd and a representative from the official Style Award Partner, Chi Chi London. Sue became owner of a brand new Range Rover Evoque - worth £35,000 as well as a year's supply of Chi Chi London dresses.
2022
The competition didn't take place in 2020 or 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But when it made a comeback in 2022, Donna Mulligan was crowned the winner.
Wearing a floor-length red gown with cape sleeves, a matching headdress and a pair of gold heels, Donna was overwhelmed on stage after being announced as the winner. Following the announcement, Donna said: "Unbelievable, I can’t believe it."
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The award was chosen by Never Fully Dressed founder Lucy Aylen, Jay Hynd, Gemma Cutting and Liverpool-born boxer Natasha Jonas. As the winner, Donna walked away with £5,000 cash, the Ultimate UK Staycation Spa Break with Iconic Luxury Hotels, a £1,000 donation to the winner’s chosen charity, a pair of Garden Club tickets to Ladies Day 2023 and a Randox Health package worth £500.
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