Royal regulations for Ascot's fashionistas A royal rulebook Strict on straps Pant suits permitted Grandstand style A tip of the hat Keep covered up No horse play Bobbies on the beat Royal Ascot 2012 has a strict dress code which race goers must follow Dress code administrators will be on hand to make sure standards are maintained The Berkshire venue's Royal Enclosure has the strictest dress code Ascot racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 (CNN) -- Britain's social calendar for its upper echelons of society used to feature debutantes and court presentations amid a whirl of balls and parties -- but no more. These days high society's social calendar is played out at sporting events like Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, the Henley Royal Regatta and Cowes week. No more so than at Ascot where finery and high fashion have long been synonymous with the racecourse's furlongs, and the attire of the patrons is scrutinized to a level which is almost unparalleled in the world of sport. Indeed Ascot takes fashion so seriously there are even dress code administrators on hand to assess the thousands of people who descend upon the Berkshire venue, with a strict list of dos and don'ts issued to prevent standards slipping. Horse racing is known as the sport of kings, but the showpiece Royal Ascot event has a British queen to thank for its illustrious reputation. Queen Elizabeth II will be present for the entire five-day meeting but it was her predecessor Queen Anne who founded Ascot racecourse in 1711, and the venue's links with high society have remained intact ever since. The strictest guidelines are reserved for those entering Ascot's inner sanctum, the Royal Enclosure. To ensure fashion decorum Royal Ascot's organizers have gone as far as to publish style guides for racegoers who will be mingling with British high society's movers and shakers. In the Royal Enclosure, black or gray morning wear is de rigueur for gentlemen -- shoes, a waistcoat and tie and, of course, a top hat. In the grandstand, a suit will ease you past the fashion police. However, if you thought dusting off your cravat for a day at the races was acceptable think again -- such neckwear is strictly verboten. The women's checklist is even more stringent, with all eyes fixed on female race goers during Thursday's Ladies' Day. All dresses must be of "modest" length -- defined as "falling just above the knee or longer." Shorts are a no-no, as are shoulderless dresses. Women are permitted to wear pants, providing the color and material of them matches what is on display above the waistline. Our dress is a key signifier of class or our clan, very much so in the UK Willie Walters The dress code administrators will also be on hand to offer pashminas to any woman who may have fallen short of the regulations. If you are belly dancer it is probably best to give Ascot a wide berth as midriffs must be covered at all times. And if you like to attend sporting events in fancy dress forget it -- pantomime horses are banned. "Horse racing's roots as the 'sport of kings' obviously suggest a pleasure pastime for the elite," Willie Walters, the fashion course director at London's Central Saint Martins college of art and design, told CNN. In the past this would have been, depending on the monarch, an opportunity for either ostentatious displays or relatively tasteful, yet expensive, modesty. The code would denote respect for the monarchy, particularly when they were actually present. The dress code also helps to define the class superiority of the crowd and keep out the great unwashed. "Any prestigious occasion will have a code to reflect the status of the racegoers regardless of which country it is held," said Walters. All codes are aimed at excluding someone. Our dress is a key signifier of class or our clan, very much so in the UK. Walters also argued Royal Ascot's 2012 dress code could be a not-so-subtle hint aimed at encouraging certain punters to cover up. "I don't think that the wish here is to exclude them but to oblige them to cover up by setting strict parameters," he said. However the fun of strict rules is seeing how far you can bend them -- anyone who ever wore a school uniform can tell you that!