Hampton Court Concours of Elegance and the Modern Gentleman Driver

There are some automotive events where people seem more interested in being seen than actually looking at the cars.

Hampton Court Concours of Elegance has never really suffered from that problem.

Perhaps it is the palace setting. Perhaps it is the slightly slower pace of the whole thing. Or perhaps it is because the people who attend tend to genuinely care about craftsmanship, whether that happens to be found in a coachbuilt Ferrari, an old chronograph or the cut of a jacket.

Across the summers of 2023 and 2024, Mister Miller partnered with renowned tailor Timothy Everest MBE and his Grey Flannel concept to create a space dedicated to the sartorial side of motoring culture. Tailored driving jackets hung beside handcrafted flat caps while collectors drifted between conversations about restoration projects, road trips and why old machinery still exerts such a strange emotional pull on otherwise rational adults. The atmosphere felt social rather than staged.

People arrived dressed well, but naturally so. Linen softened by the heat, suede jackets with actual wear in them, sunglasses disappearing into breast pockets beside car keys and folded entry passes. You could usually spot the people who genuinely loved clothes because they looked comfortable in them.

That distinction matters more than people realise.

There is a particular type of overdressing that appears at automotive events occasionally. Costume versions of elegance assembled for photographs rather than real life. Hampton Court largely escaped that trap. The best dressed people looked like themselves, simply sharpened slightly by the surroundings.

What To Wear To Concours of Elegance

One of the questions people quietly ask before attending Concours of Elegance is what to wear. The answer is usually simpler than expected.

The event rewards texture, ease and personality far more than rigid formality. Lightweight tailoring, relaxed jackets, suede shoes, knit polos and pieces that feel lived in rather than freshly unwrapped tend to work best against the palace gardens and concours lawns.

The same applies to hats.

A well shaped Bakerboy or handcrafted flat cap softens the silhouette naturally and tends to sit far more comfortably within the atmosphere than anything overly stiff or theatrical. Particularly during long summer days outdoors, where practicality matters just as much as style.

The strongest looks at Hampton Court usually shared one thing in common. Nothing looked forced.

People who dress well for concours events tend to understand proportion instinctively. A softly tailored jacket with relaxed trousers. A worn suede driving shoe rather than highly polished formality. A cap that feels like part of the person wearing it rather than the focal point of the outfit.

That balance is difficult to fake. Which is probably why it feels so good when people get it right.

Timothy Everest, Tailoring and Motorsport

Timothy Everest’s connection to the automotive world runs much deeper than aesthetics.

“My family were involved in the automotive world so I was always interested in motorsport and clothing was my other passion,” he explained during the event. “I aspired to be a racing driver and fortunately an uncle who was a tailor employed me which paid for me to start karting. Rebuilding the bottom of a two stroke engine became less appealing and clothing became my career.”

That crossover between engineering and tailoring could be felt throughout the collaboration itself.

The same mentality tends to sit behind both worlds. Patience, technical understanding and a slightly obsessive relationship with detail. People willing to spend hours refining something most others would overlook entirely.

At Hampton Court, conversations moved naturally between cloth weights and carburettors. Collectors discussed restoration projects while trying on jackets. Aston Martins sat beside vintage Ferraris while guests drifted across the lawns carrying champagne coupes beneath the late afternoon sun. There was elegance to the whole thing, but very little stiffness.

British Craftsmanship in a Contemporary Context

Mister Miller’s handcrafted flat caps sat naturally within the space, particularly alongside Timothy Everest’s softer approach to tailoring. The pieces were designed for people who appreciate heritage techniques but still live firmly in the present. Not historical recreations, but contemporary clothing informed by traditions worth preserving.

“We are delighted to represent our British craftsmanship in this contemporary context,” said Mister Miller. “Working with Timothy, we are aligned in merging the modern car collector’s lifestyle with heritage techniques.”

That idea of heritage evolving rather than standing still felt present throughout the event itself. Not simply ownership, but appreciation. The enjoyment of objects made properly by people who care deeply about what they do. That same instinct tends to connect tailoring, classic cars and millinery more closely than people might first assume.

All three reward patience. All three improve with character. And all three tend to attract people who understand that craftsmanship is rarely loud.