What a difference a decade makes, Zara! King's niece ditches rebellious thigh-high splits, bodycon dresses and mis-matched combinations for elegant tailoring and 'polished, ladylike' style

She’s often crowned the best dressed racegoer, with her Royal Ascot and Cheltenham outfits praised for their polished, sophisticated style.

But such a title wasn’t always bestowed on Zara Tindall, with the King’s niece once known for her famously rebellious fashion.

During the noughties and 2010s, Princess Anne’s daughter wasn’t afraid to rock a minidress, show off her mid thigh or wear an off-the-shoulder shirt to charity events and public outings.

And nowhere was Zara’s fashion more daring than on race days, an occasion she certainly saw fit to push the boat out.

A keen equine enthusiast and former-Olympian, she would frequently accompany her conservatively dressed mother, Princess Anne, in dramatic clothing.

Yet, Zara’s style has since transformed, with the 45-year-old ditching her rebellious thigh-splits and bodycon looks for a more refined and sophisticated appearance.

According to fashion expert Caroline Baxter: ‘The evolution of Zara Tindall’s race day fashion has evolved considerably.’

She said: ’Unlike her mother, Princess Anne, who is famously loyal to her wardrobe and rarely strays from her familiar style, Zara is rarely photographed in the same outfit twice.

Attending the Royal Ascot in 2015, Zara wore a canary yellow, figure-hugging dress

Photographed with her husband Mike Tindall at the Royal Ascot in 2024

Zara Tindall wearing a £2,900 waist-cinching coat with matching burgundy accessories

'She embraced the Y2K look, experimented with high-street labels and wasn’t afraid to take risks. 

'When she wasn’t in her jodhpurs and riding hat, she was trying out thigh-high splits, bodycon dresses, mismatched combinations and a more rebellious approach to dressing.

'She even had her tongue pierced. There was a carefree, slightly mischievous quality to her style. She wasn’t dressing to please a fashion audience or build a personal brand, she was simply having fun.'

Attending Ascot in 2003, the then Zara Phillips was photographed alongside her mother wearing her most rebellious frock. 

The 22-year-old wore a thigh-split, one-shouldered red and black floral dress. In comparison, Princess Anne was dressed conservatively in a silky peach, skirt suit accessorised with two pearl necklaces. 

According to The Northern Echo, the dress had been modified by Zara's stylist, Ceril Campbell, to make the thigh-split a little more modest but it did little to ward against public shock upon seeing her don the look. 

And it wasn't just the shapes that made Zara's looks so recognisable. Zara was also a fan of wearing mismatched prints and patchwork fabrics. At the Cheltenham Festival in 2002, she wore a Mulberry patchwork leather and cashmere coat.

In 2015, attending day one of Royal Ascot, Zara wore a canary yellow mock-neck dress by Rosie Olivia.

'Since the pandemic, however, her style has evolved considerably,' said fashion expert Caroline.

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall attending the Cheltenham Festival in 2005

Zara Tindall attending the British Championships at Ascot in 2026

Zara Tindall in 2012 attending the third day of the Cheltenham Festival

She added: 'The rebellious combinations have given way to pretty, feminine dresses, often cinched at the waist with a flattering fit-and-flare silhouette.' 

In 2020, Zara began working with Annie Miall, a London-based personal stylist who has transformed the royal's wardrobe into pieces that flatter her figure and colours to match her complexion.

She first debuted her new style at the Cheltenham Races in 2020, wearing a custom-made houndstooth pattern coat by Laura Green. 

And long-gone are the days of mis-matching colours; she paired the £2,900 waist-cinching coat with matching burgundy accessories including a fascinator, heels, bag and gloves.

Most recently, she wore a blue and purple checked suit by Victoria Beard to the Cheltenham Races in October this year. According to Caroline, Zara's fashion transformation is a result of a few key changes.

Caroline said: 'She has embraced elegant tailoring and occasion wear with designers including Emilia Wickstead, Zimmerman, ME+EM and Rebecca Vallance.'

'She seems to have blossomed into a much more polished, almost ladylike dresser. The rebellious combinations have given way to pretty, feminine dresses, often cinched at the waist with a flattering fit-and-flare silhouette.' 

But while her style has undergone a significant shift, she hasn't ditched everything from her old wardrobe; though it's unlikely that her 2003 thigh-split dress will make a reappearance any time soon. 

Zara wearing a thigh-high dress at the Royal Ascot in 2003

Zara attending the Cheltenham Races in 2002

Zara at Cheltenham Racecourse for the Cheltenham Festival in 2025

Instead, she's restyled previous pieces with better-suiting and more up-to-date accessories. 

Take the outfit she wore to the 2017 Cheltenham Festival. Zara wore a navy funnel neck Ted Baker coat with clashing teal accessories including an Aspinal of London tote and matching-coloured fascinator. 

While the accessories could have worked with another outfit, when paired with her navy coat it feels visually jarring.

In 2020, however, Zara re-wore the same Ted Baker coat. This time, she paired the coat with black knee-high boots and a muted grey fedora. 

Styling the grey hat with the navy coat proved a far more fashionable choice, and created a far more elegant and fashionable look.

Caroline said: 'She still loves an accessory and clearly enjoys dressing for an occasion, but there is a new refinement to her wardrobe.

'She has evolved her look as she has grown older, but she hasn't lost that sense of fun,' she added.

It's a great example of how she's elevated her wardrobe and style by changing the accessories. 

And the fashion industry is clearly taking note of Zara's fashion evolution. Zara was officially announced as a brand ambassador for Fairfax & Favor and she frequently incorporates their pieces into her outfits.

At the British Championships, she sported the brand's Sybil blazer along with a chocolate suede belt. 

On Zara's fashion evolution, Caroline said: 'In an age when so much celebrity dressing feels calculated for likes on Instagram, there is something refreshing about a woman who simply seems to enjoy wearing clothes for the sake of it.' 

Zara attending the Cheltenham Racecourse in 2017 in a navy Ted Baker coat