Should Personal Style Be Rewarded at Car Shows?AutoweekMark VaughnThu, September 24, 2026 at 5:07 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleShould Personal Style Be Rewarded at Car Shows?Chris CooperShown above is American Billy Hibbs—from Texas, no less—accepting the inaugural Concours Style Award presented by Clements and Church at the very high-brow Salon Privé Blenheim Palace in Jolly Olde England. Congratulations, Billy!But it begs the question: Should personal style also be awarded at the world's concours along with Best in Show for the cars?Boodles Best Hat Competition.Salon PriveHibbs' win came just days after (I am not making this up) Ladies' Hat Day at the multi-day Salon Privé, a contest called Boodles Best Hat Competition. No, that's not a typo. Boodles is the name of a fine jewelry company in England that sponsors the competition. Gillian Carpenter of Bromsgrove was named this year's Boodles Best Hat winner after catching the attention of the judges with a self-designed and made hat from her own millinery brand, Gillys Millinery based in Worcestershire.AdvertisementAdvertisementOn the other side of the world, the good folks at the Japanese Classic Car Show scheduled for October 3 at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, California, have announced a sort of Best Dressed contest they're calling JDM Revival."This year, it's not only about what you DRIVE—it's about what you WEAR!" said organizers. "Showa? Anime? Kimono or Yukata? Yankii? JK?Hats, jackets, Geta, helmets, accessories… anything that shows your LOVE for Japan!" It'll be a People's Choice award.JCCSThe Hilton Head Island Concours has hosted dedicated style and fashion judging with awards like "Best Match—Couple" or best individual period dress that honor attendees who wear authentic clothing corresponding to the manufacturing year of their displayed classic or vintage car.The Prancing Ponies Women's Car Show that ran as part of Monterey Car Week (until this year) integrated live fashion showcases featuring local designers and boutique styles alongside exotic and classic vehicle displays.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdding a style award to car shows could help engage the half of the showgoers who are otherwise present only to support their spouses. And giving people a reason to dress up could raise the class of the field considerably—no more jeans and T-shirts, at least at some shows. If Salon Privé can do it, why not other shows?(Like this idea? Hate this idea? Sound off in the comments section.)Meanwhile, as the overall winner at Salon Privé, Billy Hibbs received a complete bespoke look created with a Clements and Church tailor, valued at up to £10,000 (over $13,000). Hibbs had much to celebrate at Salon Privé this year having also won the Class Award in the La Dolce Vita Concours Class and Runner-up to Best of Show for his superb Maserati 3500GT Spyder Prototipo by Vignale."I'm absolutely delighted to have won, especially as it's the first time Salon Privé has recognized men's style and my first time here in Oxfordshire," said Hibbs. "I always enjoy dressing for the occasion, and events like Salon Privé provide an opportunity to have a bit more fun with what you wear. I wanted to don an outfit that felt smart and considered, and of course, fit for a day at Blenheim Palace. Being the inaugural Concours Style Award winner is a real honor, and I'm very much looking forward to working with Clements and Church on the bespoke look."Next year, that could be you. Start tailoring now.
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