Smashing, surreal, sublime or silly, the hats turned more heads than the horses at Devon Ladies Day Wednesday.

So, deepest apologies to the dedicated riders in the ring; our eyes were elsewhere.

A record number of hopefuls sashayed before a nine-judge panel.

The maddest hatters told us they’d been perfecting their ensembles for months; others claimed they’d just rustled something up that morning.

Sure, if you say so.

The parade was a study in stunning artiface. A few talked about rising at 4 a.m. for hair and makeup calls – beauty rest be damned.