When I left Sussex a decade ago to seek my fortune, I dreamt of one day returning in an E-type Jaguar. But never for a moment did I think it would actually happen. Electric blue and throatier than Shirley Bassey, the 1972 model I was purring around in was a car, as John Betjeman once said of Joan Hunter Dunn, to lean against for life.
Alas, it wasn't actually mine to keep. I was on my way to the Revival, Goodwood's annual paen to mid-century motor racing, as a guest of Jaguar. The company had loaned us vintage sets of wheels and advised us to come appropriately togged up in tweeds and trilbies. I was gratified by the admiring glances my ensemble seemed to be attracting, until I realised they were being directed at another member of our party-Dolce & Gabbana dreamboat David Gandy.
Swing bands, gentlemen's outfitters, a cheese shop-so absorbing are the Revival's sideshows that you could easily spend a day there without seeing a single race. But where else could you watch a multi-million-pound cavalcade of cars roar past while tucking into homemade carrot cake? Truly, Goodwood is glorious.
Emma is a Commissioning Editor at the Telegraph Media Group. Previously, she was Deputy Features Editor on Country Life magazine, and launch editor of its Gentleman's Life supplement.
When she's not tapping away at the keyboard, she's usually found taking a tray of something delicious out of the oven.
You can follow her @emmahdhughes
