Australia’s Melbourne Cup Carnival earlier this month featured the Emirates Melbourne Cup, Australia’s richest horse race. Across the four race days, hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Flemington Racecourse; the athletic thoroughbreds weren’t the only thing on show.
Race meets are one of those rare daytime occasions when people can dress up to the nines and still don’t look out of place. Sporting weird and wonderful headpieces is high on the agenda for attendees at this particular event to complement their well-planned outfits.
Stepping through the gates of the exclusive Birdcage enclosure, one is confronted with a sea of local and international celebrities all decked out in the latest designer outfits with matching handcrafted headpieces.
Over the years, the Melbourne Cup Carnival has attracted a plethora of international stars, including Paris Hilton, The Veronicas, and Liza Minnelli, with this year being no exception. Spotted in the most exclusive “invitation only” marquees were the likes of Kelly Osbourne, Jerry Hall with daughter Georgia Jagger, Ronan Keating, Mel B, and Enrique Iglesias.
Aside from the Birdcage, the fashion royalty was found in the Myer Fashions on the Field competition area. Boasting a prize pool of over AU$400,000, the coveted title of best dressed was in high demand.
Thousands of women from across Australia paraded in front of a panel of expert judges, with many outfits planned months in advance. Outfits ranged from the femininely demure to the directionally outrageous, with judges typically leaning toward ladies with the more classically inspired ensembles.
There were a few crowd favorites among the bunch, including a lavender Miu Miu paired with black accessories’ a Dior-inspired, deep-plum feather hat; and Chanel-like tweed skirt suit.
This year’s winner, Jaydee Paino, was inspired by the 1950s style emulated in the TV series Mad Men. Her beret-style white headpiece was donned with navy feathers and ribbon, which were a perfect match for her full-skirted dress made from a blue, white, and brown horse-print fabric.
It was later revealed that the winning dress cost a mere AU$18 and was an “online” vintage find from Nashville, Tenn. Altered slightly for the occasion and paired with matching shoes, gloves, clutch, and headpiece, this creation is a perfect example that looking good does not have to break your bank balance!
For the men, a jacket and tie is a must. And if there is a traditional flower for the day, pin this on your lapel. Ladies, think classic elegance with a mandatory headpiece. A safe option is to lean toward a more conservative knee-length hemline in either an A-line or pencil cut.
Accessories are crucial to the success of your outfit, so try to have the same colored shoes and clutch, which undoubtedly should tie into the colors of your headpiece. Depending on the weather, small gloves and a beautiful umbrella are optional.
Race meets are one of those rare daytime occasions when people can dress up to the nines and still don’t look out of place. Sporting weird and wonderful headpieces is high on the agenda for attendees at this particular event to complement their well-planned outfits.
Stepping through the gates of the exclusive Birdcage enclosure, one is confronted with a sea of local and international celebrities all decked out in the latest designer outfits with matching handcrafted headpieces.
Over the years, the Melbourne Cup Carnival has attracted a plethora of international stars, including Paris Hilton, The Veronicas, and Liza Minnelli, with this year being no exception. Spotted in the most exclusive “invitation only” marquees were the likes of Kelly Osbourne, Jerry Hall with daughter Georgia Jagger, Ronan Keating, Mel B, and Enrique Iglesias.
Aside from the Birdcage, the fashion royalty was found in the Myer Fashions on the Field competition area. Boasting a prize pool of over AU$400,000, the coveted title of best dressed was in high demand.
Thousands of women from across Australia paraded in front of a panel of expert judges, with many outfits planned months in advance. Outfits ranged from the femininely demure to the directionally outrageous, with judges typically leaning toward ladies with the more classically inspired ensembles.
There were a few crowd favorites among the bunch, including a lavender Miu Miu paired with black accessories’ a Dior-inspired, deep-plum feather hat; and Chanel-like tweed skirt suit.
This year’s winner, Jaydee Paino, was inspired by the 1950s style emulated in the TV series Mad Men. Her beret-style white headpiece was donned with navy feathers and ribbon, which were a perfect match for her full-skirted dress made from a blue, white, and brown horse-print fabric.
It was later revealed that the winning dress cost a mere AU$18 and was an “online” vintage find from Nashville, Tenn. Altered slightly for the occasion and paired with matching shoes, gloves, clutch, and headpiece, this creation is a perfect example that looking good does not have to break your bank balance!
Top Tips for Racing Fashion
Respect Tradition: Horse racing meets in Australia date back to the 19th century, and over the years, a distinguishable dress style has come to be associated with the races.For the men, a jacket and tie is a must. And if there is a traditional flower for the day, pin this on your lapel. Ladies, think classic elegance with a mandatory headpiece. A safe option is to lean toward a more conservative knee-length hemline in either an A-line or pencil cut.
Accessories are crucial to the success of your outfit, so try to have the same colored shoes and clutch, which undoubtedly should tie into the colors of your headpiece. Depending on the weather, small gloves and a beautiful umbrella are optional.
