Melbourne Cup Carnival

November is fast approaching and hence the Melbourne Cup Carnival. For one week in spring, Flemington becomes the nation’s focus for the heart-stopping race on Melbourne Cup day and an array of colourful outfits and dazzling hats (Melbourne Cup Carnival 2012/13).

What I love about the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the fashion and glamour aspect more than the horse racing. Nevertheless, you cannot help, but get engrossed in the hype and excitement of that one ‘race that stops the nation’.

 

The Fashions on the Field competition was first established in July 1962 as part of Victoria Racing Club’s promotion to “woo more women to the races” (History of Fashions on the Field at Flemington. n.d.). The competition was to “finding the smartest dressed women at the Carnival within economic restraints” with the prize pool of goods and cash valued to almost £7000 (ibid).

The Melbourne Cup Carnival has provided some extravagance and breathtaking fashion, “from the iconic to the frivolous, to the fashion-forward and the classic” (50 years of Fashions on the Field. n.d.).

 

The four biggest days of the Melbourne Cup carnival are:

1)    Derby Day – The classic meet, when wearing the traditional black and white outfit is a must. This is also a sizzling start to the racing week;

2)    Melbourne Cup Day – The big one and the race happens at 3pm on the first Tuesday of November. Be bold and wear your best hat and frock;

3)    Oaks Day – The traditional ladies’ day, where it celebrates feminine elegance and the heritage of Ladies Day. Wear sweet pastels and or delicate detailing for a girlie look; and

4)    Stakes Day -   Also known as family day with abundance of activities for the kids as well as the grownups. This is the day to wear something bright and fashion forward.



Images from 2008. Shop Til You Drop, Nov p.124-5 

 

The racing carnival has traditional dress etiquettes and when British model Jean Shrimpton in 1965 stepped out without a hat, gloves or stockings it caused an upheaval (Markezic 2008). The gloves and stockings are not so much requirements these days, but a hat (or a fascinator or even a headband) is imperative. The headpiece is the key (ibid).

Think of the fashion at the Melbourne Cup carnival as an epidemic of ladies, where prim and proper is the norm and hairs are immaculately coiffed.

Coordinate your look and outfit by starting from the top and work your way down to your footwear (ibid).

 

According to Angela Mollard (2012), columnist and journalist, her top 5 tips for the Melbourne Cup Carnival are:

1. If you would wear it to a night club, it’s probably not appropriate for the races;
2. Don’t show too much cleavage;
3. Don’t think you must match everything;
4. If it’s strapless, or spaghetti strapped, don’t wear it; and
5. Keep spray tans to a minimum, orange skin is not pretty.

 

Reference List:

• Markezic, E. 2008. The form guide. Shop Til You Drop, November
• Melbourne Cup Carnival. 2012/13. Sunlover Holidays Melbourne and Victoria [brochure].
• Foster, Z. 2005. The Lady Epidemic: has it got you yet? Cosmopolitan, December.
• History of Fashions on the Field at Flemington. n.d. Victoria Racing Club Limited. http://melbournecup.com/fashion-style/the-history/ (accessed November 8th, 2012)
• 50 years of Fashions on the Field. n.d. Victoria Racing Club Limited. http://melbournecup.com/fashion-style/celebration/ (accessed November 8th, 2012)

First image a result from Google Images.