- Decide on your budget
Are you competing in Fashions on the Field (FOTF) or are you attending just for fun? If you’re planning on entering FOTF, be prepared to commit to spending more on your overall look; in the region of several hundred dollars with your custom-made dress and/or millinery. If you are just looking to have fun and look good, you can actually rent millinery and dresses online. I’d recommend millinerymarket.com.au for your headpiece and dressforanight.com.au or glamcorner.com.au for your dress.
- Start with either the dress, or the millinery
When putting a raceday outfit together, I find it easier to start with a dress and have custom millinery made, although I have also purchased an amazing hat and bag combo and then found a suitable dress as well. It can be done! If you are budgeting your look, then I recommend choosing either a dress or the millinery in one solid colour, then choosing the opposite piece to match. Consider complimentary or contrasting colours, pattern, print and embellishments. For example, a white headpiece with a turquoise, orange and white print dress.
- Be modest and dress to flatter your figure
Competitive racewear is fairly modest in style – hemlines are longer, and necklines are higher. The goal is always to look classy and elegant. Plunge fronts or backless dresses, strapless or even some sleeveless dresses are frowned on by judges and may not fit with the ‘look’ the raceclub wishes to portray. To gauge your local raceday, have a look at winners of the best dressed categories from previous years to gain familiarity with the expectations of your local race club. Also, never forget, it doesn’t matter how much you spend, or what label you are wearing, if it doesn’t suit or flatter your figure, it won’t score you any points. This is where your Personal Stylist can help!
- Aim for 2 or 3 main/feature colours
When it comes to colours, it is often observed that two or three work best and give a more cohesive look than different colours from head to toe. At the moment, we are very fortunate that metallics are popular and it’s easy to throw in some gold with your black and white, or rose gold with your powder blue and lilac look.
- Add flair and style with accessories
Accessories tie your look together and give it polish. Accessories can become the crucial element in making your whole outfit work. Consider your heels, clutch, gloves, jewellery and nail colour. I have seen very plain dresses work spectacularly well with amazing millinery and a quirky clutch. Also, when it comes to deportment, make sure you invest in a good hair dresser and makeup artist for the day if you aren’t confident doing your own. Most FOTF entrants will have their hair up and in very elegant styles that suit their look and their headpiece. It’s obvious when someone has put in a little more effort, because they really do stand out from the crowd!
