by JASMINE GARNSWORTHY
It’s the race that stops the nation, but if you’re more about the dresses and hats than the horses, we’ve got you covered. This isn’t just an excuse for celebrity style stalking and champagne (although, yes it’s good for that – Mischa Barton, Ashley Madekwe, Fifi Box and Sophie Monk are all at Flemington today), it’s just about the only day you can bust out an over the top hat and no one bats an eyelid.
Flick through this gallery for the best Melbourne Cup 2012 fashion, plus some highlights from last year’s Spring Racing Carnival:
Keep checking back between champagnes – we will be updating our gallery throughout the day.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Fashions on the Field in Flemington, during which Melbourne Cup has developed a reputation for dramatic fashion – it’s considered the day to go all out with outrageous and exotic ensembles – hats essential for women and a yellow rose in the lapel for gents.
We’ve also got this post from MM favourite Monty Dimond about preparing herself to go to the races…
This week I managed to wrangle an invite to a couple of the La did da marquees at The Melbourne Cup Carnival. I was insanely excited to be a fly on the wall watching the rich and famous in their natural habitat.
This is how the day unfolded.
8am: Rise from slumber and bolt to the bathroom to see how my fake tan turned looks. Will I be attending the races as Snooki or Eva Mendez? Oops! Snooki it is. I promptly start scrubbing my fluoro orange bod in the shower. After my ankles, knees and elbows are red raw I hop out. (Why do I never learn to go easy on these particular body parts with the tan? Rookie mistake)
8.30: Devour weeties and fruit. Mum always told me to have a hearty breakfast before a big day.
9am: Bolt out the door to my friends place to get my false Drag Queen-esque lashes applied. After 64 attempts and the odd poke in the eye, I looked as though two big ass butterflies have landed on my eyelids. Success.
9.30am: Get my hair did at the hairdressers. This was a seriously risky move as I had never been to this particular place before. I decided at the eleventh hour I should get my locks curled by a professional, this was the only place that had a vacant spot. When I realised I was the youngest customer in the salon by about 30 years I knew it was going to end in tears, but desperation pushed me forward. After a whole can of hairspray was emptied on my head (literally) and my hair curled so tight I resembled JT in his N’Sync days, I head home.
10.30am: Cry, then fix hair.
Top Comments
Please Please - give us a photo Christie Whelan, I was absolutely blown away, she looked stunning!
Never fails to surprise me how many celebrities get Melbourne Cup fashion so wrong. Don't most of these people have stylists? Whoever told Delta she looked fabulous in that dress, needs to be sacked or is a liar of a friend! Love Melissa Hoyer, Natalie Barr and Rebecca Judd. Bit disappointed by Paula Joye, I think she could have looked a whole lot better, very off from her normal stylish self.....