If you ask any fashionista they’ll tell you that the fi nal touches are vital to bringing their winning races outfi t together.
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Passionate Fashions on the Field competitors will have their outfit ready months in advance and will spend the fi nal weeks before the races tweaking accessories or deciding on their hair and make up style.
While there are some who will put an together an outfi t at the last minute it certainly isn’t the norm.
“Being able to put an outfi t together that suits your personally, fits beautifully and looks stunning takes a lot of time and effort to achieve,” Riverina Millinery Association president Jo-Anne Rolfe said.
“It’s not something you can throw together in the last half hour before you leave, although some people can do that.”
The milliner has been designing and making hats and head pieces for the past 10 years and believes grooming is key to topping off a perfect outfit.
“Grooming is one of the most essential parts of an outfit on race day. Makeup and hair are extremely important,” she said.
When it comes to the type of outfits that will hit the catwalks at this year’s Gold Cup Ms Rolfebelieves the weather will have an impact.
“We’re looking at trans seasonal fashion again because it’s been so warm,” she said.
“We’ll see quite a lot of yellows carry over to autumn fashions.”
While most the Fashions on the Field categories focus on the outfi t as a whole, the millinery awards pay special attention to headwear.
The piece must make a statement while continuing to compliment the outfi t, something Ms Rolfe is all too familiar with.
“The headpiece defines the outfit and will make you standout from the crowd,” she said.
“It’s something custom designed especially for you, that’s why people get custom designed.”
When it comes to putting together an outfit finding custom made and designed clothes can be a struggle with a lack of fashion designers in the region.
Many turn to their headwear to give them some personality and individual style.
“You can go and buy a fascinator anywhere, especially around Melbourne Cup time but milliners make custom designs especially for the client,” Ms Rolfe said.
“A handcrafted, handmade product is worth quite a lot, especially if you’re working with a milliner to design and outfit.”
Handcrafted headwear will be offered up by 10 local milliners in the lead-up to the Gold Cup.
Milliners will set up the Avenue of Hats at the Marketplace from April 24 until the day before Gold Cup Day (May 4).
Each milliner will have between 10 and 15 pieces on display each day.
“There is plenty of opportunity to come and see what’s happening with trends,” Mr Rolfe said.
“All the milliners have their own style, it’s a bit of a surprise to see what they come up with.”
Prizes for the 2017 fashions here.
See the complete official Gold Cup guide here. Copies of the guide are available at the Daily Advertiser office at 48 Trail Street and will be available at both the Town Plate and Gold Cup.