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!
