Every fashion look from Lexus Melbourne Cup Day 2024
Fans of the ex-Melbourne WAG have declared they are “not a fan” of her revealing Cup Day outfit, with some claiming it’s “too short”.
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It’s the race that stops the nation, but let’s be honest, for a lot of Aussies the real attraction of Melbourne Cup lies in the showstopping fashion.
After kicking off the carnival with Derby Day on Saturday where guests adhered to a strict black and white dress code, Cup Day is all about colour, and no one does it better than our glamorous stars.
This year, it seems like red is the colour of the day, with many of the celebrity arrivals into the Birdcage all rocking the same bright red hue – resulting in near identical looks across the board.
But more on that later.
International guest of the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, marked her return to Flemington in a pale lemon “bespoke” gown from Australian designer Rebecca Vallance.
The 41-year-old, who attended with her husband James Rothschild, posed inside the LANDMARK by Lexus marquee in the off-the-shoulder dress which featured a structured bodice and a pleated skirt.
Hilton paired the unique gown, which she told news.com.au ahead of the event was a “stark contrast” to her iconic 2003 Cup Day look, with a matching pill box hat and diamond jewellery.
Sex worker Annie Knight also made a triumphant return to the Birdcage after copping horrific backlash after it was reported she had been “begging” for an invitation into the exclusive area last year.
Despite having a gown custom made for the day, Ms Knight told news.com.au she’d suffered a “disaster” when she collected the garment and found it didn’t fit.
“I actually bought this whole outfit super last minute on Sunday,” she said.
“The dress is Hansen and Gretel, the shoes are Tony Bianco, and the bag is Brie Leon.
“The outfit I was planning to wear was a little too big and was slipping down.”
Despite the stressful turn of events, the 27-year-old said she was “so happy” with mellow-yellow number she ended up wearing, which featured a low-cut back.
Nadia Bartel was back for the second event in the Melbourne Cup Carnival after attending Derby Day on Saturday – with the former WAG this time wearing an ice blue Lillian Khallouf “creation”.
The mini-dress featured a “balloon” skirt and a cheeky neckline which flaunted her bust, a look which divided some of the influencer and fashion entrepreneur’s 531,000 followers.
“Not a fan, sorry,” one arguably impolite fan declared.
“I fear this didn’t eat...” another noted.
As one claimed: “Too short for the races in my opinion. This would have looked amazing in a midi length.”
Others however said Bartel, who attended alongside boyfriend Peter Dugmore, looked “sensational” in the custom dress.
Chelsea Becirevic, dubbed Australia’s “hottest WAG”, also returned to Flemington after turning heads in a boob-baring black dress on Derby Day.
The 24-year-old, who dates AFL player Ivan Soldo, wore a pink strapless mini-dress with a bow detailing on the waist that trailed down her leg.
She finished her trackside look with a fuchsia pink hat, posing alongside her footy star boyfriend, who has reportedly asked to be traded by Port Adelaide just one season into a three-year contract as Becirevic hated living in the “boring” city.
Now, we hope you like red because it seems like almost every celebrity guest decided to wear the bold shade – including Hannah Dal Sasso, the ex-girlfriend of Aussie tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis, who rocked a revealing dress in the popular colour.
The model looked “stunning” in a custom dress made by Melbourne designer Madoh which featured a corset top and a plunging neckline.
Her silk gown also featured flower detailing across the bust and hips.
After sharing a series of snaps on her Instagram page, Dal Sasso’s fans flooded the influencer with praise, declaring she “nailed it”.
“No words,” one shared, as another said: “You never disappoint.”
“Unreal,” declared someone else.
Earlier in the day, racing royalty Kate Waterhouse had led the all-red trend after arriving in a Versace shift dress with a matching scarf worn hooded over her head.
The 40-year-old, who is the daughter of legendary horse trainer Gai Waterhouse, finished her outfit with red Louboutin heels, a structured clutch and white statement sunnies.
In a series of snaps shared on Waterhouse’s Instagram, fans went wild for the Cup Day outfit, labelling it “epic” and “iconic”.
Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus also got the red memo, opting for an off the shoulder mini-dress with an eye-catching ruffle that draped across her shoulders.
Titmus, who is a 4 times Olympic Champion, opted for nude heels and a silver handbag to complete her Cup Day look.
Model Olivia Molly Rogers also went the same bright shade, writing on Instagram she was wearing “red head to toe for Lexus Melbourne Cup”.
The former Miss Universe Australia opted for a long gown from Oglia Loro Couture which she paired with a large hat from Ezara J.
Rogers’ 327,000 followers have described her outfit as “hot”, adding that the “colour is amazing” on the star.
Celebrity fashion designer Lana Wilkinson also chose an all-red outfit, wearing a trendy bubble skirt dress with a bejewelled headband and matching shoes from her own footwear brand.
While TV host Sam Armytage, who recently landed a new job at Channel 9 presenting The Golden Bachelor, also chose to wear red at Flemington Racecourse.
The former Channel 7 employee went for an off-the-shoulder gown that sat just above the ankle and featured a large pussybow detail.
She finished the chic ensemble with a mesh headpiece, strappy heels and a small bag.
The stars weren’t done with the red yet, with even more famous faces choosing the popular colour to attend the glamorous annual horse race.
Model Tayla Broad, who found fame on a reality show back in 2018, also went for a red dress but added a pair of black gloves and matching accessories for a slightly different look.
While it would be easy to assume the stars all sighed a collective “oh no” after realising they’d all dressed in the same colour, photos show them all posing with beaming smiles, seemingly laughing off the fashion faux pas.
There were some who broke up the sea of red inside the Birdcage, including influencer Chloe Fisher also went against the grain, choosing an all black ensemble while enjoying the festivities.
The new mum, who recently welcomed daughter Bobbi with popular DJ husband Fisher in July, wore a floor length gown from Sau Lee which she paired with a matching hat.
“First time I’ve left our tot overnight but I know she’s in good hands,” she wrote on an Instagram Stories post before arriving at the LANDMARK by Lexus marquee.
She also posed for a series of snaps alongside axed KIIS FM host Lauren Phillips and swimwear designer Jaynee Penny.
Elizabeth Hurley – who attended with her son Damian – also gave fashion fans an alternative look, with the 59-year-old actress turning up trackside in a Canary yellow Rebecca Vallance dress.
Hurley posed alongside her 22-year-old son in bright off-the-shoulder gown which she paired with a large fascinator and dark sunnies.
Meanwhile Damian wore a black suit, with a grey waistcoat, with a rose boutonniere that matched his mum’s yellow outfit.
In a video showing the pair arriving into the Birdcage, fans noted on the mother and son’s likeness to one another.
“They look like twins,” one remarked on Instagram.
“Both look amazing,” another agreed.
In the past, Rebecca Judd opted for an all red outfit while attending the Melbourne Cup Day in 2022, but the very short mini-dress garnered negative attention for showing her “cleavage”.
The 41-year-old opted to wear the design, made by Australian designer Effie Kats, with an oversized hat from Melbourne milliner Stephanie Spencer and a matching structured clutch.
While some fans declared it her “best races look” to date, there were others who argued Judd had broken one of the many strict dress codes imposed on those inside the Birdcage by the Victorian Racing Club (VRC).
“Nice dress but no cleavage at the races,” one fan commented on her Instagram post which showed off her entire Cup Day ensemble.
“Great dress wear it somewhere else. Nup,” another added.
As someone else lamented: “Something longer would have been more appropriate.”
While many were angry at Judd’s outfit, they were actually wrong to assume her low-bust line was against dress codes at Flemington Racecourse.
The VRC updated its outfit standards for members in recent years, introducing a more modern view on once controversial fashion trends, such as cut-outs, exposed midriffs and low backs.
Originally published as Every fashion look from Lexus Melbourne Cup Day 2024
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