Every fashion moment from Crown Oaks Day 2024
Brooke Warne has opened up about the “chaos” behind the scenes of Cup Week while attending the third event of the racing carnival.
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The race that stops the nation has been and gone for another year, but we’re not done with the Melbourne Cup Carnival just yet.
The Thursday at Flemington Racecourse after the Cup is Crown Oaks Day, the third of four events in the prestigious horsing calendar.
Just like Derby Day and Cup Day before it, celebrity attendees are subjected to strict dress codes imposed inside the Birdcage that are enforced by the Victorian Racing Club (VRC).
While the VRC has taken a more modern view on once controversial fashion trends, such as cut-outs, exposed midriffs and low backs, it hasn’t stopped those in the exclusive members areas from making the dreaded fashion “faux-pas”.
In more recent years The Crown Oaks has become known as “Ladies Day”, but that didn’t deter Damian Hurley from attending alongside his famous mum, actress Liz Hurley.
The pair posed in the prestigious Birdcage together, with Liz opting for an all white outfit while her 22-year-old son rocked a pale pink suit.
It comes after the pair stunned at Melbourne Cup together on Tuesday, with fans commenting on how Damian looked just like the 59-year-old bikini mogul.
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.
Annalise Dalins, who is engaged to footy star Josh Daicos, has also attended with her mum, sharing a series of sweet snaps on Instagram of the pair.
The WAG posed alongside her “mamma” in a custom dress from Eliya The Label which featured a plunging neckline.
She paired the mini-dress, that had ruffling along the skirt, with a pink hat and matching clutch.
However she went for white pointed heels to finish the look.
Meanwhile her mum, Krissy Dalins, went for a contrasting red midi-dress.
Fans were quick to praise Dalins for her racy look, with one declaring it: “Simply divine.”
“Obsessed,” another agreed, as one said it was their “fav look”.
“OMG,” simply wrote someone else.
Brooke Warne, the daughter of the late cricket legend Shane Warne, turned out for Ladies Day after attending both Cup and Derby Day earlier in the week.
Despite looking gorgeous in a baby pink frock from Forever New and a matching headband, the 24-year-old admitted on Instagram she was “exhausted” from the hectic racing calendar.
“What a week it has been and it isn’t over yet,” she told her 80,000 followers.
“Feeling exhausted and grateful and very lucky for the amazing week I’ve experienced.”
In a series of other posts documenting her “getting ready” for another day at Flemington, Brooke admitted it was “carnage” behind-the-scenes for most stars.
“Ready for Oaks chaos,” she wrote, before detailing the lengthy hair, skin and make-up prep that went into attending.
Brooke was joined trackside by her siblings Jackson and Summer with the trio posing for a photo together inside the Birdcage.
Jackson wore a dapper suit for the occasion while Summer opted for a blue maxi-dress with a thigh-split.
Another star who was back for the third Victorian Racing Club (VRC) event was Hannah Dal Sasso, the ex-girlfriend of Aussie tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis.
After attending Cup Day in a low-cut red dress, the model has gone for a very different look, wearing a custom Oglia Loro Couture baby pink suit dress.
The unusual outfit features a silk jacket that cinched in at the waist and a tulle skirt which puffed out from underneath.
She paired her unique dress with a matching headpiece and pink bow high-heels.
“You look like a princess,” one fan wrote on Instagram, as another said: “Dreamy.”
Other celebrity attendees included racing royalty Kate Waterhouse who wore a white floral frock with a daring thigh-split. Meanwhile Rebecca Harding, the girlfriend of radio star Andy Lee, went for a strapless lilac number while attending as a guest of Crown Resorts.
Gemma Ward was also at the event wearing a peach strapless frock with a backless design.
The LANDMARK by Lexus marquee appeared to be popular among the elite guests at Flemington, with former MasterChef judge Melissa Leong spotted inside the exclusive area.
She opted for an all pink ensemble.
VRC ambassador Demi Brereton also went for an all-pink outfit.
Most memorable celebrity Oaks Day outfit
One of the most well-known Oaks Day looks comes from Australia’s favourite tennis WAG, Bec Hewitt.
The wife of tennis champ Lleyton Hewitt’s 2017 outfit was dubbed one of her “worst” race day looks ever by harsh fashion critics, who were unimpressed by the floaty Sass & Bide dress.
The $650 gown featured an asymmetric hem and a colourful block pattern that she paired with a red fascinator and chunky acrylic jewellery.
But while Hewitt, then 34, smiled as she posed for cameras inside an exclusive marquee – some declared the outfit “mismatched” and “garish”.
“Is everything OK?” one headline about her outfit read.
In contrast, her glittering gold Oaks Day outfit a year earlier was widely well-received.
Many labelled the metallic look, which was paired with nude heels and a white clutch, “gorgeous” and “ladylike.
Originally published as Every fashion moment from Crown Oaks Day 2024
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