How Australian celebrity fashion has evolved at the Spring Racing Carnival

Fashion comes and goes but true style lasts forever and for some celeb punters, the dress code is optional.

As well as being some of the most important days on the punters calendar, the Spring Racing Carnival is also a significant time for the fashion world.

As any seasoned racegoer will tell you, who’s wearing what is just as important as whose horse is actually winning.

A look back at the outfits of Spring Carnivals gone by shows us how style has evolved, as well as how our favourite celebs choose to interpret dress codes.

Channel 10 newsreader Jessica Rowe at Randwick races in 2000. Picture: Guy Wilmott

Jessica Rowe ruffled some feathers in 2000 with a statement hat, back in the year 2000 at the Randwick Races, then working as a newsreader for Channel 10 she shows she has always had fun when it comes to fashion.

Jennifer Hawkins and Rebecca Twigley in 2007.

Jennifer Hawkins in 2007.

They may have been signed to multimillion dollars contracts as racing ambassadors for Myer, but back in 2007 at Rosehill Gardens, Jennifer Hawkins and Rebecca Judd — then Rebecca Twigley — could be any two gal pals enjoying a day out to the races.

With her pencil skirt and silky blouse Jennifer Hawkins here looks very corporate chic, if you ditched the hat and donned some sensible ballet flats it could double as very respectable job interview attire, meanwhile Judd has co-ordinated every inch of her look from matching her fluffy curls to her fluffy headpiece and her big belt buckle to her big shoulder bow.

A year later, Myer’s glamour girls are back together and appear to have upped their glam a bit by ditching the colour blocking for black and white patterns instead. With their commitment to accessorising and co-ordinating they could almost bear a passing resemblance to Serena and Blair from Gossip Girl.

As Jennifer Hawkins was the Myer ambassador for twelve years her outfits alone could serve as a case study on the evolution of Aussie race day fashion.

Nowadays this magenta bodycon mini dress might look more in place at a Year 10 formal, but for the time Hawkin was bang on trend, as back in 2007 it was all about short bright and skin-tight

Sophie Monk in 2011.

Rachael Finch and Nicole Richie in 2015.

Sophie Monk was still channelling this same trend four years later with this right red polka dot number at Rosehill Gardens Guinea Race Day 2011.

American’s never truly ‘get’ the races do they- pictured here in 2015 at Rosehill Racecourse’s New Golden Slipper Day we have Rachael Finch looking chic and elegant in a sky-blue frock and gold accessories, pictured with Nicole Richie, though also stylish looks like she’s dressed for a nightclub opening in LA.

Though Richie’s dress is a solid improvement from the race day ensemble worn by her former best friend Paris Hilton, who back in 2003 wore a shiny top hot and sheer midriff halter neck to the Melbourne Cup.

Samantha Harris and Megan Gale in 2012.

Matt Preston in 2016.

Supermodels Samantha Harris and Meghan Gale at Royal Randwick’s Derby Day back in 2011 show true racing style never goes out of fashion. Serving us timeless elegance in monochrome they both followed the dress code suggestion of choosing between showing your legs or shoulders.

Matt Preston is arguably one of Australia’s most underrated fashion icons. Not only does that man knows how to dress, he knows how to accessorise. Pictured here at the 2016 Melbourne Cup as well as wearing his signature cravat Preston shows he can be versatile, by adding a little sparkle with the inclusion of a bespoke pocket watch.

Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom in 2008.

In 2008 Miranda Kerr let her accessories do all the talking, when she graced Royal Randwick’s Doncaster Day sporting a dramatic fascinator with red lip paired with a long sleeve lbd The former Victoria’s secret angel struck the right balance between staying elegant without playing it too safe.

Although combined with her then husband Orlando Bloom’s matching black on black on black could also be passed as funeral attire, Kerr really picked a winner when putting this ensemble together, remaining as one of the most iconic race day looks on the list.

Nikki Phillips and Lara Bingle in 2011.

Sara Leonardi in 2019.

Lara Worthington is another A-list punter who deserves credit for her dramatic choice of veil. Back in 2011 when she was still being Lara Bingle, the model paired a simple low cut little black dress with a lace over her eyes, looking like a postmodern bond girl or villainess from a superhero franchise, and somehow she made it work.

Sara Leonardi-McGrath is staying true to her love of patterns, pictured here in 2019 at the inaugural Everest Carnival Fashion Lunch dressed in an outfit that could be best described as when ‘Byron Bay meets the Birdcage.

The textile designer and wife to cricketer Glen McGrath wore a paisley sundress jazzed up for race day by adding a glitter turban and pashmina.

Geoffrey Edelsten and Gabi Grecko at the 2014 Melbourne Cup.

Any list looking back at memorable race day fashion would be incomplete without mentioning at least one of Geoffrey Edelsten’s former flames.

In 2014 Gabby Grecko may have mistaken the Melbourne Cup for the Met Gala wearing what could be better described as a costume rather than an outfit.

The outrageous clown themed frock got the approval of partner Geoffey Edelsten, who dressed in a canary yellow suit, got down on one knee and proposed marriage which was enthusiastically accepted.

Grecko told the Herald Sun her outfit was inspired by the circus

“It was just Halloween so I wanted to do something carnival like — fake tattoos, fun stuff,” she said.

Grecko dismissed critics of her dress by saying “They probably wouldn’t have the guts to wear it.”