Furore over Melbourne Cup Fashions on the Field winners

Sorry gents, but your standard navy blue or black suit just isn’t cutting it anymore in the fashion stakes on Melbourne Cup day.

The finalists for the best suit at this year’s Melbourne Cup has sparked spirited debate online.

The competition has been running for 60 years but changed in 2022 from women’s and men’s categories to Best Dressed and Best Suited — opening both up to all genders.

This year’s standouts certainly pushed the fashion stakes to new levels.

He even had the brolly and binoculars. Picture: VRC

Business on top, party down below. Picture: VRC

But the comments were divided when Myer shared a photo of the finalists on its Facebook page.

“Good grief!” one person wrote.

“Sorry but do you need new judges? Or do they need to go to Spec Savers this is so over the top people cannot imagine that there were no others? Come on wow,” wrote another.

Pushing boundaries in pink. Picture: VRC

The male finalists for Best Dressed. Picture: VRC

But there was also plenty of support for the daring looks.

“Well these comments just made me really depressed,” one person wrote.

“I have 3 points. 1st- try looking at each individual person, not the three together. The guy in green is wearing a perfect race day outfit.

“2nd- there are 50,000 men there today wearing blue, beige and black. Is it really that concerning that these three went for something different.

“3rd- you don’t have to wear it, you don’t have to date them and you don’t have to be so mean. Why do you care what these guys are wearing so much?”

The winner of the Millinery Award. Picture: VRC

The female finalists for Best Dressed. Picture: VRC

“I love the fashion,” added another. “So fun and expressive.

“Fashion is about expressing yourself and it certainly doesn’t make anyone a gender or sexuality. Honestly look at fashion throughout history.”

The Best Suited and Best Dressed winners will be crowned at the close of Kennedy Oaks Day on November 3.