Melbourne Cup: Winning trifecta in day of sartorial splendour

A two-year hiatus, new racewear rules and the celebration of a major fashion milestone made for a sartorial trifecta at this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Amanda Smith stars in Fashions on the Field at Flemington on Tuesday. Picture: David Caird

A two-year hiatus, new racewear rules and the celebration of a major fashion milestone made for a sartorial trifecta at this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup.

The day’s most necessary ­accessory was rainwear, with the track awash with ponchos, gumboots, brollies and even blankets keeping the keenest of racegoers warm and dry enough to watch the race that stops a nation.

The most dedicated fashion followers, however, staged a rebellion against the chilly, rainy conditions, refusing to swap their meticul­ously planned spring racing ­ensembles for more weather-appropriate clothing.

This year’s major trackside trends were inspired by a pair of unlikely muses – the late Queen and Barbie, with diamante tiaras and hot pink the order of the day.

“The two queens, it’s fantastic,” Christian Wilkins said, referring to the Queen and Margot Robbie, who is set to play Barbie in a film about the iconic doll next year.

The VRC ambassador and Fashions on the Field judge paired his pale green satin suit with green platform heels and a delicate jewelled coronet.

“Yes, it’s a little homage,” Wilkins said of the sparkling headpiece.

“I thought it was a fun twist on race wear and also an acknowledgment of the late Queen and her love of horses.”

Kate Waterhouse, daughter of trainer Gai, also embraced the tiara trend, styling hers with a pink satin Gucci slip dress.

Bold-coloured pant suits were a standout trend, with ambassador Crystal Kimber, Ariarne Titmus and Brooke Warne stepping out in vibrant iterations of the style.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was a surprising contingent of more demure creams and neutrals; from biscuits to tans with matching headwear.

Racegoers embraced the new gender-neutral Fashions on the Field categories of Best Dressed and Best Suited, with men and women donning their most showstopping ensembles in both categories.

The inclusivity of this year’s competition was the inspiration behind Velvet & Tonic designer Souri Sengdara’s winning look in the Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery category.

“My vision was always to have a beautiful man wearing it,” Sengdara explained in an Instagram post.

“Sengdara’s piece was beautifully executed and the choice of model made the look even more dramatic,” said Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Edwina McCann, who judged the competition.

“It was wonderful to see how creative the next generation of Australian design talent are, and to witness their enthusiastic ­approach to millinery, given that it is an industry that is almost ­entirely reliant on racing.”