This year I attended the 155th Melbourne Cup. I had never been to the event only ever heard from other people what to expect and watched the event on television so this was my first time to attend such a prestigious event that stops the nation. Although the event is about the horses and the racing, along with the betting, I definitely focus a lot of my attention on the glitz and glamour. The fashion has evolved through the years, with different looks, from the bold and dramatic to the simple but show stopping, it's all there.
THE DO'S, DON'TS AND SIDE NOTES
What I discovered thanks to the spring races is to definitely bring spare flat shoes or wear a more comfortable heel. I most definitely regretted my decision to wear heels that were not only quite high but wear uncomfortable after a few hours. My advice is that you wear shoes that you've broken into instead of wearing brand new puppies, the only reason I went with a brand new shoe is because it was the only shoe that suited the dress I wore.
I recommend wearing a dress or outfit of some kind that is comfortable but fashionable at the same time. You'll be standing around for hours and walking around a bit to at least stretch your legs or grab some food and drinks if you haven't bought your own. Although my dress was unbelievably beautiful, it was difficult to walk in at times. Due to the shape of the dress and the geometric cut, it was restricting at times to take bigger strides or walking down stairs, or even just to sit down. The dress was also not made for my height, so even with alterations it wasn't the easiest dress to deal with. However, I don't have any regrets with the dress I purchased because it was a definitely a winner in my eyes. So the tip here is to make sure your dress fits well, you want the shape, length, details, colour(s) and/or pattern to suit your body and height. In order to make sure it's the perfect dress, you want to try it on and wear it around a little just to get a feel of it.
I've noticed that even though a dress is the go to outfit for the day, you can definitely shake things up with a jumpsuit or a two piece set, just wear something you feel comfortable in. With regards to shoes, wearing heels isn't the shoe that you have to wear, you can wear flats or even wedges and still rock your outfit.
When it comes to hair accessories, hats and fascinators or just accessories in general, I usually go with simple is better, but some people like to go all out, it's each to their own. I personally like to match my accessories to the outfit I wear, so if you're wearing a certain colour then the accessories should be the same colour, but you don't want to look too bland so wear an accessory that will stand out, for example a colourful clutch, a bold bag, metallic jewellery or even a watch, so there's some sparkle, this will make the outfit pop.
With regards to makeup, you want a look that will last throughout the day so it's simple but effective, however once again there are others who might want a more bold look for their outfit. If you've gone for a simple outfit and accessories, I suggest a bright, bold beauty look, for example, a smokey eye or colourful lip, it'll help make your face shine and create a whole dynamic to the outfit you've chosen. However, you can go for a neutral look even if you've gone simple with the outfit. If you've decided to go for a daring outfit, a beauty look that's modest in nature would be perfect, so you can apply neutral eyeshadow tones and nude or pink lips.
WHAT I WORE TO THE SPRING RACES
I wore the 'Hold Tight' by Cooper St, this is available in both black and white but I went with the white one. I paired this geometric dress with a strappy stiletto heel in white and a two-toned silver and white Gregory Ladner headband fascinator that had a sideman leaf with a bow and loops. For the accessories I wore a Tiffany & Co bracelet and a rose gold watch, along with a mini bag in teal, just to add some colour to the outfit. For my makeup I used Urban Decay's Naked 1 and Naked 3 palettes for my eyeshadow and Rimmel London's Nude Collection by Kate Moss lipstick in #45 A Rose Nude.
