Bold block colours, florals and feminine lace were the fashion highpoints of the Ballarat Cup according to those in the know.
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Fashion always comes a close second to the action on the track when Ballarat’s biggest day of racing rolls around.
Outfits were prepared for the forecast warm spring day, but the sudden temperature drop accompanying a storm in the early afternoon left many a little cooler than planned.
Ponchos quickly became a popular addition to even the most stylish outfits when the rain hit.
Those who were best prepared came equipped with clear plastic ponchos, providing rain protection and still allowing their carefully put together ensembles to be seen.
Red and pink were among the most popular colours for the ladies while the men favoured grey and blue.
Attire for the men varied more considerably than the women’s dresses, with men opting for styles ranging from natty suits and skinny ties to shorts and t-shirts, the odd wedding dress, rainbow shorts and everything in-between.
While fascinators were aplenty for the girls, the odd Stetson, boater hat or baseball cap to protect from the sun was as glamorous as the gents’ headwear got.
Stockland Wendouree Fashions on the Field judges Julia Zass, Amy Hope, Bianca Flint and Bonnie Ziegler were impressed at the fashion both in the competition and around the Ballarat racecourse.
“It’s all been very eclectic so far,” Ms Hope said.
“There’s lots of bright colours as well as traditional pastels and florals.”
The judges agreed that cohesion, in colour and style, was the key for a successful raceday outfit.
“We’ve seen lots of different trends over the past couple of years,” Ms Zass said.
“We’ve had a lot of digital prints on dresses in the past but this year we’ve moved more back to lace, bright colours and some unusual prints,” she said.
Ms Flint, from Stockland Wendouree, said there had been lots of creativity and thought given to most of the outfits on course.
One standout trend to have come through fashion during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and now on to the regional cup scene is clashing patterns, which Ms Ziegler said were once were a no-no but are now on-trend.
“Clashing patterns used to be a faux pas but people are being more daring with their fashion,” Ms Ziegler said.