The incredible truth behind the outfits worn by the winners of the Melbourne Cup Fashions on the Field
Some of the Melbourne Cup’s best-dressed revelers took to the Fashions on the Field catwalk on Tuesday to create a stunning parade of kaleidoscopic colours.
Bold patterns and colors, especially red, were all the rage among Fashion on the Fields attendees, but it was a shimmering ombre green and gold number that took first place in the Best Dressed category.
Weeks of planning and preparation went into some of the incredible top three winning outfits, which also included a repurposed designer dress and an artistically painted pastel dress.
It wasn’t just the outfits that impressed, but also the intricately handcrafted fashion items and headwear that added a striking statement to the wearers’ brightly colored racing gear.
Many of the winners and designers told FEMAIL what went into their outfits and fashion items, including Best Dressed winner Sammy Smith.
Bold colors were all the rage among the Fashion on the Fields competitors at the Melbourne Cup, but it was a shimmery ombre green and gold number that took top spot
A stunning parade of a kaleidoscope of colors took to the Fashion on the Field stage where the best dressed and most stunning millinery was awarded
Sammy, from Orange, made her off-the-shoulder peplum number herself after falling in love with the holographic emerald and copper fabric while on her honeymoon abroad.
“Initially I started with a full tulip skirt, but I decided that wasn’t really my thing and shortened it,” says the 25-year-old.
‘I happened to be watching the movie Cruella and saw a very beautiful dress that she designed in the movie. I thought that was more my style, so I went to my blackboard and started drawing and sketching designs.”
Sammy said the dress was made and remade three times as she struggled to arrive at a final design.
“Every part of the dress ended up being made twice, which is a bit of a design nightmare,” she said, adding that as a nurse she is equipped to deal with a crisis.
Best Dressed winner Sammy Smith (pictured) created her off-the-shoulder number after falling in love with the holographic emerald and copper fabric while on her honeymoon abroad
‘The outer skirt is removable so it’s better suited for wearing to a ball or somewhere further down the court as I don’t like wearing anything just once.’
Sammy has been designing and making her own clothes as a hobby since school and decided to put her skills to good use when she started competing in local Fashions on the Field competitions.
‘I quickly realized how expensive it is to do Fashions on the Field.
From there I said, ‘You know what I have, this whole set of skills that I’m not using, how about I put it in play and see what I can create?'” she said.
Carle (pictured) reached third place in the Best Dressed category for her vibrant red and pink striped outfit which she altered to create her own unique look
“I also hate going somewhere and having someone the same as you. No matter how beautiful an Aje or Rebecca Vallance dress is, someone else will probably wear it.’
Carle reached third place in the Best Dressed category for her vibrant red and pink striped outfit which she altered to create her own unique look.
“I bought the Brandon Maxwell dress on sale online in September because I simply loved the color combination and the shape,” she said.
“When I tried it, while it was fun, it needed something more to bring that ‘wow’ edge.”
As a busy working mom, Carle spent every spare minute for about two months altering the dress to find a wow factor.
“I was trying to come up with an idea for my vision to give the dress the extra styling it needed and that’s where I ended up with a giant big bow that’s kind of trendy at the moment,” she said.
The Melbourne mum, who took first place at the 2018 Fashions on the Field, already had the shoes and accessories for the outfit, but bought a bag and personalized her headpiece just hours before the show.
‘I didn’t want a big hat because there was a lot going on with the dress and the bow, so I opted for a vintage model from milliner Eve til Dawn. For fun, I added the pink feather and the veil with tails behind me,” she explained.
Also placing in the top three for Best Dress was Holly Keenan, which attracted an incredible number, painted by Perth artist Ash Von
‘In the end it was all a bit last minute. I only picked up the beautiful bow belt a few days ago and was still sewing the details of the hat (the night before).”
Holly Keenan was also placed in the top three for Best Dress, which attracted an incredible number, painted by Perth artist Ash Von.
Holly makes the dress herself and then enlists Ash’s help to bring the garment to life by hand-painting flowers and patterns directly onto the fabric.
She paired the chic dress with a matching orange headpiece from Darwin-based designer Belinda Osborne of Peacock Millinery.
Sammy, Holly and Carle will showcase their stunning racing outfits at the grand finale of Fashions on the Field on Thursday on Kennedy Oaks Day.
The judges will name an overall winner from each of the best-dressed top three from Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup and Kennedy Oaks Day, who will take home a prize worth $54,000.
Cynthia Jones-Bryson Millinery took first place in Fashion on the Field’s Lillian Frank Millinery Award with a neon green and pink headpiece, which took her 30 hours to make.
Cynthia Jones-Bryson Millinery took first place in Fashion on the Field’s Lillian Frank Millinery Award with a neon green and pink headpiece that took her 30 hours to create
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NAT Millinery took second place with a yellow sun-like creation. Moderator Jill Humphries placed third with a piece decorated with ants, berries and flowers, worn by Bree Laughlin
This is Cynthia’s third time winning the Fashions on the Field millinery award, after taking first place in 2015 and 2019.
“I saw a few of my hats in the crowd, which makes me smile, especially when the wearer comes up to thank me,” she said.
Cynthia said she noticed punters were ‘big on pink’ this year for their cup headwear, as well as all the shades paired with greens and floral patterns.
NAT Millinery won second place with a bright yellow, sun-inspired creation, worn with a magenta pink dress.
Cairns-based designer Natalie Amanda Taylor named the piece Leto, meaning Goddess of Motherhood, because it was inspired by having her daughter Charli.
In third place was Milliner Jill Humphries’ whimsical handmade piece, decorated with beaded ants and berries and fabric flowers, worn by Bree Laughlin.
Each top three entrant in the Lillian Frank Millinery Award on Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup and Kennedy Oaks Day will have a chance to win the grand final and have the chance to have their piece enter the fashion and textile archives of the National Gallery Victoria.