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The Melbourne Cup is one of Australia’s most prestigious horse races and is often referred to as ‘the race that stops a nation’. Held on the first Tuesday of November by the Victoria Racing Club, this iconic annual horse race is a staple of Australia’s sporting and social calendars. Fashion plays a central role in all Melbourne Cup Day festivities – whether you’re attending the race in person or celebrating at an office party or leisure function, in this post we share some of the top tips for race day fashion and why kaftans at the Melbourne Cup are just the fashion item to bridge formal with comfort.
Falling in love with a headpiece or pair of shoes and then trying to find a dress to match is a recipe for disaster. Hold back on purchasing any accessories until you have found a suitable dress.
In this photo: Cheetahlicious Long Kaftan
If you’re going to the races, some kind of headpiece is a must. If you prefer not to wear a hat, a gorgeous fascinator is your best choice, just make sure your outfit is matching your headpiece.
Did you know? The first Melbourne Cup was held in 1875.
In this photo: Kapalua Bay Mid Length Kaftan
Although Melbourne Cup Day fashion is about following runway trends, be sure to apply racewear elegance and remember skirt lengths should be at the knee. The aim is exuding sophistication, class, and elegance, and not to show too much skin (kaftans are perfect for this, showing what you want, and hiding what you don’t want to show).
Though the classic black and white combo are always sure to be a winner, Melbourne Cup Day is held in spring and it’s hard to go wrong with an elegant dress which pops with warm spring colours. November is a great time to embrace vivid tones and prints, so opt for light, bright and fun colours and styles.
In this photo: Cannes Long Kaftan
Don’t forget that Melbourne Cup Day usually means a long, boozy day outdoors (or at the most, an event that requires you to stand a lot of the time) so make sure to be prepared. Ditch that small clutch, you might need a larger handbag to carry some of the essentials such as your lipstick, band-aids (for those new shoe blisters), sunscreen, sunglasses, your wallet, phone, keys etc.
Did you know? Four and five year old horses have the best times recorded throughout the race’s history.
Extra high heels or new designer shoes means a whole lot of pain to come – either opt for a heel that’s more comfortable such as those with wedge heels or thicker heels that provide more surface coverage (even better bring a pair of flats in your bag for breaks during the day). Thinking ahead and breaking in new heels can also make all the difference – too many women wait until the day itself before taking a few steps in their heels.
In this photo: Whitehaven Long Kaftan
