INSIDE TRACK
In the thick of racing season, what to wear and how to prepare is a breeze with the help of Vogue editors. Here, they share how they’ll be doing race day.
DERBY DAY Remy Rippon, Vogue senior beauty and health editor
1. “With a palette of black and white, Derby Day is a great opportunity to play with different silhouettes. I love sharp tailoring and anything waisted.”
2. “When Princess Diana showed up to Flemington in 1985, she went for clean lines and simplicity, which proves you don’t have to be over-the-top to have a style presence trackside. There’s also always been something timeless about Ascot, one of the original arenas for polished style – it’s the ethos I keep in mind when getting dressed.”
3. “For shoes, I look for something sturdy yet stylish that I know can take me through the entire day. My pick: anything by Neous, the London-based shoe label from Australians Vanissa Antonious and Alan Buanne. They’re made with wearability top of mind.”
4. “Jewellery-wise, I keep things minimal, as I do beyond the track. As for bags, I’m a fan of brands Simone Rocha and Bottega Veneta.”
5. “Atmosphere is key, so I’m holding out for a ticket to the newly reworked Birdcage Enclosure. Cross your fingers you’re lucky enough to be invited (it’s a given if you’re a full Victoria Racing Club member) because it has that centre-of-it-all vibe during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.”
6. “Racing is an opportunity to play with your beauty look. For me, that means a playful lipstick shade (at the moment I’m loving dusty pink or peach) or a chic, colourful eye. I love playing with texture, too. Gloss on eyes feels fresh for a day at the track. Plus, at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, you can stop by Myer’s Glam Bar at The Park for beauty touchups all day to keep everything in check.”
CUP DAY Danielle Gay, Vogue digital editor
1. “My ultimate race-day icon is Jean Shrimpton. Her look from the 1965 Melbourne Cup is so iconic. I also like to look to the royal family for my inspiration – the Duchess of Cambridge’s floaty covered-up dresses make her a modern-day muse.”
2. “For Cup Day, I like to go for a classic look. My preference is for ladylike silhouettes – dresses with a high neck or long sleeves in bright colours. At the moment I love Stella McCartney – she’s always known how to do a powerful brand of femininity – and Rosie Assoulin, who is unmatched when it comes to compelling modern occasion-wear – there’s always an added twist.”
3. “While I’m about keeping the beauty look polished and classic, I like a bold lipstick to tie in with Cup Day colours.”
4. “I love a straw hat for spring, or for something different, a statement headband.”
5. “In the arena of shoes, a low heel is my preference. While comfort isn’t everything at the races, it helps when it comes to footwear.”
6. “The day isn’t all about the look – tradition has dictated that I pick my favourite horse the morning of. Colour, number and name are the only things that guide me; I don’t take it too seriously.”
7. “In my opinion, your bag shouldn’t shine on race day but simply complement your look as well as be able to hold everything you need for a day by the track. I’d also swap my jewellery for bedazzled shoes or a springappropriate headband.”
8. “For me, race day means stopping by the Myer Fashions on the Field to see all of the day’s best looks in one place.”
9. “I consider Lexus Melbourne Cup Day as the jewel in the crown of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which means you should reserve your favourite trackside look for that first Tuesday in November. Keep it classic and refined with a dashing twist – for instance, embrace colour. Your look should befit a formal occasion and a hat or headpiece is a must.”
OAKS DAY Alice Birrell, Vogue fashion features director
1. “With racing steeped in so much tradition, looking to the past is instantly inspiring, like the 1930s sleeves, top-handle bags and gloves of the beautifully put-together women at the Chantilly races in that decade.”
2. “Excuses to dress up can be few and far between – at least while we wait for end-ofyear parties to begin – so days like the races during Melbourne Cup Carnival are a reason to get dressed properly. I like micro-florals or, on Kennedy Oaks Day, which is a little more feminine in theme, opt for smocks and overblown volume to get into the spirit.”
3. “Details can turn a dress you already have into a race-appropriate option, but it doesn’t always have to be about extravagant headwear. Bows, small headbands and wristlet bags are easy add-ons.”
4. “The innocence of a young Brigitte Bardot in the 50s with her sunhats and girlish dresses combined with the sense of occasion in Gustav Klimt’s muse Emilie Flöge’s long cotton pieces, seems like the perfect starting point for a day out in spring.”
5. “Looking through runway collections is part of my day-to-day, so I store mental references, like Miu Miu’s neatly collared dresses for resort and puff sleeves at autumn/ winter ‘19/’20. The former show also happened to be held at Paris’s old steeplechase, Hippodrome d’Auteuil – on the mark for the racing mood.”
6. “I try to avoid making a last-minute call on shoes because the wrong pair can really put an end to your day early if they’re not comfortable – plus taking off shoes, as much as we’ve all wanted to, should be resisted. For this reason, I never wear a pair for the first time on race day. Go for mid to low heels, and opt for lightweight pairs as they tend to rub less.”
7. “On the day, I’ll either wear my hair up, which feels more dressed-up, with no lipstick, or have it loose and wear a dusting of bronze eye shadow so I don’t look too over-the-top.”
8. “Jewellery I’ll keep minimal, because things like earrings can be tricky to balance visually with headpieces. I’d rather go for delicate bracelets with matching gold rings.”