Spring Racing Carnival Recap: Mighty Oaks

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Dress: Alannah Hill jaquard

Heels: Country Road leather

Bag: Renee Loves Frances cane

Bangles: Gift, mixed metals, beads, sparkles

Headpiece: Forever New satin, mesh, faux flowers

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After all of the pomp, circumstance & history of Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks Day (the traditional day for ladies to get all dressed up in girly confections) is a little more frivolous & fun. This slightly more relaxed feeling is clearly shown in my choice of ensemble, styled up around this sweet bumble bee printed jacquard mini dress that I picked up from Alannah Hill that's giving me serious Jean-Shrimpton-in-the-1960s vibes. When it came to accessories, I eschewed the expected gold shoes & bag; instead opting for a pair of white leather pointy-toed heeled mules from Country Road & matching cane handbag from Renee Loves Frances to carry all the essentials. Layering up on sparkly bangles in mixed metals (gold & silver) added a touch of daytime shine & elevated the look while the oversized floral & mesh headpiece from Forever New picked up on the botanical theme.

Mighty Oaks

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Dress: Anthea Crawford silk chiffon

Heels: Betts for Her iridescent patent

Clutch: Mombasa Rose iridescent patent

Belt: Blue Illusion silver & stretch

Bracelet with Charms: Pandora silver & onyx

Ring: Pandora silver & onyx

Headpiece: Target satin, ribbon & mesh

Butterflies: Interflora paper & wire

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Following on from the "Race That Stops A Nation" was the more subdued Crown Oaks Day, traditionally known as Ladies' Day, where muted colours, girly prints, feminine touches & sweet yet sophisticated embellishments abound. Although I wasn't in Melbourne to witness the national Fashions on the Field final at Flemington, it didn't stop me from dressing "to the nines" to attend another elegant luncheon at an exclusive member's club in the River City.

Rather than the structured, guipure lace fabric that I wore on Melbourne Cup Day, the stunning Anthea Crawford dress that formed the base of my outfit was made from floaty silk chiffon fabric covered in butterflies & cut into a tapered shift with cowl neckline detail & sweet ruffle cascading from the left side of the waistline. 

When wearing a dress that is widely available in two of Australia's biggest department stores - in this case Myer & David Jones - it can be important to really "make it your own" & I accomplished this by gathering one side of the cowl & securing it with a large thin bow fashioned from the dress' fabric waist belt. This produced an asymmetrical detail on the OPPOSITE side of the body to the aforementioned waist ruffle, opening up the neckline to show off more of my decolletage. Where the fabric belt had been, I covered with a stretchy black belt from Blue Illusion, held together with a silver clasp that looked like stylised butterfly wings, cinching in my waist & creating further visual interest.

Instead of wearing my usual patent black accessories with such a ladylike look, I decided to go a bit "edgier" with a pair of sky-high iridescent patent platforms & a matching clutch in the shape of lolly wrapper for that touch of kitsch. Whimsy was also the name of the game when it came to jewellery - in this case a bangle with silver & onyx charms in the shape of hearts & presents from Pandora & the corresponding "heart" ring. 

Of course, it wouldn't be Spring Racing without the headpiece & this one was a true work of art, if I do say so myself: an oversized black ribbon & mesh "wing" designed headpiece from Target that I customised with a trio of gorgeous botanically accurate light blue paper butterflies from my local Interflora florist. Using wire clippers, I liberated the winged insects from the "stem" they were attached to & poked the ends through the tiny holes in the mesh at intervals, playing around until the formation looked natural & pleasing to the eye. Check out my little craft project in detail below:

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Crowning Glory

It can be difficult when you need to make the same dress do "double duty" for completely different events occurring on the same day. CASE IN POINT: Yesterday I had a morning of shopping & styling with my best friend at the new-look Indooroopilly Shoppingtown before rushing off to a Crown Oaks Day Fashion Wrap-Up event in the afternoon.

This blush lace Jacqui E shift dress - pictured above - was my life-&-time-saver, easily transitioning from smart casual to dressy with a quick change of accessories. 

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LOOK #1

Dress: Jacqui E lace

Sandals: Zensu snakeskin

Bag: Bluebird @ Strandbags

Necklace: Adorne

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Beaded Cuff: Tree of Life

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For the first look of the day - stylish shopper - I added neutral accessories in the form of a pair of snakeskin-printed wedge sandals (complete with stacked heel... love them!) & beige handbag to tone in with the muted blush tone of the lace. 

The outfit was then finished off with my omnipresent silver cuff, a beaded silver cuff from Tree of Life for the other forearm & a chunky silver & beige art deco style square shaped necklace for a laid-back feel. 

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LOOK #2

Dress: Jacqui E lace

Heels: Novo patent

Clutch: Gregory Ladner silk

Beaded Bracelets: Colette

Bracelet: Swarovski silver, pink & purple crystal

Ring: Pumpkin Patch

Fascinator: Target

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For the second look - afternoon glamour - I swapped the wedges for flesh tone patent platform sandals with a 1920s style t-bar strap & the neutral handbag for a statement floral silk clutch in deep pinks... Consider it to be my "pop" of pattern...

Sculptural silver cuffs were exchanged for armfuls of sparkly costume-jewellery elastic bracelets from Colette, stacked on top of each other for visual interest & a classy Swarovski silver bracelet with pink & purple crystals at the bottom of the pile on my left wrist for some "real" bling, as well as a tiny diamante bow ring for that last little twinkly touch... 

The real focal point of this ensemble, however, was the whimsical fascinator I created to go with the "Spring Racing Carnivale" theme of the afternoon. I took a simple Target fascinator from last year (that just HAPPENED to match the dress perfectly; I love a fluke like that!) & placed 3 vintage plastic horse figurines - 1 large, 2 small - into the woven mesh flowers, securing them with a little stitch. Voila! Instant "avant-garde" Spring Racing headpiece!

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Be Captivating at Crown Oaks

Crown Oaks Day is fast approaching on November 6, but there's still time to put together a show-stopping ensemble awash with colour & full of feminine accents! 

Traditionally known as "Ladies Day," the 3rd day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is a time for women to connect & share in a day of beauty & indulgence while dressed in their most romantic looks, replete with delicate fabrics, tasteful shine, whimsical florals & subtle sparkle. The official flower of Crown Oaks Day is the pink rose & I have kept this in mind while styling up 2 different outfits - one more traditional; the other with a funky edge - perfect for any femme determined to have a flutter... 

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LOOK #1

Dress: Anthea Crawford taffeta

Heels: Betts floral satin

Clutch: Betts floral satin

Headband: Gift

Brooch: Gift

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Bracelet: Vintage, Kellie's Antiques silver

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Taffeta is a timeless fabric that lends itself to any elegant occasion, particularly in this sumptuous shade of mauve & with the dress being such a classic silhouette - just look at that stunning half-bow detail at the waistline! - is an inspired choice for "Ladies Day." 

The sheen of the fabric is picked up in the jewellery, with a large silver & diamante flower-shaped brooch adding the perfect touch at the waist & complimenting the silver cuff & vintage bracelet with heart shaped locket & tiny key on my wrists. 

Seeing that the dress is plain rather than printed, it is important to bring in floral accents with accessories - in this case a pair of floral satin peeptoe platforms & matching clutch & a large-scale rose headband in a contrasting shade of pink to truly make a "girly" statement. 

After all, the Spring Racing Carnival comes but once a year, so why not make it special? 

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LOOK #2

Dress: City Chic satin & tulle

Heels: Emerson @ Big W patent

Clutch: Diana Ferrari patent

Hat: Vintage wool (from Paris Antique Store)

Necklace: Sussan

Cuffs: Lovisa rose gold

Ring: Antique Cameo, belonged to Aunty Emily

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This vivid floral print fit & flare dress with modified sweetheart neckline & tulle hemline underlay is a funky, vintage-inspired way to interpret the dress code & as such, I have played up this homage to the 1950s by adding a vintage wool beret rather than the expected fascinator. See below for a close-up:

I have also mixed my accessories - pairing peach-toned patent platforms (one of the hues found in dress' floral pattern) with a black patent clutch & blending a silver diamante & peach tone chunky flower statement necklace with rose gold cuffs for each arm & a vintage rose gold cameo ring that once belonged to my Aunty Emily. 

One of the best things about opting for pattern over plain is the fact that you can create visual interest by focusing on MULTIPLE different shades inherent in the print & matching each of your accessories to them, creating a jumble of items that shouldn't work in theory but just, well, DO! It can be liberating to take a chance with fashion & stand out from the crowd - for the right reasons - particularly when it comes to events such as Spring Racing where there are hundreds of pretty girls in (let's face it) the same style of dress, wearing the same type of shoe & carrying the same type of clutch... 

As style maven Coco Chanel once said:

Or if that's not inducement enough, here are some wise words from genius Albert Einstein:

On that note, here's a little sneak-peek of my Melbourne Cup outfit for tomorrow! 

More pictures to come, so stayed tuned!

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