Mighty Oaks

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Dress: Trelise Cooper textured jacquard

Heels: Wittner satin, leather

Bag: Nine West textured vinyl with gold hardware

Headpiece: La Plume de Fleur faux flowers, gumnuts

Hinged Bangle: Disney Couture gold, resin

Bangle with Charms: Disney Couture gold, resin

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For my final look from this year's Spring Racing Carnival, I was all sweetness & light! To attend an event celebrating Oaks Day (otherwise known as Ladies Day) I donned a gorgeous confection of a dress covered with pink & white stripes & made from rose-textured jacquard, cut into a "cupcake" shape with a faux wrap bodice from New Zealand designer Trelise Cooper's newest collection, dainty light pink satin mules with gold heels that for some reason make me think of Katherine Hepburn/Grace Kelly's character Tracy Lord & her high-class-house-slippers in that old movie, "The Philadelphia Story" from Wittner, a metallic gold vinyl shoulder bag with metal chain strap from Nine West to carry all the essentials & a pair of whimsical Disney Couture jewellery pieces that I've had for a few years now & are still among my most favourite things - a gold & resin hinged bangle depicting the castle, pumpkin carriage & wishing well from "Cinderella" & a chunky gold & pink resin bangle with Cheshire Cat charms from "Alice in Wonderland." Completing the look was a stunning Australiana faux floral headpiece replete with actual gumnuts (!) from the divinely talented La Plume de Fleur that I was lucky enough to find out about on Etsy. Seriously, the workmanship is unparalleled; people were actually legitimately shocked that the flowers weren't real... & the best part is that because they're faux, I can keep them forever.

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Giddy Up for the Cup

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Dress: Sacha Drake textured jacquard (altered by me)

Heels: Jo Mercer leather, laces

Clutch: Olga Berg via Myer vinyl, beads with silver hardware

Headpiece: Etsy faux flowers, jewellery, beads, lace

Bangles: Gift, gold, silver, sparkles, beads

Bangle: Empire Revival vintage silver, mosaic glass

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Here's another look from this year's Spring Racing Carnival! For the Melbourne Cup, the most important event in the racing calendar, often referred to as "the race that stops a nation," I attended a celebration in the River City with a "whimsical woodland" theme that I decided to embrace wholeheartedly... Go hard or go home, as they say. I'm swanning around in a gorgeous navy, black & silver textured floral jacquard ballgown with asymmetrical neckline from Aussie designer Sacha Drake (altered by me; shortened in length with a second, thinner strap added), black leather Victorian-style lace-up heels from Jo Mercer for height & stability, a funky black vinyl hardcase clutch with silver hardware in the shape of a camera from Olga Berg via my local Myer store (certainly appropriate for a fashion blogger) to carry all the essentials as well as an armful of beaded, mixed metal bangles that a dear friend brought back from an overseas trip & a single, vintage silver & mirrored glass mosaic bangle from Empire Revival for some daytime sparkle. Completing the look was the most insanely amazing, dramatic blue, purple & white faux floral & faceted bead headpiece with long, white & silver lace & ribbon tendril veil from Carbikova Bijou via Etsy that made me feel like a nymph or sprite twirling my way through the woods... talk about an absolute dream come true!

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Derby Day Darling

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Dress: Anthea Crawford stretch lace

Heels: Wittner patent leather, matte lather, grosgrain ribbon

Bag: Review vinyl with silver hardware

Headpiece: Target satin, mesh

Necklace: Witchery silver, agate

Cuffs: Witchery silver, agate

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Another Spring Racing Carnival done & dusted! For the first of the events - Derby Day - I donned the traditional monchrome colour palette in the form of a gorgeous Anthea Crawford butterfly printed stretch lace wiggle dress with ruffled neckline & fluted hem, shiny white heels with black matte pointy-toes & grosgrain ribbon strap with a teeny tiny hint of blush pink (rebel, rebel) from Wittner, boxy black vinyl hardcase handbag with white trim & bow detail from "girly" Aussie label Review (a great alternative to a clutch), oversized black satin & mesh headpiece from my local Target store that I pretty much re-wear every. single. year because it's so darn amazing & looks far more expensive than it actually was to buy & finally, a matching silver & white/grey agate stone necklace & cuffs from Witchery.