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Rules are funny things. Sure, they’re meant to be broken, but also, if no one takes advantage of them, are they like the proverbial felled tree in the forest?
This year, the Victoria Racing Club has allowed the wearing of shorts for the first time in the members areas at Flemington, including the celebrity-studded Birdcage, but sightings of bare calves on men were still few and far between, despite the mercury already hitting 25 degrees Celsius by 10 am.
Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer in the Birdcage.Credit: Justin McManus
Not even the VRC’s own special guests, who included Princess Diana’s nieces, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer, were game to try the “evolved” rules, sticking with tried-and-tested trend of matching red dresses by Cappellazzo Couture, and accessories by a range of Australian designers, including stylist and shoe designer Lana Wilkinson, who was thrilled to see Lady Eliza in her heels.
Adut Akech wearing Paolo Sebastian.Credit: Justin McManus
The weather seemed to throw more than one celebrity off course with plenty of them betting – the wrong way – on Melbourne’s fickle weather. Fashion influencer Rozalia Russian would have topped the best-dressed list at the autumn carnival, but her Lillian Khallouf two-piece and hat by Melissa Jackson – both were dyed the perfect shade of mulberry to match her Bottega Veneta shoes – felt a touch heavy in the heat.
Change of season … Rozalia Russian.Credit: Instagram/Eddie Jim
Still, Russian earns top marks for having a vision and sticking to it come hell or high cloud cover. “It was supposed to be a suit but when we saw the forecast, we thought, let’s rip the sleeves off,” she says.
The debate about the future of Melbourne Cup fashion continued on the top floor of the Lexus marquee, where Sudanese-Australian supermodel Adut Akech looked like a tulle angel in a mini dress by South Australian couturier Paolo Sebastian. But where was the racewear?
Kate Waterhouse: tradition with a twist
Serving sorbet … Kate Waterhouse.Credit: Justin McManus
Dress: Mariam Seddiq
Shoes: Edie Collective
Bag: Bulgari
Hat: Somewhere Here
With a nod to Cup Day’s yellow roses, media personality Kate Waterhouse, the daughter of champion trainer (and shorts decrier) Gai Waterhouse says the weather made people feel confident in wearing bold colours.
After causing a minor stir in a pink Gucci dress at last year’s Cup, Waterhouse’s limoncello – also a nod to the family’s favourite holiday destination, Sicily – was a firm favourite. But it’s not the first time she’s worn the shade, recalling a Scanlan Theodore suit she once wore to Randwick. “I’ve never worn it to Cup Day, and I do love yellow, and it ties in with the yellow rose that’s the flower of the Melbourne Cup.”
Suzy Eskander: rainbow warrior
Queen of colour … Suzy Eskander.Credit: Justin McManus
Dress: Pucci
Headband: Sylvy Earl
Shoes: Bottega Veneta
Bag: Valentino
Stylist Suzy Eskander is used to making other people look good for events such as the Melbourne Cup, but she has been consistently on the best-dressed list herself – last year she rocked a runway look by Loewe. She was enjoying seeing purples, yellows and reds among the fashionable throngs in the Birdcage.
“[For the Cup] I always think of something bold, colourful – it’s for your most standout outfit,” she says. “I’ve gone for something ’60s’ mod, which is so great for the races because it’s sophisticated and elegant.”
Erin Deering: the label loyalist
Fringe benefits … Erin Deering.Credit: Justin McManus
Dress/shoes/bag: Bottega Veneta
Entrepreneur, author and business mentor Erin Deering may be remembered for the teeny bikinis she pioneered for her former label, Triangl. But today she gave new meaning to the term excess baggage in an aqua fringed dress by Bottega Veneta, one of her favourite international labels. “I love that they have fun, and there’s a lot of texture – that’s my favourite thing about the brand,” she says.
Deering, who opted to forego a headpiece (maybe Bottega doesn’t make headbands) says she had originally planned to wear red but feels happy with her choice considering how many other celebrities were in scarlet, including the VRC’s special guests and Princess Diana’s nieces, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer.
Brit Selwood: hometown hero
Nod to mod … Brit Selwood.Credit: Justin McManus
Dress and headband: And Bear
Shoes: Fendi
Bag: Dior
Jean Shrimpton turns 81 today and the British model who turned heads for her bare-legged, mini dress look at Flemington in 1965 was a clear inspiration for Brit Selwood’s look.
The special-needs teacher, who has an eight-month-old son with retired AFL champion Joel Selwood, turned to Geelong label And Bear to make the look. As of Tuesday, the label had about 1500 followers on Instagram, but surely that’s about to change. “I wanted to give these girls [designers] a go, and they did, and they had so much fun with it,” she says.
Unlike many celebrities and influencers who engage a stylist to help coordinate their outfits, Selwood does it herself, scoring two winning looks already this carnival, including her Victoria Beckham Derby Day ensemble. “I’m not working full-time, so I had time, and I thought, I’ll give it a go. And it’s been fun.“
Rebecca Harding: princess with a touch of punk
Millinery magic … Rebecca Harding.Credit: Justin McManus
Dress: Vivienne Westwood
Hair bow: Spotlight
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Vivienne Westwood was the mother of the 1970s punk fashion revolution, and became known for the phrase: “Buy less, choose well, make it last.”
And Rebecca Harding, model and founder of “shaving wellness” brand Lui, took Westwood’s ethos one step further, not only wearing a blue polka-dot dress from the late designer’s label, but making a mad dash to Spotlight last night when her original millinery didn’t work out.
“Melbourne Cup is the time to step out of your comfort zone and do something fun,” she says, adding that she picked a good dress for the weather. “I have friends up there sweating buckets, but I’m pretty comfortable … it breathes quite well.”
Francesca Hung: the high-low
Lady in red … Francesca Hung.Credit: Justin McManus
Suit: Atoir
Hat: Stacey Hemera Roberts
Bag: Dior
Shoes: Novo
Model and presenter Francesca Hung was channelling video game superhero Carmen Sandiego in head-to-toe red, the perfect antidote to the monochromatic code on Derby Day. But it nearly didn’t happen, with her outfit only being released by customs late last night – and there was no plan B. “I had my fitting for the first time last night at 9.30 pm,” she says. “There’s nothing like the night before rush.”
Hopefully things will go a little smoother for Hung, a former Miss Universe Australia winner, at her forthcoming wedding to her long-time partner, Sydney real-estate agent Nick Lowry.
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