From Jennifer Hawkins to Elyse Taylor, this incredibly elegant day at the races is all the spring prep you need.
The Melbourne Cup Carnival got underway in style over the weekend — starting with the AAMI Victoria Derby Day on November 4 — as Australia’s elite gathered on the green making their own style mark on the event’s monochromatic dress code.
Melbourne Cup Day brought the colour and the elaborate headwear – the perfect inspiration for our own upcoming season of racing.
Key trends spotted this year include chic suiting-inspired pieces, as seen on Rachel Finch and Ksenija Lukich, while spring florals also dominated the day with Sam Frost’s ruffled lace dress and Jodi Gordon’s strapless midi as standouts.
The traditional fascinator was noticeably absent with crowd favourites opting for more contemporary head wear; think wide straw-brimmed hats, floral headbands and berets as your très chic update.
Jennifer Hawkins looked an absolute knockout on both days, but in particular on Derby Day in a beautiful lace dress with cut out detailing by Jonathan Simkhai. However, it was a case of seeing double as Channel Seven presenter Francesca Cumani also turned up in the same dress. Both women are supposedly contractually obliged to wear clothing from Myer (who carries the Jonathan Simkhai brand), which could have been a reason for the double up.
Scroll through the gallery below to see all the best dressed from Melbourne’s spring racing carnival:
