Crown Oaks Day at the races also goes by another name, ladies day, but yesterday the look was more gooseflesh than flashy filly. Yes, plenty of race goers dressed for the occasion, but given the state of the weather, the preponderance of dish plate sized flowers which rested on women's heads like petaled berets, girlish florals and meters and meters of blush hued satin a chiffon looked more shiver inducing than stylish.
The celebrity set, all of whom were sensible enough to bring jackets, fared better. Sarah Jessica Parker, who acted as Crown's jewel, and never left their pavilion, wore a silver coat with an ombre pink dress, her hair swept into an elaborate updo fancy enough to face-off any complaints of hatlessness, and offset by a lacey clip. SJP also embraced the trend for lady-like, point toed shoes, something which it would be nice to see the hundreds of girls clumping around in Jeffrey Campbell clodhoppers following suit on.
Also in demure, point toed shoes was Joan Collins, who colour matched them to her waterpaint print silk dress. While these parts of her outfit were understated, they were upped by an ultra puffed shoulder and elaborately petaled hat with a veil, both in cobalt blue. This is why we love Joan Collins.
Liz Hurley, who at one point cozied up to SJP for a series of shots that have already made headlines in the UK, wore a towering statement white orchid hat, with a sleek white dress. The look was so striking, simple and elegant you almost didn't notice Shane Warne's face... Almost.
Meanwhile, in the Birdcage, Ruby Rose continued to prove herself the dark (but placing) horse on the fashion field, wearing a lace headpiece homage to the Day of the Dead, which we had trouble resisting snatching and keeping, and a tasseled green dress with a statement neckline by Magdalena Velevska, which proved why the designer is fast becoming a fashion favourite.
Jennifer Hawkins went fluffy in a feather trimmed lavender piece by everyone's not-so-secret fashion crush Toni Maticevski. "He always gets it right," the Myer girl gushed.
As far as the official Fashion's on the Field went, the zippy, $80,000 Lexus grand prize was taken out by gorgeous Canberran Angela Menz, who wore a draped statin top in fuchsia, colour blocked with a chartreuse pencil skirt. The look was topped by a canoe inspired hat in burnt orange, creating a fruity colour blocked effect the stylish 27 year old explained was inspired by this season's trends. Menz is a racewear veteran, and made her entire outfit for under $100.
Coming in second place was perky Queenslander Louise Struber in lemoncake pastels, who wore milliianry, accessories and clothes all made by residents of her home town Cairns.
Alex Foxcroft represented Victoria, and took out second runner up in a hot pink Scanlan and Theodore dress with matching accessories. While her look was impressive, we spotted the feather fronded, pop-hued frock on two other women in the Birdcage, who both wore it just as well.
While there were a few pastel and foamy looks on the field, over all, we were suprised by how little the sugar sweet, and seemingly ideal styles of the SS12 shows influenced race goers, who for the most part opted for fiercer flashes. If only the hot hues had been enough to actually keep people warm.