Lexus Melbourne Cup Day Best Dressed: Personality wins the day

Full skirts shared the stage with sleek column dresses, while classic silhouettes were given contemporary updates. Vintage influences were everywhere, but rarely without a modern twist. One recurring detail was the high neckline, with fresh takes on collars and turtlenecks adding a little drama.

Colour drenching was one of the day’s boldest statements, with entrants embracing green, cobalt, pink, maroon and purple from head to toe, right down to their shoes, bags and millinery. Prints were equally playful, with racehorses and the Melbourne Cup itself making appearances on silk.

From elegant, understated designs to elaborate sculptural creations, headwear came in every conceivable shape. Among the more memorable looks was a green water-lily-inspired outfit topped with a crocodile-tail headpiece.

Some of the most striking looks revealed their best details up close: carefully placed feathers hidden playfully in hats, flashes of checked lining inside sleeves, and beautifully flowing silk.

Accessories brought plenty of personality too, from bird-shaped purses to brooches making a welcome return. Oversized earrings added another touch of drama.

Three Cup Day entrants secured their places in the Fashions on the Field Grand Final on Crown Oaks Day this Thursday, each with a distinctly different take on racewear.

Erin Smith embraced florals in a silk dress of pinks, reds and greens, featuring tiered ruffles and a soft bow at the high neckline. A magenta pillbox hat with a sculptural swirl added height and drama, while pink strappy heels and a fringed bag completed the look.

Kat Stewart opted for a more streamlined silhouette in a striking red column gown, with long sleeves, a turtleneck and elegant draping gathered at the hip. A wide-brimmed red saucer hat, worn at an angle, made a statement of its own, complemented by gold shoes and oversized earrings.

For Bryony Bourke, Cup Day was an opportunity to go all out. The England-born artist and trained costume designer, who moved to Australia a decade ago, made her own outfit: a sleeveless top and dramatic wide-leg trousers in a vibrant ikat print of red, yellow, cobalt and green.

“It’s Cup Day – go colour, colour, colour, go bold,” she said.

Bourke chose the fabric first, drawn to its vibrant pattern, then designed the outfit around it. The trousers were a nod to a pair she made for the 2023 digital competition, which she won. This year’s version featured an exaggerated wide front leg and shaping at the hips to create an even more dramatic silhouette. A structured red hat by Kathryn Lee, statement earrings and black bangles completed the look.