IT MAY be the race that stops a nation for a day, but an adjacent fashion event stops spectators in their tracks for weeks.
Fashions on the Field runs alongside most major horse racing events in Australia, including the Melbourne Cup and The Hunter Race Day. It is a chance for keen amateurs outside the fashion industry to show off their artistic flare.
"It is tradition that people dress up to go to the races," Newcastle Racecourse chief executive Duane Dowell said. "This fits in line with what people like when they go to the races. Historically, Fashions on the Field has been prominent on big race days for all clubs."
Newcastle will host the contest at The Hunter Race Day on November 18. The competition is open to everybody and can be entered online until 12pm Friday 17 November or at the track on the day.
For participants, the lead up to a competition is no small feat. It is spent busily sewing or sourcing a worthy race day fit.
"We always have a large contingent of local people competing and it gives them as opportunity to compete at their local track. It's probably a bit harder sometimes to get down to Melbourne," Mr Dowell said.
The event will be a "bigger day" than the last Newcastle contest, which was judged by Newcastle HIT106.9 presenter Jess Farchione, supermodel Bella Fernandes, stylist Nat Barker and Andrew Rundle from Rundles Tailoring.
"We are expecting more than 5000 people on track on [the 18th]," Mr Dowell said. "There are some good prizes up for grabs across the number of different classes."
These classes include best dressed, best millinery, judges choice and best duo.
Fashions on the Field began in 1962 as a standalone competition at Flemington Racecourse. A surge of boundary-pushing fashion happened after mode Jean Shrimpton wore the first mini dress to a cup in 1965.
The contest dwindled during the 1970s but was reinstated with vigour in 1981 as power suits and shoulder pads became the rage.
Fast-forward to 2023 and model Kate Waterhouse is predicting rich colours like red, plums, and yellow to make up the majority of trackside outfits. Others reckon metallic might be all the rage, particularly when it comes to millenary and accessories.
But one person focused on her own style, rather than bulk fashion trends, is costume designer Bryony Bourke.
Mayfield-based Bryony Bourke has been selected as one of eight digital finalists for the Best Dressed and Best Suited contest on Ladies Day at Flemington Racecourse.
For her, the competition is a way to show off her design background through intimate stitching and hand-sourced fabric. She has also been able to travel nation-wide, including to Cairns, the Gold Coast, the Hawkesbury and Gosford, with the competition.
She encouraged others to try their hand at the contest for a social outing and a chance to show off their strengths.
"I've only been doing fashion since 2019," Ms Bourke said. "It is so much [fun]."
