Spring Racing Fashion Style Guide – Melbourne Racing Club

About This Project

We had the pleasure of creating the beautiful images for Melbourne Racing Club’s Spring / Summer 2017 Style Guide. Some pieces from Ted Baker’s Spring / Summer 2017 range were picked for the photo shoot, accessorised with millinery from Murley and Co. The shoot was held at Caulfield Racecourse on a gorgeous Winter’s day, giving us beautiful blue skies as the backdrop.

Below is Melbourne Racing Club’s guidelines as to how to dress for their upcoming Spring Racing Carnival, taken from their Style Guide.

Spring Carnival Fashion Photography

For more than a century, the Melbourne Racing Club has been home to some of the most celebrated and prestigious race meetings in the world. We’ve also seen our fair share of exquisitely attired ladies and gentlemen, and we’re proud of our exclusive and fashionable heritage on the track. Whether you are dressing for a more relaxed raceday or the pinnacle of the Caulfield Cup Carnival, BMW Caulfield Cup Day, you will need to ensure you steer clear of our unacceptable items. Embrace the spirit and tradition of raceway, don your best threads, headwear and accessories and enjoy yourself. A day at the races is something to rejoice.

Spring Fashion

The Spring Racing Carnival is one of the most fashionable times of the year for Melbournians, with the iconic BMW Caulfield Cup Carnival kicking it off! Spring fashion means pulling out all the stops, so embrace your own unique style and experiment with accessories, shoes, and of course the centrepiece of Spring Racing – millinery. Far inspiration and season trends, take a look at our Spring Racing Style Guide.

Summer / Autumn Fashion

At the Melbourne Racing Club, we call the summer period from December 1 to March 31 our relaxed Racing period. We like to think of it as the season to look sharp and smartly casual. As anyone who has ever received an invitation with the dress code Smart Casual on it knows, this can be tricky to get right, so we have pulled together some guiding principles which will help you dress for the track comfortably, in accordance with the occasion and the weather, all the while looking your absolute stylish best.

A collared shirt is a summer racing must, as are tailored pants and socks with shoes. Please note that we welcome a short sleeved shirt, but not polos, shorts or chinos. Jackets and tie are optional during these warm months.

Ladies are encouraged to dress in their summer season best, including breezy sleeveless dresses and tops, skirts and dresses, with bare legs and a more informal headpiece if preferred. Please steer clear of thongs or flip-flop style footwear and ensure you look cool and classy in the heat without any denim or bare midriffs.

Wise Words from fashion designer, Ted Baker (taken from the Style Guide):

“Without a doubt, Spring Carnival Race Day is your opportunity to impress. Show off your style with bold patterns and striking cuts and don’t be afraid to go for glamour; a pretty shift dress, a dramatic evening gown, or even sharp separates, will ensure you’re the belle of the ball.

It takes more than just a half-hearted attempt at colour matching to be the best-dressed couple at Race Day. This is your time to shine; make your other half proud by thinking carefully about your accessories and how they tie together, and push the boat out when it comes to detail.

If you take my advice about being a touch flamboyant with your accessories, then make sure you get your suit right too. Keep it neutral or dark, and relatively plain. Ensure that it fits correctly – the difference between good and ill-fitting suits is tiny but immediately noticeable.

I’m sure I don’t need to lecture you about the importance of good accessories to an outfit. An extra thing to include here is millinery: you’re positively encouraged to top your outfits off with something special, so make sure you consider this alongside your shoes, bag and jewellery.

When the temperature shoots up, think practical details and lightweight fabrics; a less structured dress or more informal headpiece would be a creative take on the dress code that’s much less likely to get you noticed for all the wrong reasons.

Relaxed Racing doesn’t mean relaxed dressing: during this season you’ll still be expected to wear a collared shirt, tailored pats and socks with shoes. However, you can still inject a playful air into proceedings with a short-sleeved shirt and patterned accessories.”

Enjoy the images and see you at the Caulfield races!