The first major race day of the year is Magic Millions on the sunny Gold Coast. There aren’t many FOTF events there, so the local ladies look forward to this day. Many others fly in from interstate for the event too, adding to the glamour.
It’s always expected to be a very hot day, so you have to plan your outfit accordingly, or risk ruining it with sweat patches. Eek!! Most people complain about the prospect of a cloudy, windy day with the threat of rain, but for Magic Millions this year, we definitely needed some clouds and grey skies to combat the heat.
In this post, I’ll share the process of how I came up with my outfit and then we’ll have a look at some of the gorgeous outfits from the 2020 Pacific Fair Fashions on the Field.
Image: Bob Mcgahan
The Last Minute Panic
Spring Carnival is an expensive week and I often find myself still paying off outfit debt in the new year. So, when it comes time for Magic Millions, I usually opt to reuse something from my wardrobe and changing it up with some new accessories or millinery.
This year was no different and a couple of days before the event I raided my wardrobe searching for something suitable. Believe it or not, I really don’t own that many race dresses- quality over quantity, right? Anyway, my first two picks were my pink pleated dress or the leopard print dress I wore on Derby Day.
Images: @lucasdawsonphotography @wendellt
I had seen a black Coolie hat by Stephanie Spencer listed on Millinery Market. I loved it and hired it so once it arrived I was able to try on the dresses to see which worked best.
I liked the look of the pink dress with the new black hat. However, my concern was that I had worn that dress two times in the last 2 months and wanted some new photos for my Instagram. Wendell, genius photographer extraordinaire, was going to be there and I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be snapped in something fresh!
I considered the leopard, but I felt it just didn’t have the right feel for Magic Millions. It’s quite heavy, with layers of fabric, so it would be HOT. And if I was going to wear it, I would have to remove the black lining to reveal the original yellow lining… it all seemed like too much work.
I scoured my wardrobe one more time and came across a white Alex Perry dress. I tried it on, it was nice… but I wasn’t sold on it either.
Then I remembered a white Solace London dress, which I had bought and altered last year. I have always loved this dress, the only problem is that the sides are cut away, showing a whole lotta side boob! And even though it is the Gold Coast, side boob is not very race appropriate.
I was also reluctant to wear black and white to Magic Millions because of the stigma around only wearing black and white to Derby Day- blog on this to come ;)