To easily see all posts on one page, visit the blog archives.
The Race Day Hack BIBLE | 104 Insider Tips from Racing Fashion Enthusiasts
With spring racing season fast approaching and many race days ahead, I thought it was a good time to put together a list of race day hacks that will make your day run that little bit smoother. Whether you are entering FOTF or prepping for a fun day out at the races, this is definitively [...]
Evolving Racewear Fashion | Dare to be Different & Try a Fresh Look
It was two weeks out from the Myer NSW state final FOTF competition. My outfit planning was well underway. And I was nervous. Here’s what was running through my head at the time… The Dilemma Diary The first dilemma is my dress. It’s stunning. When I saw it, I knew it was the one, but [...]
Monochrome Dressing Trend | How to Wear All One Colour to the Races
You think dressing in just one colour looks kinda boring? Think again! When executed well, dressing monochromatically can be a real head turner. A common misconception is that monochrome dressing means wearing black and white (and sometimes grey). But it actually just means wearing separates of one colour. Any colour. Mono = one and chrome [...]
An Insider’s View on Judging a Fashions on the Field Competition
They sit at a fancy table, front row to all the glitz and glamour, surrounded by beautiful bouquets of flowers and served with flowing champagne and hors d’oeuvres. The judging panel. Recently, I was lucky enough to be given the honour of being seated at this table. Being able to critique and partake in [...]
The Must-Do Wardrobe Cleanse | My 7 Step Closet Cleanout Process
Hi. My name is Milano Imai and I am a shopaholic. With slight hoarder tendencies. There. I openly admit my addiction. There are no two ways about it. I LOVE to shop. I have been known to say, ‘Clothes are like a stamp collection and your wardrobe is the folder. Collect them all.’ I buy [...]
Former Model Kat Shares 8 of her Best Tips for How to Pose on Stage
A few months ago, I put a call out to all the ladies in the Field Fashion Community Facebook Group to see if anyone would be interested in sharing their story, opinion or skill with the racing fashion world. To mix things up, I thought it would be good to incorporate different perspectives on [...]
2016 Millinery Winners Inspired by Cathedral Windows & Christmas Wreaths
The Myer Millinery Awards, held on Crown Oaks Day during Spring Carnival, is undoubtedly the most prestigious millinery competition in Australia. It is an invite only competition (although you can submit an application to be considered) that was introduced by the Victorian Racing Club in 2005. Each year upwards of 50 milliners are invited to [...]
How my Struggle to Find the Right Hat led me to Create Millinery Market
Do you think it’s harder to find a races outfit or hat? For me, it is almost always the hat. An outfit I can generally pull out of my closet, but it is the issue of not having a hat that often stops me from going to some race events. And this makes me sad. [...]
The Woman Behind the Sash | 2015 National Winner Emily Hunter
This week we're interviewing our 2015 national winner, Emily Hunter, and hearing about her life both on and off the track! This is the second interview in a three part series profiling our past three national winners. If you missed the first interview with our 2016 national winner Courtney Moore, I recommend going back and reading that post first to [...]
The ‘WOW’ Factor | 7 Ways to Stand Out and Turn Heads at the Races
A Fashions on the Field entrant arrives and there is a certain hush amongst the crowd. All eyes are instantly drawn in her direction. Including mine. My jaw drops and I think (out loud) ‘WOW’. That's the WOW factor. But what exactly is it? What is it that determines a judge’s decision and sees a [...]
The Woman Behind the Sash | 2016 National Winner Courtney Moore
The National Myer FOTF Competition is the Golden Globes of the racing world. And I daydream about winning it. A lot. It’s not just because I drive around in a beat up old Toyota and would much prefer to be zooming around in a shiny, black Lexus iSport (although I can picture that quite easily). [...]
The Making of an ‘Embellishment-Themed’ Winning Outfit
You know how different race days often have a theme? Themes like black and white, a touch of metallic, or dressing for a decade? Well, I’ve a got a new favourite race theme: Embellishment. It was this year’s theme for the Doomben 10,000 Day and I was in embellishment heaven. I was surrounded by sequinned, [...]
Pulling Together a Cheap Races Outfit on a Budget | 6 Money Saving Tips
Putting together a race day ensemble without having to re-finance the house can be challenging. Sometimes just thinking about the perfect hat can send you into debt. But, although thousand-plus dollar designer outfits look beautiful floating down the FOTF catwalks, they don’t necessarily mean you will win. Embed from Getty Images In fact, many savvy [...]
5 Reasons why you Need to Attend a Milliner’s Market (#3 is my Favourite)
The Milliner’s Market is a race wear enthusiast’s dream destination. A headwear shopping mecca, full of inspiration and glamour, complete with champagne bar! I recently attended my first milliner’s market, held at Doomben race course in Brisbane, QLD. The market was a stall set up with 8 milliners, featuring their work. They each displayed [...]
Race Wear Fabrics Shopping Guide | What to Look For & Where to Buy
There is something magical about walking into the races wearing your own design. Picture it. You’re wearing a dress, fitted perfectly to your body shape. It’s a personalised design, true to your own individual style. A dress made specially, just for you. A couple of years ago, I started having my racing fashion outfits made. [...]
23 Ways to Wear Black & White for the Races | Derby Day Fashion Inspo
Fashions on the Field competitions are often guided by a theme, the favourite being “Black & White”. The biggest Black & White theme day is Derby Day, during Spring Carnival. There are also “Black & White” race days at other locations, which sometimes incorporate a twist, such as “Black & White - with a Touch [...]
2017 Millinery Trends | 4 Milliners Reveal this Year’s Emerging Hat Styles
Update: On September 1st 2017, I published my 2017 Spring Racing Fashion Trends Report, a 41 page comprehensive guide to what’s trending this race season. Like fashion, millinery trends come and go. They are constantly evolving. But it’s harder to pick millinery trends as there are no runway shows, prediction websites or celebs spotted wearing the latest [...]
How to Wear a Skirt Over a Dress (and no, it’s not a typo!)
Can’t find the right top to go with your skirt? You won’t have to settle for boring after reading this post. A trick I’ve picked up over the years is to wear a skirt over a dress. Not only does it look more like I’m wearing a dress (which I prefer), but it creates an [...]
2017 Myer FOTF State Finalists | The Story Behind Their Winning Outfits
The ultimate dream for a Fashions on the Field enthusiast? Being crowned National Winner at Flemington Race Course on Oaks Day November 9th of course! And The State Finals for 2017 are now under way… 2016 State finalists from L-R: SA Courtney Moore, QLD Inessa McIntyre, NSW Reggie Thei, WA Ashleigh Ridgeway, TAS Alice [...]
Adding Panels to a Race Dress | A Handy DIY Skill to Add to Your Toolbox
Knowing how to add panels to a dress is a very handy DIY skill for any racing fashion enthusiast because it allows you to modify that (almost) perfect race dress. In this post we take a look at when and how to panel. And for those non-sewers, fear not, there are options for you too! [...]
