You have been invited to the annual spring racing carnival, culminating in what is otherwise known as the (horse) race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup.
But you won’t see a horse, and you won’t wear a hat. You’ll end up wearing something that might befit a night out at Studio 54, and you’ll end up boogieing on the dance floor to Cyprus Hill. At 4pm in the afternoon.
This is what is becoming more and more commonplace at the races, bright young things seeing it as a social occasion you might encounter on a Saturday night out, just beginning mid morning.
Just when this social phenomenon morphed from adhering to traditional etiquette of race goers is hard to pin, but I wonder whether we can look to Paris Hilton for inspiration when she attended the carnival with her sister in 2003. It wasn’t long after this that Snoop Dogg was an honorary guest.
VRC dress code states strictly no midriff on display for women, and while it’s not absolutely compulsory, a hat is considered a key part of the outfit for female attendees, particularly if you are in the member’s area or Birdcage enclosure.
This year both rules were routinely ignored, Lara Bingle turning up with her midriff on display, complete with jeweled claw dangling from her forehead. Nary a hat in sight.
But Bingle can’t be singled out for breaking tradition with plenty of celebrities attending having flesh on display or minus headwear. Or both. Last time I looked, a necklace worn around your head wasn’t a hat.
But why is this so important?
Well, a couple of reasons come to mind. A media frenzy signals the arrival of each year’s much-hyped international guests, flown in – usually at great expense – to shine a momentary light on sponsors’ brands. Naomi Campbell for example was paid $75 000 to attend the Lexus marquee on Derby Day.
Each branded marquee will exclusively host a ‘celebrity,’ for the day, with media opportunities only being afforded to those granted access by the PR in charge.
Daily and sometimes hourly alerts arrive via text or email telling media what time and where a celebrity will be, the rules of engagement (no pictures of so-and-so talking for example) and always of them standing in front of a media wall.
So these celebrities become brand ambassadors and sales people if you like for the particular brand or marquee’s image for the races, pushed out through media outlets or in this day and age, anyone with an iPhone.
These celebrities are particularly influential as well, which is another reason their race day attire and what they wear bares consideration.
The most pervasive trend I saw this year was the lack of proper headwear, be it a hat or fascinator.
After Kate Bosworth turned up in 2006 wearing a jewelled headpiece completely in keeping with her modern, feminine bohemian look, we’ve seen the trickle down effect. This year there were countless celebrities wearing variations of head jewellery in place of a hat.
So is your personal look or ‘brand’ more important than the occasion I wonder?
Ignoring a dress code, tradition or standard, says, ‘the way I look is more important than the occasion.” And let’s face it, hats are hard to get right and no one wants to end up on the pages of a celebrity mag being lampooned for what you’re wearing.
But if you are being paid to show up, or even if you’re not, the least you can do is look the part.
