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SAVVY ensembles, elegant detail and weather appropriate outfits were rewarded at this year’s Fashions on the Field.
The Murray Downs Golf and Country Club Swan Hill June Racing Carnival is an annual celebration of both brave horsemanship and dapper attire.
In the Fashions on the Field event, smartly dressed racegoers were judged by the carnival’s ambassador Courtney McClelland, Country Racing Victoria ambassador Larni Salathiel and Bree Laughlin.
The three judges said they looked for racegoers who were aware of the season when they prepared their ensemble.
“If they don’t have closed-in toes or if they’re not wearing stockings, and fake fur is very in this year,” Ms Salathiel said.
Ms Laughlin said the carnival’s racegoers had a keen awareness of what was trendy this season, including geometric prints, monochrome and deep colours.
In the main competition, 22-year-old Albury-Wodonga local Chelsea Collins was named Elegant Racegoer for her outfit of snakeskin, fur and splashes of vibrant red throughout.
“She’s very appropriate for the event, and her use of leather is very current,” Ms Laughlin said.
“She’s wearing terrific textures. She was a real standout.
“That said, it was a really tough decision because it was a great line-up and great to see such strong examples of fashion from the crowd.”
Ms Collins said she was thrilled to have won at her first ever Swan Hill carnival.
She said she used a local milliner in Wodonga whose middle name was “ostentatious”.
Other winners on the day included Alison Gibson of Speewa, named Lady of the Day, Ryan Standen as Gent of the Day and WIN News reporter Britt Ditterich.
Ms Ditterich has won in the Fashions on the Field before and won this year in the local category.
She bought her entire vintage-inspired outfit from local store The Wardrobe.
“The quality of the entrants was outstanding once again,” Murray Mallee Racing sales and marketing executive Sheree Watson said.
“The judges made some excellent choices based on some hard decisions.”
