TIPS & TRICKS: OCTOBER 2019

Welcome to Spring! Gone are the leggings, ugg boots and hot chocolates, incoming is a rejuvenated outlook on life, looking at putting that spring back in our step and to popping out and enjoying the Sun



This month let’s look at the Spring social activities many of us enjoy - Horse Racing – well the fashion, socialising and enjoyment elements! Many of our members head out for a fabulous day at the races, sipping bubbles, an array of delicious canapes and amongst friends, while cheering on a horse favourite.

Here are some musts for the season – not so much about the actual racing!

Race Day - Fashion Etiquette

Black and White is a must on Derby Day

Remember it’s Daytime

Dress appropriately and stick to etiquette. Think classy, sophisticated and head to toe style.

• Do think well cut dresses that fall to the knee or contemporary takes on the classic suit.

• Don’t wear outfits mores suited for a nightclub. Leave the short skirts, midriffs and sequins for the evening.

• Do remember to bring a jacket or pashmina to cover up when the sun begins to set. You will be outside most of the day and don’t want to be cold at the end of the day.

• Don’t be heavy handed with the make-up. The natural light will expose excess application, so make sure you think natural well blended make-up.

• Stylist Tip – If you opt for a revealing neckline, then the hemline should be below the knee. It’s all about balance when dressing for the races (2012 Sydney Carnival Style Ambassador - Kelly Smythe)

Fashion by Season

• Spring – the time to embrace bright bold colours and floral prints. Open toed shoes, wedges and pumps are appropriate shoes for spring and summer, and hats and fascinators incorporating bright colours, florals and straw.

• Autumn – time for tailored suiting and felt or structural hats and headpieces in muted tones; think black, grey, tan and aubergine. Lay off the fake tan and shoestring straps. Closed toed shoes and booties are appropriate with stockings for Autumn and Winter.

• Black and White are ALWAYS in fashion!

Headwear

• During carnival times and big race days, you should always wear a headpiece of some kind. Whether it’s a hat or fascinator, pick something that’s right for the season.

Accessories

• Matching shoes and handbag or cute clutch are the perfect accessories to complement your outfit. Avoid wearing to much jewellery or bling on a race day. Your shoes, handbag and hat should be enough

Hand bag essentials

There are a few things a girl should always have in her handbag, but some MUST HAVES for the races include:

• Sunglasses (particularly in Spring/Summer)

• Lip stick (for touch-ups) which you can also use as a blush if needed

• Cotton tips – perfect for fixing eye and lip makeup

• Band-Aids – for blisters

• Party Feet - ESSENTIAL

• Safety Pins and bobby pins – for emergency repairs!

High Heel Etiquette

The races is an all-day affair and can involve walking around (in the grass) and plenty of standing up. The shoes you choose to wear can make or break your day, so ensure you choose wisely.

• Do wear shoes with a thicker heel that can prevent you from sinking into the grass

• Don’t wear brand new shoes (break them in first)

• Do try party feet to help cushion the feet

• If you’re worried about surviving in your shoes until the end of the day, take a second pair of shoes or flats to help you make it home with your dignity in tact – Leaving the track with your shoes over the shoulder is NOT a good look!

Dressing for Gentlemen

Picking everyday office suits with a bold shirt and tie combination is the standard attire, however don’t be afraid to experiment. The modern day man is beginning to pay much more attention to detail.

• Think about incorporating patterns, a fine pinstripe in your suit, a check on your shirt, a stripe in your tie.

• Do pay attention to your shoes, pointed boot and stylish lace-ups might be your thing, but always make sure they are polished and clean and don’t clash with your outfit.

• Do match accessories and pay attention to detail. The extra touches can make a great difference with cufflinks, belt, watches, ties and ties clips and a hat if you choose to wear one.

• Do wear a flower in your button hole if the occasion calls. Big carnival days have a certain flower to match the day, for example the Golden Slipper is a yellow rose.

Fashions on the Field

For those prepared to take fashion to the next level and compete in Fashions on the Field, be sure to take close note of the rules for each category you may enter. Categories range from classic to contemporary, and clubs will often include their own local awards as well.

Typical rules for the various race day categories for the autumn include:

Classic Women’s Racewear

• Hat or headpiece is compulsory wool or felt for Autumn (no sinnamay)

• Attention to detail with all aspects of the outfit such as shoes, handbag and accessories

• Understanding and interpretation of Classic Racewear and current trends (think tailored, elegant, traditional)

• Grooming and deportment

• Suitability of the outfit for Autumn Racing, Sydney Carnival, and the individual

Millinery Award

• Style and design of the millinery (originality & concept)

• Quality of workmanship of the Milliner

• Appropriateness of the millinery for Autumn (wool or felt)

• Suitability in complimenting the individual's total outfit

Courtesy of RacingNSW

The Spring Carnival explained

It’s one of the most prominent events on Australia’s sporting calendars, yet most of us are left confused by the hustle and bustle of Melbourne Cup Week. With four diverse days on the agenda, each with different race parameters and distinct dress codes, it can be hard to keep up – don’t even get us started on horseracing jargon! To help you get your head around this iconic week of racing, fashion and celebration, we’ve created a guide to each day so you’ll be an expert in no time.

Derby Day
When: Saturday November 3
Where: Flemington Racecourse
Derby Day kicks off Melbourne Cup Week with nine races, four of them at Group 1 level (the highest level of thoroughbred horse racing). The premier event is the Victoria Derby; at 2500m long, it’s one of the most gruelling races on the Spring Carnival calendar. The Derby is the domain of three-year- old horses that are bred and trained in Australia and New Zealand. Due to discrepancies in breeding times between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, international horses often don’t race theDerby as they’re still only two-years-old. The winner of the Derby collects $2 million, and it’s thought to be a great predictor of future Melbourne Cup victors.

Gates open to general admission attendees and members at 8.30am, while the last race is run at 5.20pm. The Victoria Derby is scheduled to run at 3.50pm this year. The dress code is strictly black and white, so make sure that you dress your monochromatic best. Men can wear grey suits to stand out from the crowd, but this definitely isn’t the occasion to wear the brightest outfit in your wardrobe.

Melbourne Cup
When: Tuesday November 6
Where: Flemington Racecourse
One of the most iconic events in Australian sport, Melbourne Cup Day is an opportunity for horseracing enthusiasts, punters and racegoers to celebrate in style. The race to watch is the one that stops a nation – the Melbourne Cup. The toughest race of the Spring Racing Carnival, at 3200m in length and worth $7.3 million in prizemoney, the Melbourne Cup catches the eyes of viewers around the world. The race has become a global affair as more internationally bred and trained horses take the field. Australasian horses are typically not known for being ‘stayers’ (long distance racers), so international competitors have captured the Cup in recent years. Winning a Melbourne Cup guarantees legend status for the horse, jockey, trainers and owners, proving just how prestigious this event is in the horseracing world. For the folk who choose to watch from home, it’s a chance to get one up on family and friends in the ‘sweep’.

Flemington opens its gates at 8.30am and doesn’t close them until after the last race at 5.20pm. Make sure you’re ready to go at 3pm, which is when the Cup is run. If you want to make the ultimate fashion statement, Cup Day is the chance to do it – you’ll often see male and female racegoers alike dressed in the brightest and boldest colours, patterns and millinery. As the official flower of the Melbourne Cup, try to incorporate a yellow rose into your outfit.

Oaks Day
When: Thursday November 8
Where: Flemington Racecourse
After a couple of days of recovery post-Melbourne Cup, dedicated racegoers return to Flemington for what’s known as Ladies’ Day. This event is the chance to celebrate everything graceful and stylish, with the penultimate winner of the women’s Fashions on the Field competition being announced after two rounds of adjudication on Derby and Melbourne Cup Days. Horseracing wise, make sure you catch the Oaks – a 2500m race worth $1 million that tests the stamina of Australia’s best three-year-old fillies.

Arrive at 10.15am as the gates open, watch the Oaks at 5pm before heading home when gates shut after the last race at 5.45pm. In regard to fashion, it’s the perfect opportunity to wear your prettiest colours and prints. Ladies often go for girly details like frills and pastel colours, while the boys can get involved with patterned shirts, ties and pocket squares in neutral hues.

Stakes Day
When: Saturday November 10
Where: Flemington Racecourse
The finale of Melbourne Cup Week, Stakes Day is all about friends, family and fun. It’s an opportunity for racegoers to let their hair down and celebrate another year of the Spring Racing Carnival. The premier event on Stakes Day is the Emirates Stakes, where Australia’s best thoroughbreds race over 2000m for $2 million in prizemoney. The Emirates Stakes are raced under weight-for-age conditions, where allowances are afforded to younger horses to enhance their competitiveness against older, stronger ones. These allowances propose that the younger the horse, the less weight they are permitted to carry, meaning that older horses shoulder the heaviest weights. Another feature of Stakes Day is the $1 million VRC Sprint, where some of the world’s fastest horses race down the famous Flemington straight.

Gates open at 10.15am and close at 5.45pm after the last race of the carnival. Clear your schedule for 4.55pm, when the Emirates Stakes are run. The dress code is generally more relaxed on Stakes Day than the other three days of Cup Week, but you still need to wear racewear attire. Ladies tend to lean towards floaty silhouettes, low heels and appropriate headwear, while men opt for relaxed yet tailored separates with fun touches like bow ties and the signature Stakes Day red rose.

Courtesy of RacingNSW

Flemington Fling cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 45ml vodka

• Schweppes Agrum Blood Orange

• 1 lime (for juice and garnish)

• Fresh mint (5 large leaves + sprig for garnish)

• Ice

METHOD

• Combine vodka, the juice of half a lime and 5 large mint leaves in a tall glass

• Fill glass with ice and top with Schweppes Agrum Blood Orange

• Stir to combine, and garnish with a mint sprig and wedge of lime

Some fun food facts

Strawberries

Surprisingly, the strawberry isn’t a berry at all, but is part of the rose family, which includes apples and plums. It’s also the only fruit with seeds that grow on the outside. Strawberries are best served at room temperature.



Broccoli
Oranges all around Australia are worried – the humble broccoli has one-upped them in vitamin C content! This unassuming green plant is one of the most nutritious vegetables available containing vitamins, fibre, calcium and iron in its bright green florets that are perfect for steaming, stir-frying or gently sauteeing. Choose broccoli with bright green heads that have a compact cluster of florets. Mist the heads and wrap them in damp paper towels then store in the fridge for up to three days.

Lemons
You’re getting more than you bargained for when buying lemons. Sure, they’re a refreshing addition to chilled drinks, and their tangy juice is scrumptious when squeezed into winter puddings. And yeah, lemons are delicious grated over fluffy clouds of ricotta; and Sunday afternoon’s buttery crepes are not the same without them. But did you know they can help you write secret messages?! Yep! The humble lemon is moonlighting as a spy tool. Its heavy acid content makes it the perfect option for writing secret love letters that can only be decoded if the paper is subjected to heat. Neat, huh? From lemon meringue to your next spy assignment, use lemons that are plump, bright in colour, and feel heavy for their size. And when they’re off duty, store them at room temperature for a week, or in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Lemon Tart

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sheet frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

• 1/2 cup caster sugar

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup cream

• 4 eggs

• Lemon rind

• Grated Icing sugar, for dusting

• Thick cream - to serve

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan-forced. Grease a 22cm pie dish.

• Line prepared dish with pastry. Trim edges, using scraps to patch any short sides. Chill for 15 mins.

• Line pastry with baking paper and fill with rice or pastry weights. Blind bake for 15 mins. Remove paper and weights and bake for another 5 mins. Cool in pan.

• Mix together eggs, sugar, juice and rind and cream. Pour into prepared tart shell. Bake for 30-35 mins, until just set, but still a little wobbly. Cool in pan.

• Dust tart with icing sugar.

• Serve in wedges topped with thick cream.