Cherished clients,

With the Winter Racing Carnival in Brisbane over for another year, we can now look forward to Spring and some warmer weather at last. Here are some of the highlights over the last couple of months, which I captured on camera for you.

BTC CUP DAY

Saturday 12th May saw the opening day of the carnival in Brisbane and the first of the three major race days at Doomben Race Course. Over the last few years the Fashions on the Field on this day have been the student design category but this year it reverted to an open category of Best Dressed Lady. What was different however, was the method of judging. Interested observers were able to vote for their favourite entrant by SMS after seeing them in person or on a television screen throughout the afternoon. The eventual winner’s name was announced in the late afternoon. Nobody was surprised when the lovely Alyse-Grace Robertson took home the prize. It was good to see such a large turnout for fashionable ladies so early in the season.

Dale Olsson and Glenda Newick at Doomben.

Fashions on the Field winner Alyse-Grace Robertson.

Fashions on the Field finalists.  

Ladies in red – Pru Reed, Mildred Ellwood and Joanne Silcock. 

TREASURY HOTEL'S IDENTITY PARADE

Held only four times a year, the Identity parade styled by Di Cant, is one of the most glamorous fashion events in town. Queens Park on a balmy May evening sipping Moet & Chandon was the place to be. The Hat Box opened the show with models wearing skimpy black Wolford dresses, followed by Carla Zampatti, Easton Pearson and finally the latest range by Akira. Akira Isogawa himself attended the function and I had the privilege of meeting him. What a gracious and humble man he is. It was a wonderful evening, which reinforced my love of fashion.

Model wears hat by Kim Fletcher and dress by Wolford.

Chrysanthemum headpiece by Meredith McMaster and dress by Easton
Pearson.

DOOMBEN CUP DAY

The following day we were back at Doomben again for Cup day, which is also becoming known as ‘Family Fun day’. Parents are encouraged to bring their children along as many activities are offered for the littlies, as well as kid friendly food items. Fashions on the Field category is naturally Best Dressed Family and I was amazed at the amount of entrants who participated in the spirit of fun including milliner from The Hat Box, Meredith McMaster, who entered with her grand daughter Lola Lister and took out second place.

Family Fashions on the Field winners.

DOOMBEN 10,000

The weather continued to be glorious for the third Saturday in a row. My husband Jim and I dined in the Terraces Restaurant with four friends but wandered down to watch the Fashions in the Field, which was Best Dressed Couple. It was good to see older couples entering as well as the younger pairs and I also noticed several regular entrants who had flown up from Sydney. In the end, however, the locals won out with the winners being Troy and Stephanie Martin. Troy’s point of difference was a striking lime cap which colour matched Stephanie’s gerbera headpiece. Runners-up were Tom Bradshaw and milliner Gwen Hunter. This couple are always stylish and match each other well. Tom had already won Best Dressed Gentleman at the Prime Minister’s Cup and was on a roll. The standard of the couples this year was the best I had seen.

Dale and Jim Olsson at Doomben.

Glenda Newick, Ann Boyle, Sandra Robson, Karen Valentine and Meredith McMaster.

OAKS LADIES LUNCH

The following Friday, on the official first day of Winter, I hosted a table of ten at the Lab Bar, Treasury Hotel for the BRC Oaks Ladies Lunch. It was a grey drizzly day outside but the room was warm and cosy with the guests resplendent in vivid jewel colours and matching headpieces. Black seems to have been banished from the wardrobes this winter, I’m pleased to say. Even though I favour the figure-flattering shade myself, it’s uplifting on a dreary day to see a pop of colour.

Guest speaker, Melbourne milliner Peter Jago showed us how to create a hat from scratch, using the lovely Mildred Ellwood as his model. The champagne flowed, the meal was delicious and David Jones provided the clothes for the fashion parade we watched during lunch. It was a most enjoyable way to herald Ladies Day the following day.

Dale Olsson and Melbourne milliner Peter Jago.

Effie Cliff and Margaret McLean at the Lab Bar.

Sandra Robson, Dale Olsson, Megan Gore-Jones and Patricia Balmer.

The ladies at The Hat Box table.

OAKS DAY EAGLE FARM

I was delighted to have been invited into the Treasury Hotel and Casino marquee on Ladies Day once again and accompanied by my daughter Fleur, we participated wholeheartedly in the occasion. Chatted with Di Cant and met her delightful companion Dr Terry Gay from Melbourne. Also caught up with the Stoyle sisters, Chanel and Atlanta and met David Koch from Channel 7’s ‘Sunrise’ programme. What a lovely down-to-earth man he was. He was most interested in The Hat Box and told me I had a unique business plan, which he found very interesting.

Fleur and I only left the marquee to watch the fashion on the Field. Ran into my old friend Lorna Johnson, who now lives in Hong Kong and loves it. Also saw Jacqui Macarthur who was wearing a fabulous orange felt hat trimmed with Autumn leaves created by Meredith McMaster. She told me she had worn it the day before and won Best Hat at Courbold Park, Caloundra. However, Best Hat on this occasion was worn by Jessica Kanowski. She told me it was a vintage piece, which was highly praised for its style and workmanship by judge Peter Jago. Fashions on the Field winner was Alyse-Grace Robertson who looked divine in a creation especially made for her.

After meeting and greeting all of our friends it was back to the marquee for the rest of the afternoon. A big thank you to Kate Donnellon of the Treasury for the invitation. Not only does she work so hard to make this event such a success, she managed to look gorgeous at the same time in a Darb ensemble. It was a fabulous afternoon, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Damien Anthony Rossi, Dale Olsson and David Koch from Chanel 7’s ‘Sunrise’ programme.

Best Dressed Lady in the Treasury marquee, Atlanta Stoyle.

Fashions on the Field finalists.

Dr Terry Gay and Di Cant in the Treasury marquee.

The Treasury Hotel’s glamour girls – Kate Donnellon and Michelle Pillonell.

Dale Olsson and Fleur Cowlishaw.

STRADBROKE DAY

Another Saturday, another big race day! Eagle farm on the 9th June again hosted racing’s biggest day in Queensland. The crowds poured through the gates, hoping for a win, either on the horses or in the David Jones Fashions on the Field. Megan Gale and Emma Freedman were two of the celebrities adding glamour to the day. And what a glamorous day it was. Fashion pundits all agreed that the standard in the Fashions on the Field was the best in recent years.

I must mention here that the BRC is to be congratulated on its decision to move the Fashions area away from the secluded position it has occupied over the last few years. It is now located centrally on the lawn near the track between the main grandstand and the St Leger stand. The club has also thoughtfully provided tables and chairs with umbrellas for the convenience of the fashionistas and spectators. These innovations proved popular as a huge throng animatedly chose their favourites. However, the judges’ choice was Amy Robson, who wore a chic winter white dress trimmed with burgundy lace and burgundy accessories. Her classic and elegant look was inspired by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and made by her grandmother Sandra Robson. Naturally, Sandra, who was watching with me, was over the moon. This has been Amy’s year as she took out the major prize of a trip to Paris at the Magic Millions racing carnival on the Gold Coast in January, a Volkswagen Polo at Morphetville in Adelaide in early May and today’s prize of a trip to Hong Kong. Amy also went on to win at the Ipswich Cup the following Saturday.

Dale Olsson, Mildred Ellwood and Sandra Robson.

The Valentine-Gazsik family: Karen and Marcus with their children Ava and Ryan.

Fashions on the Field winner Amy Robson.

Fashion finalists: Jessica Kanowski, Tanya Lazarou, Ashleigh Robson, Cliff Dean and Amy Robson.

GIRLS GRAMMAR ROCKHAMPTON RACE DAY

Whilst the Brisbane fashionistas were making their way to Ipswich for Cup day, I was winging my way to Rockhampton to judge the fashions on the Field at the Girls Grammar School race day. Celebrating 120 years, the school’s race day at Callaghan Park has become a highlight of Rocky’s social calendar and winter racing carnival. Invited by Race Day committee chairperson Vicki Jackson and committee member Wendy Mulry, I was treated like a queen all weekend. Having judged at the Rocky Cup some years back I never fail to be impressed at the standard of fashion in this city and north Queensland in general. The ladies’ style was impeccable but what impressed me more was their friendliness. I was welcomed by everyone I met in the corporate marquee. Brisbane could use a little country hospitality on occasion, I believe.

It was lovely to catch up with my clients and make new friends as well, while cruising the area to spot potential finalists. Unlike Brisbane, ladies and gentlemen have to be invited to enter, which eliminates the ‘novelty’ entries who can clog up the procedure. Best Dressed Gentleman, supreme court judge Duncan McMeekin, looked dapper in his panama hat, essential in Queensland’s climate. Best Dressed Lady, Madonna Boodle stood out in the rich shades of chocolate and turquoise and Best Dressed Young Lady, Laura Jarman, was a knockout in a black and white dress by MacKenzie Mode of Sydney. Both wore hats by local milliner Wendy White. Best Dressed Lady in the marquee was Jennifer Acton, classic and elegant in black with stunning Dolce & Gabbana leopard print bag and shoes. If there had been a prize for best hat, I would have given it to Renae Richardson who made her hat herself. It was a fun piece, festooned with yellow felt daisies but quite complex in its design. Well done, Renae.

After a busy day at the races, where I even found time to have a bet or two and front an interview by WIN television, a group of us went out to dinner. Rockhamptonites really know how to party! Many, many thanks to all of you wonderful people who made my weekend so special and especially the fabulous Wendy Mulry, my ‘minder’.

Wendy and Bob Mulry.

Jennifer and Alan Acton in the Grammar School marquee.

Dale Olsson and Frances Russell.

TATTERSALLS DAY

Only a week later I was judging the fashions on the Field again. The weather really only becomes winter around this time every year so the entrants in the fashions on the Field on Tattersalls Day on 23rd June are able to dress for the season. As it was a bitterly cold day I was able to rug up as well. My fellow judge and friend Catherine Sheehy and her husband Peter now live in Melbourne so the four of us are only up to catch up twice a year when we judge fashions for the lovely people at Tattersalls Club.

On arrival, we lunched in the Past the Post marquee and enjoyed delicious hot and cold seafood buffet prepared by Tattersalls chefs. We met Davina Smith, Channel 9 newsreader who was judging the fashions with us. Then it was out to see this year’s entrants. Whilst I am acquainted with, or at least recognise the regular entrants, the winner, Chantelle Buckley, was not familiar to any of us. We were told later that she was from Sydney, and had flown up that morning especially to enter. With a trip to Hong Kong as first prize, it was certainly worth it. She was the unanimous favourite amongst the judges with Mildred Ellwood, a frequent winner, a close second. Both ladies favoured different shades of gold to suit their colouring.

The Best Dressed Gentleman was more difficult to choose as they all looked very urbane. In the end, Colin Howkins stood out in his beige wool suit topped with a panama hat. Panamas look stylish all year round and are very versatile as they can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion First time entrant, Scott Richardson, was thrilled to be chosen Runner-up. Special mention also goes to Ross Stevenson and Tom Bradshaw, veterans of Fashions on the Field who always look immaculately turned out. The beautiful Carolyn Donovan ably compered the proceedings again.

After returning to the marquee for dessert, we bade farewell to the Sheehys assuring them we would all be together again for Melbourne Cup Day at the Club.

Fashions on the Field finalists.

Judging the Fashions on the Field.

Mark Cameron, Channel 9s Davina Smith and Bill Petch.

That’s the Winer Racing Carnival over for another year. My next big race day is the Darwin Cup which Jim and I will be attending for the first time. We’re really looking forward to it and it’s one meeting that I can tick off on my bucket list. From Dubai to Darwin, Royal Ascot to Roma – I’m there!

Will report back next time.

Dale