Myer seem to be taking over the country, one racetrack at a time. First came the announcement of their new face of racing fashion, Brownlow beauty Rebecca Twigley; then followed the increased sponsorship deal of several Fashions on the Field competitions around Australia, where thousands of dollars worth of Myer gift cards will be on offer for those deemed “best-dressed”.

Three of these events have since been run and won, with the Adelaide Cup’s event taken out by Olivia Nunn, and the Gold Coast’s three-day Magic Millions carnival won by Angela Menz, Emily Hall and Dayna Wandrey.

The last in that trio of competitions took place at Perth’s Ascot racecourse in sunny and sultry conditions which seem to be plaguing the competitions so far, causing the inevitable “what to wear” dilemmas as temperatures soar past 30-degrees. Traditional autumn racewear rules dictate the use of felt rather than straw when it comes to headwear, but so far only a handful have been brave enough to don the wintry fabric.

The trend followed in Perth with the majority of entrants opting for straw, though fabrics such as crinoline and organza could be making a comeback if Perth’s racegoers can be considered trendsetters (the jury’s still out), while feathered headpieces – so commonly and wrongly referred to as “fascinators” – were still prominent.

Never ones to shy away from a colourful frock, the women of Perth did just that and paraded dresses in almost every shade of the rainbow – runner-up Laura Gleich’s check silk dress contained all those colours alone. But amongst the host of bright hues was a contingent of light-and-dark ensembles, presenting a striking and classic contrast and catching the eyes of the judges, amongst them Rebecca Twigley, and fashion editors Claire Davies from STM and Teagan Sewell from Perth Woman.

First and third placegetters, Danelle Hinge and Jane Chami, both chose outfits in black and the palest of golds, with Danelle opting for a panelled, stretch satin Jayson Brundson dress, and Jane a strapless Eileen Kirby frock accessorised with a black rose placed on the waist.

Danelle, a commerce student, matched her dress perfectly to a black, check-weave sinamay hat with striped crown detailing, while mother-of-three Jane chose a black floral fascinator to complement her waisted rose. Laura, a Melbourne podiatry student, finished off her outfit with a black woven cocktail hat and the most ladylike of accessories: a pair of black gloves.

While all three victors were clear standouts on the day, their well-styled looks were no fortunate fashion accidents. Each revealed much planning and preparation had gone into creating their winning ensembles, along with valuable advice from friends and family.

Danelle purchased her dress from competition sponsor Myer, before spending “a few weeks” scouring Claremont for the perfect hat-shoes-bag combination to match – an effort that wasn’t lost on the judges, who commented on the painstaking detail in her look, right down to her fishbone-plaited hair to match the V-panelling in her dress. And style must run in Danelle’s family: her cousin, Farrin Ripp, won this competition in 2005 and was last year’s WA state finalist in the Flemington Fashions on the Field competition. Farrin, who is currently studying overseas, said she had been hearing of her cousin’s preparations for the last few weeks and was glad know it all turned out.

It also runs in the family for Laura, for her outfit was made entirely by her mother. However, the dress was actually an unwanted hand-me-down from her sister – a decision she’s sure to be rueing now, given the same dress also won Laura second place at the 2005 Cox Plate Fashions on the Field.  The hat and belt were newly created to complete the look, while the gloves were a last-minute finishing touch, purchased on raceday morning on a suggestion from a friend.

Jane’s racewear advice came from an unlikely source: her dad. Having been brought up in a racing family, she sought her father’s advice on what to wear, and what not to wear, for the races. Initially advised it wasn’t proper racing etiquette to bare her shoulders, she decided to take a risk and wear her strapless, knee-length dress, which she had purchased at Elle in Nedlands for a prior occasion. But when it came to headwear she sought professional help from milliner Tania Tehan, who created a headpiece especially to match her dress.

Was all the time and energy expended on fashioning the perfect raceday look worth it? With $20,000 in Myer gift cards on offer – $15,000 to the winner, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third – this year’s winners can take it easy knowing they have 12 months and plentiful funds to plan their ensembles for next season’s event.

* Images by Ross Swanborough.