Amazing weather! High calibre racing! Fashion! The Balaklava Racing Club Cup Day had it all.
We caught up with the Fashion At The Races winner, Shannan Graham to talk through the day.
Tell us about your winning outfit
I wanted to chose something that reflected the beginning of spring.
My dress is by The Wolf Gang, my bag is by Colette, my shoes are Lipstik and the headpiece I made myself.
What did the planning process look like?
Quite last minute to be honest. I always like to find a dress first as inspiration and plan my outfit from there. I only found the dress two weeks ago.
I saw the dress and absolutely loved the colours and silhouette.
Once the dress arrived I couldn’t decide on which colours I wanted to stand out, so it took me a while to decide on a headpiece. I wanted something simple because the dress was quite busy and that’s when I decided to try making my own headpiece. It was my first attempt and I’m really happy with how it turned out. I already owned the shoes and I chose nude to make sure they didn’t take away from the dress design. I found the bag last minute and was lucky that spring colours had started coming out.
I wore pearl earrings to tie into the headpiece.
Where did your love from fashion racing come from?
I grew up going to the races with my family and I fell in love with the fashion. I love the elegance and sophistication in racing fashion. I love that you can bring your own style into any outfit.
Who are your style icons?
This is quite hard to chose probably women like Jennifer Hawkins and Blake Lively as they are feminine and accentuate the female silhouette.
What products are a non-negotiables in your bag for the races?
Lipstick, hair pins, bandaids and safety pins, you can never be too prepared for a wardrobe malfunction.
Describe your personal style
Feminine and elegant. I am a pretty girly girl and even in my casual attire you will find me in a dress or skirt majority of the time.
How do you spend your time when you’re not at racing events?
Majority of the time sitting behind a desk in my corporate role as a Financial Accountant, wearing the complete opposite to racing fashion. When I’m not working I love spending time with my partner, family and friends being active, at the beach or out for brunch.
What is your style advice for first-time race goers?
Dress for yourself. You will always be more confident and stand out when you love your outfit even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. You need to wear the outfit and not let the outfit wear you.
