Most of us have grown up with the understanding that Melbourne Cup Day is not just one of the most famous race meetings, but more of an Australian institution. Since the very first running of the Melbourne Cup in 1861, ladies and gentlemen have been donning their prized wares and heading trackside to Flemington, Victoria.

Now over 150 years later, the festivities of Melbourne Cup raceday are contagious. Whether you are into the horse races or not, Melbourne Cup raceday grabs the attention of the entire nation, both young and old. The iconic event has cemented its annual place of the first Tuesday in November, and has morphed into more of a fashion fiesta, garnished with strawberries and champagne.

So, to coincide with the fashion aspect of Melbourne Cup, we at Ashley and Ilona are getting you vogue ready with some trends we’ve heard are headed our way for 2017's racing event.

1. Bright is right

Generally, the brighter or more interesting your outfit, the more compliments you will receive and the more suited you will be to the Melbourne Cup festival this year.

• Men should leave the black suit for Derby Day, as Melbourne Cup calls for more interesting colours; we’ve heard that a grey suit with splash of yellow could be the way to go this year.
• For the ladies, here’s the perfect chance to wear some stunning bright colours instead of plain, drab nudes, black or white. Blue, pink and orange are great for this season, and if you can’t decide on one, try to mix it up with a bit of colour blocking in your outfit.

This vintage dress coincides with the suggested blue and orange colours this season.

2. Choose the right length dress

A knee-length dress is the ideal length for Melbourne Cup Day. This offers the flexibility to polish your look with some comfortable shoes and a handbag to match your head piece.

You can't go wrong with our knee-length swing dress in stunning pink and navy this Melbourne Cup Day.

3. Be texture savvy

If silk is your dress material of choice, it should be coupled with a lace or fishnet detailed headpiece or fascinator, and comfortable block heels.

Ashley and Ilona vintage dresses are always a great option for Melbourne Cup Day, or any special event for that matter. Our dresses are classic, elegant, and boast a tonne of playful colours and patterns that will make you look stunning and feel just as good.

Take a look at our limited edition designs online now, and get ready to frock up this November for the race that stops a nation!

Our technology partner, Burning Neuron Interactive, has a cute little horse racing game called Sprinty Steed.

You can download the Android version for free!

Windows/PC and Mac versions are also available.