Cityscape Christmas 2019

TROTTING INTO ACTION
JACKIE O’FEE
Jackie O’Fee is the owner
of Signature Style.
What’s the golden rule of race
day fashion? Just look gorgeous
and have fun! What will you be
looking for on the day? Attention
to detail, and that’s every detail
from the top of your head to the
sole of your shoe – it gets so hard
to pick a winner that one year we
really did eliminate one of the
finalists due to her shoe being
broken! I’ll also be looking to see
on-trend looks – as an example,
this year I’m expecting we’ll see a
lot of statement sleeves, and I love
colour! How important is it to
work a theme? It’s important that
long day so comfortable shoes are
a must. What’s the best way to get
the judges’ attention? Be yourself,
be proud of how you look and own
it. A woman’s natural confidence is
the ultimate accessory to a great
outfit. How do you nail selecting a
hat or fascinator? Seeing
‘Dresscode: Fascinators required’
on an event invite can be slightly
terrifying! But Cup Day is the
perfect occasion to experiment and
a well-chosen headpiece can
completely elevate an outfit. And
remember, a headpiece can be a
band, bow, clip, hat or fascinator, so
there are plenty of practical
options that don’t look like feather
dusters. It can help to consider
your face shape – if you have an
oval-shaped face then a headpiece
your overall look is cohesive, so if
you are going for a Dior silhouette
you need to make sure everything
works with it, while if you are
opting for something modern, like
a jumpsuit, everything has to fit
that look also. What advice do you
have for contestants? Make sure
you’ve sorted every element of
your outfit and then on the day,
relax and be yourself. This is one of
the best ‘dressing up’ things you
can ever do, so you want to make
sure you really enjoy it. What’s the
most common fashion faux pas?
The wrong shoe or forgetting to
style your hair. What’s the best
way to get the judges’ attention?
Look amazing! Honestly, every year
we are blown away by the incredible
standard of the outfits. You truly
need to look fabulous. How do you
nail selecting a hat or fascinator?
Make sure you do your research –
take a look at racewear winners
internationally, particularly Australia
as the seasons are the same, and
see what is trending. Also, ask your
milliner for advice – they work in
this world all the time. What are
you hoping not to see? Too much
flesh or cocktail wear. Race day
fashion isn’t party fashion.
with more width is a great choice.
Usually I choose my dress first as
it’s the key part of my look, then I
find a headpiece with one unifying
feature, like shape. I like classic, chic
and contemporary shapes and
colour palettes – so nothing too
detailed, garish or sparkly. Finally,
think about your hairstyle – if you
have a big, bold piece then a sleek
chignon will work well, whereas a
banded style is best with big
bouncy curls. If you get confused,
always think back to your personal
style and what naturally ‘fits’ you.
What are you hoping not to see?
People dressing too casually!
Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Cup
Day is steeped in tradition so I think
it’s important to respect that and
make an effort to be suitably attired.
DEANNA DIDOVICH
Deanna Didovich is
creative director at RUBY.
What’s the golden rule of race
day fashion? The bolder the better!
What will you be looking for on
the day? I’ll be looking out for
someone whose personality shines
through the outfit they have put
together. I am sure there will be
some beautiful fashion on display,
but for me it will be all about not
just putting on the trendiest dress
but considered styling, unique
accessories and a great colour
palette. How important is it to
work a theme? Anything goes! A
theme isn’t necessarily important;
you should work to what you feel
most confident in. What advice do
you have for contestants? Don’t
worry about what anyone else is
wearing! Just have fun. What’s the
most common fashion faux pas?
Wearing something you don’t feel
comfortable in – you want to enjoy
the day and feel your best. What’s
the best way to get the judges’
attention? Confidence is key. How
do you nail selecting a hat or
fascinator? You can definitely be
more creative in this area, using
hair accessories as another option.
We have a range of hair clips and
headbands that could be the
perfect finishing touch to a look –
whether this is pairing the RUBY
Dionne Headband with your outfit,
or the RUBY Prince Clips with a
sleek ponytail.
39 CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Christmas 19