Cairns Amateurs 2013 Wrap Part 2

After a very busy day at Cannon Park for Ladies Day, it was back to the hotel for a super quick makeover to get ready for the Annual Amateurs Ball. It is a black tie event that only opened up to the public a few years ago. Each year there is a special musical guest which traditionally would be unveiled during the evening. This year there was a break from tradition and Jessica Mauboy was announced as the special guest in the lead up to the event. As well this year the Amateurs Ball moved locations to be held at the Esplanade. The dance floor was built over water and the whole event was to be held entirely outdoors. It would have been perfect had the weather decided to co-operate. All day at the races the clouds were threatening to rain, but they held off... until the outdoor ball.

I had the most amazing time again in Cairns getting to experience another Amateurs Carnival. The hospitality that was extended to myself and the warm welcome that Craig and I received was so lovely and made the whole trip so enjoyable and so much fun. We were both looked after very well and I cannot thank everyone involved enough for their kindness. All the hard work paid off for another fantastic and successful Cairns Amateurs Carnival!By Angela Menz

Cairns Amateurs 2013 Wrap Part 1

This year I was lucky enough to attend the Cairns Amateurs as the plus one of my friend Craig Braybrook. This was my third Amateurs Carnival and I was stoked to get the chance to escape Melbourne for a long weekend in sunny Far North Queensland. I arrived in Cairns late Wednesday night and had three very busy and fun days before heading home on Sunday.Thursday was the start of the Carnival with the Annual Ladies High Tea held at Cannon Park. This was great to get a glimpse of some early spring racewear. The women of Cairns know how to wear colour and as a great lover of bright happy colour I loved seeing everyone's outfits. The Ladies High Tea also showcases local boutiques and emerging designers in a series of fashion parades that ran throughout the morning. Craig had brought some of his couture gowns to display and milliner and Fashions on the Field judge Rebecca Share from Geelong had also brought some of her work to parade on stage. There was a mini "Fashions on the Field" with each table selecting a representative to go up onstage for the chance to win a table for the following year. The judges Craig and Rebecca didn't have an easy decision. There was also a charity raffle and lucky door prizes making for a very enjoyable and action packed morning.

I had a great day at the races and the Amateurs carnival continued into the night and the next day. I'll continue my wrap up in part 2 shortly.I also took photos of (I think) every contestant in Fashions on the Field. If I haven't put one up of you, feel free to email me at angela@ontrackontrend.com let me know what you were wearing and I'm happy to have a look and email you any pics I have.By Angela

Cairns Amateurs- Hints From the Fashion Judges

This Friday the Cairns Amateurs Fashions in the Field competition kicks off. I've spoken to two of the judges about what they are looking for when picking their winners.First up Kerrie Munro has judged Fashions on the Field in previous years and if you want to impress on stage you must pay extra attention to your choice of footwear. Kerrie is the creative brain behind women's footwear label Django & Juliette which is stocked all over Australia and New Zealand. She has been working in shoes for over 20 years so they will be one of the first things she notices when contestants line up on stage. She is adamant that your shoes must match your outfit properly and not be worn as an afterthought. It doesn't end with the shoes though, Kerrie is looking for a co-ordinated look and attention to detail.'I'll start looking from the toes and work up to the top of the hat. I want to see a complete outfit'Next Craig Braybrook was the winner of the invitation only design award at Flemington's Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2012 and 2009. He also dressed last years Australian representative in Miss Universe who made it to the top five. His gown was seen by over 1 billion people across the globe.Craig is focused on a head to toe total look in Fashions on the Field. Too often he says women get their outfits almost right but let themselves down with the details.'Im looking for colour and beautifully crafted outfits with a contemporary feel'It'll be great to see what everyone is wearing and here at On Track On Trend we'll keep you updated with all the action from Cairns.

By Angela Menz