autumn racing Archives - Kate Waterhouse

What I Wore: 2023 Chandon Ladies’ Day

4th April, 2023

Ladies’ Days at the races usually call for ultra feminine styling. It’s one of my fave race days to dress for because I love that the dress code can be interpreted in different ways. This year, I wanted a look that had some feminine touches but was still quite bold. This dress is a new season piece by one of my go-to Aussie labels, Manning Cartell and I was drawn to the fact it looks like wearable art. The print is striking and the splashes of high octane colour really make a statement. The silhouette is also perfect for autumn racing—I’m a huge fan of long sleeved dresses as they always looks so polished. Plus it’s a perfect option during transeasonal weather when temperatures can swiftly change from hot to cold and back again.

I didn’t really want to do much colour with my accessories as I felt the dress was already quite vibrant so I dialled it down with a few pieces in black. The Jimmy Choo heels are quite pared back, but I love that the crossover design gives it an element of interest. I often incorporate Bulgari bags into any event or race days looks as their designs are always elegant in an understated way, and this bag with its quilted texture and signature Serpent clasp helped round out my key accessories. Meanwhile, no race day is complete without headwear, and as the dress was already quite busy, I went for an oversized bow by Nerida Winter. This was a nod to the dress code, but also with hair bows trending of late, this also added a contemporary touch to my ensemble.

Credits: Dress, Manning Cartell; Heels, Jimmy Choo; Bag, Bulgari; Bow, Nerida Winter

Photography: Ashleigh Larden

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Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: 2023 Golden Slipper

28th March, 2023

Hosting duties for 7Racing offer the perfect excuse to embrace a new look, and often it’s a case of the more dramatic the better. Case in point: this Fendi look from the recent Golden Slipper event in Sydney. Suiting is definitely something that features heavily in my sartorial wheelhouse, so it was fun to take it to the next level with this stunning suit by Fendi. I’ve always found a suit to be such a strong option for any event, but in this instance, this jacket was designed to be front and centre. The contrasting panels, the obi style waist, and a train really made this jacket bring the drama and more. I loved the fact however, that the pants tempered the look and gave it a bit of structure when contrasted against the theatre of the jacket.

Accessories are always key, and in this instance I wanted to incorporate something that would pop against the suit without being too over the top. The addition of height with the black Valentino platforms was perfect as it meant the suit pants sat at just the perfect length, plus it added a trend element to this look. The clean lines of the Bulgari bag (which FYI is also customisable) make an elegant addition to this ensemble, but the sunshine yellow makes it pop simultaneously. I love when an accessory works to add an element of interest, and it’s often something I take into serious consideration whenever I’m pulling a look together. I didn’t really want to add an overly fussy headpiece to this look, preferring to keep things quite understated, so a simple black headband helped me to add some headwear but not distract from the central element of this look: this suiting moment.

Credits: Jacket and pants, Fendi; Heels, Valentino; Bag, Bulgari

Photography: Ashleigh Larden

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: The Championships 2022

5th April, 2022

It was all about monochrome over the weekend as I took on reporting duties at The Championships and embraced this black and white look by Zimmermann. While I usually associate Zimmermann with beautiful feminine pieces such as dresses with intricate detailing or bold prints, or tops with a flourish of colour and embellishments, this time around it was all about a sleek black and white ensemble that had a distinctly masculine edge. While I can often be found in dresses whenever I’m trackside, I do love to mix it up with the occasional suit or pants look. In this instance I opted for these harem pants, which can look traditionally quite casual but this iteration took on a decidedly polished feel with its adjustable cuffs and buckles at the waist. I paired it with a white waistcoat, which with its deep neckline and cinched in waist, provided the perfect counterpoint to the more voluminous cut of the pants.

I wanted to pair this look with accessories that were sharp and had a bit of drama. These Jimmy Choo pumps with the chandelier accessory added a sexy touch and were definitely a talking point. Headwear is of course a must on any race day and I love the veiled feature of this beret by milliner Nerida Winter. It’s sophisticated and understated, and it worked seamlessly as I needed something that was quite strong, without being over the top or too decorative. Last of all was this gorgeous chain strap Chanel bag. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with anything featuring interlocking Cs and it was the perfect size to hold all my essentials while still looking chic.

Credits: Jacket, waistcoat and pants, Zimmermann; Heels, Jimmy Choo; Hat, Nerida Winter; Bag, Chanel

Photography: Ashleigh Larden

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: Chandon Ladies Day

12th March, 2022

Autumn racing is off and running, and one of the first events in my calendar was Chandon Ladies Day at Rosehill Racecourse. I was on reporting duties for 7 Racing so I needed a look that was ultra feminine. I worked with stylist Jess Pecoraro for this outfit and we eventually settled on this look, which incorporated graduating shades of lilac. I’ve always found that wearing one hue, from top to bottom can be really impactful, particularly when you can feature it in varying tones of the one colour. It was all about this slinky midi length Acler dress, which draped so beautifully. The one shoulder and the cinched waist with D ring belt helped to add extra layers of visual interest and helped elevate the dress.

Accessories are always critical to an autumn racing look, and this deep lilac Louis Vuitton bag was the perfect complementary piece to the softer shade of the dress. The debossed monogram and the oversized chain link strap allowed me to incorporate some textural elements to the dress, while the Fendi wedges with its sculptural ‘F’ heel and colour block straps, added the ideal finishing feature to the dress. As always headwear is so important for any racing look so we went for a simple Nerida Winter headband that was in keeping with the whole colour palette, but had an elegant simplicity that allowed the rest of the look to take centre stage.

Credits: Dress, Acler; Bag, Louis Vuitton; Heels, Fendi; Headband, Nerida Winter

Styling: Jess Pecoraro

Photography: Ashleigh Larden

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: Golden Slipper

27th March, 2021

Having embraced plenty of colour with my racing looks over the last few weeks, I wanted to steer things in a different direction this week and went for classic black. Wearing black is always a failsafe option as it’s virtually impossible to get it wrong, but it can sometimes look a little flat so I’ve always found it’s important to choose pieces with a little extra personality whether it be design details, textures or embellishments. So, this Dion Lee dress was the perfect option. It’s a classic strapless silhouette, but I think the cut-outs give it some edge and allow it to make a statement. The midi length is also perfect for racewear as it maintains a polished vibe.

Headwear is of course one of the key considerations of a race day look so I opted for a hat with veil — perfect for a wet weather day in Sydney, plus it helps ground the look. As the dress is quite detailed in its style, the outfit needed something structured and simple. As for the rest of my look, I opted for a burgundy Christian Dior bag to add a little colour, but also the strap is gold which I thought was a nice nod to it being Golden Slipper day. I wanted a closed toe shoe option for this look, so these dainty pumps by Fendi were the right accessory to finish off the look, and had me ready for another busy day of reporting trackside.

Credits: Dress, Dion Lee; Hat, Nerida Winter; Heels, Fendi; Bag, Christian Dior

Photography: Ashleigh Larden

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: Chandon Ladies’ Day

19th March, 2021

When they say ‘a touch of pink’ well, I go all out! I do love wearing this particular hue, so if I can wholly embrace it then I absolutely will. While on hosting duties for Chandon Ladies Day last weekend, the dress code called for pink, so it was a great excuse to wear this gorgeous Rebecca Vallance dress. It’s a true statement dress in every aspect, from the hue to the silhouette, but without a doubt the best bit was the back detail. The open back, and the oversize bow was the ideal striking finish. I had so much fun wearing it as it was so playful and fun.

I wanted to carry the pink theme further so I went for accessories in varying shades of it. The headband by Anna Shoebridge was a great way to extend the bow feature, and it was the kind of unfussy headwear that wouldn’t compete with the dress. While the pink Bottega Veneta Jodie bag added an on trend element, and was the right kind of shape and style to work back with the rest of my look.

Credits: Dress, Rebecca Vallance; Headband, Anna Shoebridge; Bag, Bottega Veneta; Heels, Stuart Weitzman

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: Super Saturday

6th March, 2021

I haven’t been to Melbourne, let alone Flemington for over a year and I have to say, it was so lovely to be back. I was in town on reporting duties for Seven Racing once again and it felt nice to be in familiar surrounds again, chatting all things racing and being inspired by all the amazing fashion on offer. It’s one thing I’ve definitely grown to appreciate more, having come back to the races post-lockdown.

I went for a great suit by P Johnson Femme, which was such a striking rich blue and really suited the vibe of the day. I always welcome any excuse to suit up, it’s definitely one of my favourite go-tos for event dressing. I’m really loving how suits have become so much more fashion forward, with interesting cuts and punchy hues, it just makes wearing one extra fun.

Accessories are always a major focus for me with any look for the races and when it comes to spring racing it’s all about richer hues and great textures. This veil by Nerida Winter is such a perfect shade of teal and worked as a great contrast against the cornflower blue of the suit. I wanted to keep the rest of my look a little more muted, so it was Fendi all the way, with classic black pumps and diminutive gold and black clutch.

Credits: Suit, P Johnson Femme; Headpiece, Nerida Winter; Shoes and bag, Fendi

Photography: Dan Castano

Fashion

Your guide to new season suiting

23rd March, 2020

If the word suit conjures up images of corporate offices and board meetings then you might be pleasantly surprised at the current offerings available. Continuing on from suiting’s ascension as a modern, fashion forward staple of seasons gone by, this season suits are very much one of the most on trend items any woman can have in her wardrobe.

Banish thoughts of traditional cuts or boring hues, it’s time to think bold. Suiting colour palettes are very much adopting rich autumn/winter hues, think berry shades and forest green, while winter whites are also very much on trend.

While the classic suit silhouette has been reimagined with slit sleeves, cut-outs, and finishing touches including feminine bows and embellishments all featuring in new season drops. Also don’t limit yourself to ideas of a simple jacket and pants. You can do everything from tailored shorts and midi skirts to cropped tapered trousers and culottes. While there are also different iterations of suit jackets such as a kimono style coat or long line blazers. The sky is the limit and there’s plenty of experimentation to be done.

If you’ve never considered adding a suit to your wardrobe because it seemed too stuffy or boring, then it might be time to revisit the concept because there are so many gorgeous options now that will most definitely convert you.

Fashion

The best prints and patterns for autumn/winter

17th March, 2020

When it comes to autumn/winter dressing, particularly with autumn carnival racewear don’t be afraid to embrace bold prints and patterns. While florals are synonymous with spring, there are still plenty of ways to embrace it, and other prints when temperatures start to dip and we are all embracing cool weather dressing. In fact, it’s one of my favourite ways to lift an outfit in a truly effortless way—just add a striking pattern and you’re done.

Adopting a print to your outfit in autumn/winter is all about the colour palette you choose. You can adopt whatever print you want, but just make sure it’s in keeping with the season’s hues. Think deep purples, burgundy, dark green and navy—all tones that have a richness and depth to them.

As for the types of prints that will be huge this season, you can’t go wrong with a classic polka dot. Whether it’s a delicate spot or oversized spotted pattern, you can’t go wrong. You can incorporate it within your outfit, or with your accessories. For autumn carnival in particular, it makes for an adorable print to incorporate within a headpiece.

Along with getting a little spotty, have fun with a great animal print. Whether it’s leopard, cheetah, or giraffe, there are plenty of playful animal prints that make for the ideal statement piece to add to any look.

This season definitely embrace a print or two. It’s one way to elevate a look and give it healthy injection of personality.

Fashion

What I Wore: Chandon Ladies Day

14th March, 2020

What better look for Chandon Ladies Day than one that celebrates such beautiful shades of pink. I wanted to wear a strong look but still incorporate ultra feminine touches and I thought this gorgeous Acler suit perfectly fit the brief. The dual double breasted feature gave it a unique point of difference and a modern silhouette while the two toned effect is bold and vibrant.

I wanted strong accessories for this particular look. For an on trend touch I opted for my Bottega Veneta square toe mesh heels while a felt fedora by Sarah R Curtis was the ideal headpiece. To finish off the ensemble I went with a statement necklace by Aje, and a grey Dior bag to provide the perfect contrast piece to my suit.

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Credits: Suit, Acler; Shoes, Bottega Veneta; Hat, Sarah R Curtis; Necklace, Aje; Bag, Dior

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