Post by TM

Racing doesn’t come naturally to me. My legs may be too long for the rest of me as far as body proportions go but that never meant I was particularly fast; going to the dogs is to me, an expression that means everything is going wrong, and even though CM and I come from The West we’ve never had a big day out at the Galway Races.

Perhaps it’s because of the time we were trapped in the children’s play area aged 12 when we involuntarily attended with a friend’s parents. Stuff of nightmares. But since Easter Monday, I’ve come to realise that as adults there are two ways to do The Races – the Daily Mail way or the ‘let’s quaff champers, have a meal and get reliable tips from an expert amongst a jolly crowd’ way. The latter way is how CM and I and a group of fashion bloggers did Fairyhouse last Easter Monday, on Ladies Day, of course, as guests of Ladbrokes and Branded3 PR. Ladies Day means dresses, heels and most importantly, hats. As you can see, CM and I have managed two thirds of the unofficial, yet seriously taken, dress code. It’s not a case of if you can’t beat ’em join ’em at the races – you either go all out or you wear whatever you damn please!  Our urban ensembles were all the better for observing in. Ladies Day at any races is an excellent excuse to get your glad rags on. Dresses, heels and hats are wedding ensembles; Ladies Day is a chance for you to dress up and not have to go to mass, wait around for pictures (unless they are pictures of you as a Best Dressed Lady contestant) and keep an eye on your younger cousins as they top up their wine glass for the umpteenth time. Giddy up! Style is one thing but you can’t forget about the horses! Did we bet? Ah, yeah we did. Even if your main priority is to keep an eye on style you can’t not spend a fiver on an interestingly named horse or bright ‘colours’, oh and a good tip. Did we win big? Well let’s just say we galloped away with slightly more than we came with. If you are going to the races on Ladies Day there’s no point in turning up in runners and a hoody.  Get your most stylish friends together and book a table that you can use as your base for the day. If you really want to go big and if you’re really serious about being considered as an official Best Dressed Lady but don’t have the budget for it, it’s possible to borrow garb from willing milliners, dress makers and boutiques. (You had better also be willing to lay off the bubbles too.) These days, the best Best Dressed ladies are the ones who mix high and low (i.e. High Street) and those who showcase local designers. If you wish to buy a dress, don’t bother spending big bucks on shoes or bags that match the dress but may not be suitable for much else. One of our company wore an amazing pair of nude courts that could have been from LK Bennet but it turned out they were from Penneys. We were lucky enough to spend the day with bloggers Mei Ling (Darling Buds of Mei), Stephanie (EatSleepChic), Dita (Ditatime) Lorna (Fashion Boss), Annmarie (Style Biscuit) and Laura (Style Savvy). Thanks to Ladbrokes, and the staff at Bobby Jo Bistro and huge props must go to Laura and Beth from Branded3 PR.