7 November 2006

Cup day Canberra style

| Kerces
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I ventured down to the Thoroughbred Racecourse today to see the frocks, hats and copious amounts of alcohol which Canberrans brought out to celebrate the day of the Race That Stops The Nation.

There were quite a lot of people carting bottles of champagne around. The bar tents had signs saying limit of four drinks per person, but it was unclear how full size champagne bottles fit into this limit. This is Luke and Nikki.

Race day

As the fashionistas predicted, many of the frocks were in black and white, although there was still an awful lot of colour around the place. This is Tammy, Lauren and Sarah.

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Polka dots were also a strong feature, in all colours. Note also the dress second from the right — it crops up later on. This is Vicki, Nikki, Kelly and Emma.

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Despite appearances, this is actually a dress (on Tahnee) not a jumpsuit. I didn’t see any jumpsuits all day. Most of the men were reasonably dressed up. This is Ryano, Leroy, Clydie, Pete and Tahnee (apparently).

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I had heard that fascinators were out this year, but this was not at all evident on the Canberra racecourse. This is Kirsty, Mim and Keith.

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These lovely ladies were quite possibly the drunkest I encountered early in the day. I do like the take on a French maid’s outfit. This is Shanara, Monica, Michelle and Aleera (although Michelle wanted them to be known as the Sex and the City girls).

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I only had one person refuse to have their photo taken (pity, he was wearing a rose in his lapel which matched his tie). The guys in this picture had me take several with various permutations of their group. This is Benn, Rob, Alexandra, Stacey, Jess, Sammi and Harley or Mitch.

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I really liked the brown pinstripe suit here. This is Deano and Wes.

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I’m told wherever there are large groups of Australian drinking, you will find kilts. I spotted three in total today. This is William, Renee, Michael, Jessica and Jack.

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There were also several variations on this dress floating around, being worn with various degrees of bustiness. This is Daniel and Stacey.

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That dress I told you to remember some pages ago? Look familiar? But the real question in this kind of situation is which pulls it off better. This is Jane, Lisa and Corinne.

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The day definitely belonged to the groups of girls having Grand Days Out, with lots of champagne of course. This is Lauren, Jess, Jean, Natalie, Leanne and Brianna.

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I’m also a fan of the nude sheath with black lace. Also, the girl on the left, Tracey, has the same shoes as I was wearing. I wonder if she has as many blisters? This is Tracey McMahon, Stacey Hill and Nicole Scott.

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The older ladies tended to be dressed more sensibly given the sunshine (and cloudy morning) than the younger ones. This is Peter and Karen Crowe.

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Enjoying a very civilised picnic (with table and all mod cons) were Jamie and Robyn.

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I suspect the girl on the left here, Leslie, had noticed another nearby in the same dress although each had accessorised quite differently. There were a lot of floral patterns around, which I suppose is to be expected for spring. This is Leslie, Roland and Clair.

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Although cocktail dresses ruled the racecourse, there were a couple of full-length ones around, such as this one. This is Beck, Kelly and Jahne.

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I particularly like the matching boots and dress outfit here. This is Rose, Shane and John.

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Wandering round the bookkeepers was a very realistic (if a little bumpy) Spongebob Squarepants and friends. This is Carly, Damien (well, his legs) and Jamie.

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I think these fellows come dressed like this every year and had attracted much attention because they said they’d thought perhaps they should print up business cards. This is Ricky, Gavin and Rob.

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This couple were checking out the horses prior to the second race while I admired her satiny shirt dress — very trendy and very flattering on her. This is Suzanne and Scott.

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There were a surprising number of younger people around, possibly first year uni students taking a break from exams but some looked even younger than that. I like the quirky twist some of them brought to the traditional race day outfits. This is Rhi, Andrew and Jess.

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Probably the most impressive outfit, in my opinion, belonged to Sue Jackson.

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Near the gates with their picnic hamper were Jean Head, Maxine Schumacher (in what I thought was a gorgeous vintage dress) and Ros Donnellan.

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I think this safari suit had been attracting lots of attention, since his mates were trying to push him into the front of the photo. This is Brian Kurt, Michael and (allegedly — he didn’t know how to spell it) Dwayne.

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Personally I liked the simple approach to outfits better, although I could see the advantage of having a big hat and hair off your neck. This is Racquelle.

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I saw a couple of these beer case hats, this one more ingenious than the others by dint of having a brim (I also really like that blue dress). This is Sam, Alycia and Adam.

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There were a few women in pants and fewer still in dress shorts. I think if worn with the right top and heels, knee-length shorts can look perfectly elegant, as here. This is Simone Herden-Drain and Paul and Susan Herden.

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I’m a sucker for a pinstripe worn well (as Concat readers may know), although I’m not so certain about the leopard print. This is Lynne Jepsen and Marissa Balch.

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This polkadot dress was one of the few around with high necklines, though the plunging back more than made up for that. This is Toni, Cecilia and Caroline.

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This group of girls appeared to be enjoying their very first race day (like me) and had been inspecting the horses with some amusement. That short white dress (second from left) was one of the most popular today; I saw it on maybe half a dozen girls. This is Jemi, Jane, Anne, Lavinia, Jacqui and Meg.

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I wasn’t sure whether these girls had conferred about their outfits or not, but they seemed to be part of a group where roughly half were wearing apricot dresses. This is Guy, Elle and Carly.

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What day at the races would be complete without a few colourful characters hanging aorund? This is Ronald.

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There were a number of the giant fluffy cowboy hats (mainly in fluro pink) on various male heads which led me to wonder if they were the thing at the Canberra Show this year. This is Hugh and Shane.

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There were also some groups having Boys Days Out. These fellows seemed most amused by Hank’s cream-coloured pointy shoes. This is Clinton. Hank, Steve, Ryan and Russel.

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I must mention, now I’ve come to the end, there were a couple a of horses hanging around as well.

Race day

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Indi – I could do that for you – just remunerate me appropriately.

ps. gotta love a girl who matches nail polish with outfit!

I wasn’t hugged enough as a child – that’s why I slag everyone off now.

But ultimately, the Police are to blame for everything that has ever happened to me.

Dear Vicki and Emma

I do stand by my post: ‘deep down inside lurks the bogan in all of us…come on, lighten up!’

The whole point of the dribbling going on seems that basically we might just be jealous that you had the ‘day off’ to enjoy an event that you like which is going to the gg’s. It could have been the Chariots or the Dishlickers and you still would have been paid out…

You young ladies genuinely looked lovely and certainly appear like you enjoyed the day out – don’t take it all to heart, ppl are just taking the mickey!

Eye luvs everieone and everiethink in the wurld, esps all them peoples on this bloug.

Piece anf three luv to youse all.

Youse chiks is hot – what starsighns is youse?

hmmm i wonder if frenchie owns a monkeybike ?

her writing style is surprisingly similar to a visitor the blog had last year…

4 girls actually, BK: the lawyer wot can’t spell, Nikki with a novel way to keep the dress up, Kelly who’s wearing the same shoes as Sarah in the previous pic; and frenchie (Emma) who claims “my fun might be a rough 4 u”.
-All gorgeous.

Absent Diane4:30 pm 09 Nov 06

danman – I am guilty of that as well. its a terrible addiction.

Oh my god Thumper! Did you misspell “isthmus”?! How dare you!!

frenchie – you telegraph to the world your embrace of boganism by deliberatley using poor writing skills to defend yourself.

im sure you went to school, perhaps all the way to the third form.

you must remember spelling.

Absent Diane4:29 pm 09 Nov 06

thanks mate. now I just got a bloody craving for a cold beer. and am stuck at work. nice one.

see I told you no one is ever nice here.

but seriously thanks for the idea 🙂

I would just like to announce that I am a loser.
I just got home and had to rush to check RA –

We’re on the kindergarten stage of the dating cycle, though – first we insult you for a while, then we hit on you.

Ah, romance, Riotact style…

sheilas Bk, Sheilas

exactly!

however it’s hilarious watching you guys make fools of yourselves…swooning over a couple of girls…. please continue!

Absent Diane4:20 pm 09 Nov 06

No one is ever nice to anyone here… it’s half the fun.

Maybe there’s money to made, turning RA into a dating agency?

Oh, i’d just like to say i think you all look great and I’m more than happy to explore ideas of fun.

(and yes, I am aware I’m getting fogeyish, but when you can’t tell the difference between the postings of a law student and those of DJ McLoughlin’s halfway-educated sister, something’s seriously wrong with the world).

Hey, I’m a nice lovely person. I’m just giving construtive advice – if you’re new to a site and you have something to say, writing like a twelve-year old isn’t the way to make a positive impression.

Or maybe I’m just old and grumpy. In my day people learnt to write proper on the gosh-darn interweb. Why, I remember when we had paragraphs and phrasing and capitalisation.

ahhh how my amusement grows with every post!

I was being nice, JB – especially to Nikki. How does her dress stay up?

I suppose it’s too much to ask people to try to be nice to each other?

ill tell u wats not stylish…u gettin on ur high horse about spelling…u care way 2 much. u can waste ur time writing words that dont matter and have fun SMSing all ur rad friends coz u sound like a blast…

Look, I SMS too, yet somehow I’m able to use punctuation and to fully spell words. One of the joys of the blogsphere is that the english language is at least mildly prized.

By the way, the hat and the dress look quite stylish. Shame you ruined the impression by posting like a twelve-year old.

I think the four of you look great, I’ll be there next year!

sorry im a bogan, my fun might be a bit rough 4 u, apparently drinking champagne with the girls is now a crime

lol sorry bout my spelling mistakes but i think i made my point nonetheless!

I think I’d like to have a good time with you, frenchie.

Greetings, another ‘bogan’ here, actually vwatts best friend and the one in the red & white dress in that pic…just wondering wat exactly u guys do with ur lives? wats with spending all ur time on some lame blog bitching/criticising/talking shit about people u dont know? let them have their fun & u can stay online & have urs, wateva the fuck u do with ur life. and get over spelling mistakes…its the net, nothing matters here. id like 2 c u self-professed un-bogans have a good time…or dont u do that?

…and it sure won’t help you spell any better.

worrying about what others think will only wear you down 🙁

I am yet to comment in this thread too – so Ill sleep tonight –

PS keep an eye out for the photos of me and how I “spend my downtime” (did someone say public toilets LOL).

Oh and then there was the one of me in a wife beater drinkin a tinnie on my mates (dead) front lawn while we stood around (fat bellies and all) and talked crap about his 427 hemi charger.

vwatts – why care what a bunch of people that you do no tknow think about you.

Your own self worth and respect should be enough -as mine is for me.

Photos coming 🙂

Im more concerened with the opinions ofthose who mean something in my life – or have a genuine debate to wage into.

I have some lovely pics I could send in that you can bash away if you like..

I need a good laugh!!

As the guy who came up with the “improving works of literature and worthy causes” line, I think you’ll find I was actually on your side…

I do look forward to the moment when those who criticise other people’s lifestyles start sending in photos of how they spend their downtime so we can start bashing them, though…

Having not yet made a comment in this strand, I can be relaxed and comfortable in the thought that vernon/vera watts is not directing his/her ire at me.
I do find it strange however, that people can sit ‘law exams’ when their spelling abilities are so crap.

Hi,
Im one the ‘aspirational bogans’ pictured above!

To say the very least, the comments made on this forum have been interesting. I would like to know exactly why, based on your clearly well informed and intellectually based opinion, you have thought it apt to classify all those pictures above as members of a sub-class?

After a long hard year of study and a tough week of law exams, its definetely nice to go out, celebrate your good work and enjoy yourself with your friends. That you can make unsubstantiated comments about people whos only fault is enjoying a day of frivollous entertainment is perhaps a reflection of your own inadequacies… I think its really sad that one of you draw a link between going to the races at what you point to as the expense of “improving works of literature and worthy causes”. Do you suggest that those who engage in social events are unable to contribute in such a way to society or enjoy improving works of literature? Forgive me for being such a ‘bogan’ or unsophicated like yourselves, but when did having fun with your friends, having a few drinks (or as many as you feel the need) and getting dressed up become a irreputable thing to do? I think if you guys got off your high horse for a minute or two you would realise having fun is not a crime and certaintly does not make you a lower class member of society…or as you term it, a ‘bogan’.

Bogan + booner = boner

S4anta, hehehe i stand corrected.

and, no problem, they’re bogans and unaware (obviously) of their bogany ways… which is why it’s so amusing….hehehhe.

Haywood Jablowme12:04 pm 09 Nov 06

Kudos to all. Particularly the beer can hat wearer. I believe that particular punter should have just worn it exclusively and not cluttered up the overall look with other pointless periphery such as socks or pants.
In the fashion world, it’s an absolute travesty to wear anything else that would detract from a visual exposition such as this.

barking toad11:57 am 09 Nov 06

I’m disappointd there were no late afternoon pix of lasses barfing from the cheap bubbly plonk and lads having punch-ups.

Ahh, memories of Cup days past.

deep down inside lurks the bogan in all of us…come on, lighten up!

Kath,

I believe the PC term is mutton dressed as lamb.

just because a bogan puts on a cheap dress, doesn’t change the fact that they’re a bogan.

Growling Ferret10:54 pm 08 Nov 06

Melbourne Cup is the official start of Christmas – with the PM’s XI Friday, its a booze-up for the next two months….

Cup Day is an excuse to get dressed up, get on the soup, and get away with doing it all on a Tuesday. Bogan schmogan – you won’t see a flannie anywhere at the course.

Its easy to attempt to piss-weakly ridicule anything that doesn’t take your fancy – for example I don’t get into hairy arm pitted lesbos doing performance art, but I’m not going to ridicule you for enjoying the performance – if that’s your thing…

I blame Australia for it’s values!

Absent Diane2:12 pm 08 Nov 06

sorry for being unaustralian 🙂

gotta love boganville!

Woody Mann-Caruso12:42 pm 08 Nov 06

They look like a bunch of mates who got dressed up to have a great time at the race that stops the nation. Why do you hate Australian values so much, AD? 😉

Absent Diane11:07 am 08 Nov 06

i don’t really care 🙂

Let ’em be. Some people blow their cash on flashy clothing and fast ponies. Some spend it on improving works of literature and worthy causes. Some even spend most of their cash on making sure that their children will grow up to be wise, useful members of society, so that their genes can carry on after they die.

As long as they’re enjoying their empty consumerism without clubbing baby seals, why should I give a whoop?

Is it just me, or is this day yet another consumerist waste of time? A chance for all the aspirational bogans to get out there and pretend they are worthwhile? I know I sound like a sad sack but geez louise, next we will all be jerking off over christmas!

Absent Diane8:55 am 08 Nov 06

i actually meant that the people looked like a bunch of try hard bogans.. certainly not my crowd.

Not bogans, just nicknames you geese. Nice work Kerces, top photogs.

Absent Diane8:26 am 08 Nov 06

what a bunch of try hard bogans.

Kerces that was fabulous! Thanks for making up for it with the ones who were stuck at the office.

what’s with the Rodney Rude sunglasses?

And you feel ’em old!

you’re only as old as the woman you feel

Well, that first couple had their 4 drinks allocation.3 bottles of bubbly, and a can of Kids Drink. In a few hours she would’ve been staggering around the porta loos with her shoes in her hands and mud splashed in her hair.

It’s sad how those girls go off and spend heaps on their dresses, shoes and other stuff, and then stand like sacks of potatoes. Heifers, the lot of them. Or Beefers, more appropriately.

More cleavage!

Loved the safari suit. As for the women’s fashion, makes me feel way old and frumpy.

The general look for *most* people there was drinks in one hand, ciggie in the other. Going on the general behavior I saw, they were pretty bogan. That’d explain the names, and the hair….

blingblingbears7:34 pm 07 Nov 06

hmm and whats with all the bogan names? Were these their real names?

Aleera had to be wearing the ‘french maid’ dress for a bet surely? What else would possess a grown women to wear something like that???

blingblingbears6:37 pm 07 Nov 06

Thanks for a great coverage of the action and fashion out there today Kerces! Sadly I missed it all as Im home studying for an exam on tomorrow 🙁

I seem to have forgotten to include the day’s best comment, from a man standing behind me in the bar queue to his wife. He said, “Five thousand dresses in this place and not a straight hem in sight.” Yup sir, the hanky hem is back with a vengence,

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