Caroline Beaumaris: A winning look with a second life

After registering with just minutes to spare, Caroline took home the Best Dressed title and secured her place in the Fashions on the Field Grand Final on Crown Oaks Day.

Have you entered Fashions on the Field before? If so, how often, and have you ever won/made finals before?

TAB Turnbull Stakes Day was only my second Fashions on the Field entry. I placed in the finals of Best Suited on Melbourne Cup Day in 2025 in my first attempt.

What made you decide to enter on TAB Turnbull Stakes Day?

After making the finals of Best Suited on Melbourne Cup Day last year, I thought I’d give Fashions on the Field another go. I’d originally planned to wear my outfit to Oaks Day and had put a lot of thought into it for then, but a turn in the weather on TAB Turnbull Stakes Day meant I needed to pivot from the light summer dress and hat I’d planned. Following encouragement from friends, I registered with literally minutes to spare. I felt happy with how it all came together on the day, but I certainly didn’t expect to walk away with the win!

What draws you to race day fashion?

For me, it’s the perfect combination of two lifelong passions: fashion and racing.

Inspired by my grandma, who was an actress, model and seamstress, I’ve loved fashion from a very young age. I think race day fashion is one of the few occasions where women can really embrace creativity, individuality and glamour. Racing has been in my blood for generations. My family owned the 1921 Melbourne Cup winner, Sister Olive, and were bookmakers for decades, so there’s a wonderful connection to the sport. The combination of racing and fashion has always been a very natural fit for me. I always take a keen interest in seeing what racegoers wear at Flemington and, having now been to Royal Ascot, Singapore and Dubai Cup, around the world.

Tell us about the details of your outfit – the dress, millinery, shoes and accessories.

My millinery was by the wonderful Sydney-based milliner Kathryn Lee, whose work I absolutely adore. She has such a beautiful eye for combining vintage inspiration with contemporary design, and I was thrilled to wear one of her creations. I started the outfit as I usually do, with my millinery, and worked backwards from there.

The rest of my outfit, shoes and jewellery included, was entirely preloved (as is almost my entire wardrobe).

It is a shopping style I’ve been passionate about since I first discovered the joy of finding unique and sustainable fashion this way while travelling throughout Europe more than 20 years ago.

I am continually a bowerbird through all manner of thrift, vintage and pre-loved clothing stores.

There’s something so satisfying about finding one-of-a-kind, well-crafted, beautiful pieces and giving them another life.

I love the idea that an outfit doesn’t have to be brand new to feel special or luxurious; for me, it’s almost the opposite.  It is about having an eye for style, knowing what works together and works for me and creating something individual.

Green has a reputation in racing as an unlucky colour, but not this time! What made you choose it, and did the superstition cross your mind?

I am aware of the superstition, and in honesty I’ve avoided it at the track my entire life. But the turban I fell in love with on sight and knew I had to work it into something; Kathryn’s craftsmanship is incredible, but the style is also truly unique and very me. In the end, I decided I was not one to let an old racing “myth” dictate my wardrobe choices and thankfully, green turned out to be very lucky for me! Perhaps I’ve given the colour a much-needed reputation change – I am seeing much more of it at the track than ever.

Was there a particular inspiration behind the look?

I’m typically drawn to classic, feminine styles with loads of colour, but I also love pieces that have character and a story. My passion for preloved fashion has definitely shaped my approach to dressing, and it did so on Turnbull Stakes Day. I love discovering something beautiful that no one else will be wearing and finding a way to make it feel contemporary and uniquely me.

I wanted the overall look to feel elegant and polished, while still reflecting my personality. I also wanted to be warm on what was a bitterly cold Melbourne day. For me, great style is about creativity, comfort, confidence and how I bring everything together.

How did it feel when your name was announced?

I was absolutely thrilled but, in all honesty, very shocked! It was one of those moments where I needed a second to process what was happening. I put so much thought into my outfits daily, but I entered because I genuinely love fashion. To hear my number announced was incredibly exciting. There is so much history and tradition attached to Flemington, so to be a part of it was a very special moment for me.

How are you feeling heading into the finals during Cup Week?

Cup Week is the highlight of Melbourne’s racing and fashion calendar, and for many years has also been such a special week for me. I attend all four days of the carnival with many of my close girlfriends. We spend months in the lead-up swapping fashion inspiration, sharing outfit choices and often swap and share amongst each other pieces from our vast millinery collection. They truly are always some of the best days of my year.

I’m looking forward to embracing the occasion and to seeing the incredible creativity everyone brings to the track. I’ll certainly be putting plenty of thought into my outfits for the week, although true to form, I’ll be looking for preloved pieces and a way to make the look my own. I am particularly excited to follow along with the entrants in the new Remix slow fashion/preloved category.

Heading into the finals at Oaks Day after only my second entry is a real thrill, so most of all, I’m going to enjoy every moment. With racing in my blood and a lifelong love of fashion, being part of the fashion finals and surrounded at the track by some of the most wonderful friends a girl could have, it all feels particularly humbling and incredibly magical.