headwear

Did Melbourne Cup Day creep up on you? Not to worry! We'll get you race-ready in the mere click of a mouse. Whether you're heading down to the track, are partaking in a celebratory lunch or watching the race that stops the nation from the confort of your desk — you'll still need to look the part. According to racing royalty and David Jones racing ambassador Emma Freedman, the Melbourne Cup Day calls for a festive look; think bright! Think bold! Think colour! We've rounded up ten fabulously fast in-store buys to top-off that outfit in style. Better put a lunch-break dash on today's to-do list!

Finding that finishing touch to your race-day outfit can be tricky. Hats are a big investment, headbands can look a bit low-effort, and fascinators can verge on the flimsy and, well to be perfectly frank, naff. We've made it our duty to find the least ugly headpieces out there for this Spring racing season. So that's a N-O to gaudy-bright colours, shiny polyesters and superfluous feathers. Instead, we've uncovered some cooler options to top-off your trackside look; think netted face-wraps, sculptural headpieces and bejewelled headpieces. Wanna see?

We've been surmising that baseball caps might be coming up on the cool accessories horizon for a while now, and when they hit the runway last month in the DKNY 2013 Spring New York Fashion Week show, we finally had proof. Ahead of the game as always, Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr and her too-cute son Flynn sported matching Unif.M caps at Bronte Beach in Sydney at the end of August (you can shop the exact one in this gallery!) and, naturally, we've wanted one ever since. Perfect for scorching Spring and Summer days, baseball caps add an edge to more classic ensembles, or take your luxe-sports look to the next level. You'd better get shopping!

It's almost time for the race that stops the nation, but can we confess something to you? We're a little more interested what the celeb-crowd is wearing, than which horses are racing! We've asked for your opinion on the outfits we've seen thus far, as well as getting a cheeky look at more celeb-ensembles via Twitter, but what we're really hungry for is a good look at the headwear on show at Flemington Racecourse. From bold coloured toppers to fancy fascinators to floral headpieces, take a gander at the head accessories du jour from the 2011 Melbourne Cup!

If it's one thing the royal family know how to do properly, it's hats! With Queen Elizabeth II touching down in Canberra last night, we thougt we'd look to HRH and the rest of the young and fabulously royal crew for some head wear pointers for this weekend's Cox Plate race day! Now, we're not suggesting that you run out and buy a turquoise, rose-adorned topper to finish off your ensemble for Saturday, but there are some inspiring styles from Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and our own Princess Mary that you can steal. Editor's note: Princess Beatrice's 'pretzel' number does not feature.

Heading to Epsom Day this weekend? Yup, us too. But instead of relying on tired fascinators and heavy headgear, we're taking the lighter approach and trying a simple headband on for size. This season there really are no rules when adorning your mane, so why not extend that to the racetrack and pick something a little more modern to match your new season racing look. A cute bow-style wrap, a Missoni-esque scarf or a floral garland are all you need to make maximum impact with minimal effort. Keen to know more? Step inside our gallery for a heavenly mix of unexpected headgear.