Spring Racing Outfits That Aren’t Frocks

The Jacarandas are littering the sidewalks in hues of purple and we all know what that means—spring racing is here, and so too is our quest to find the perfect spring racing getup. It’s arguably the most anticipated season of the year and it’s tailor-made for us to bring our style A-game, so this year, why not break away from the slew of dresses and stand-out in something different. Here are our favourite sleek and fancy looks to help you ditch the dress.

SUIT UP

As simple and clean as they are, a suit—whether it’s a jumpsuit, pantsuit or playsuit, can say so much. They’re a bold statement with an exclamation mark, and nothing says strong independent woman better than a suit. When choosing your suit, it’s all about striking the right balance. If you’re going for a monochromatic palette, intensify the look with a bolder colour, differing textures or asymmetrical lines. If you’re more into patterns, you can match the accent colours to the details in your accessories. It’ll tie the whole look together and compliment the pattern at the same time.

MIX ‘N’ MATCH

Silk and suede, flowers and stripes, spots and bold colours—mix ‘n’ matching can be lots of fun, and if done right, it can make a striking combination. Wearing separates can break-up your outfit, allowing you to show off more details and shapes—a classic top tucked into a fancy skirt or pants can be flattering on almost all body types. If the idea of mixing completely different colours is a bit too hard basket for you, then simply start with one colour and play around with adding different tones like pale pink with blush pink. If you want to be more daring, then go ahead and experiment with metallics and bold colours—even pair them with prints, florals or different textures. You can really show off your personality (or multiple personality – ha!) with this option.

CO-ORDINATE

This season we’ve seen a big rise in co-ords, and this matchy-matchy look isn’t leaving anytime soon. Co-ords are no longer just miniskirts and matching tops, they have been reinvented to now include an array of cropped and full-length tops worn with trousers, midi or maxi skirts—some will even fool you into thinking they’re dresses. The best thing about co-ords though is that after the races, you can mix and match the top and bottoms with other pieces in your wardrobe—now that’s #winning. Will you ditch the dress this spring racing season?