OPINION: ALL too often when I approach well-dressed ladies or gents for their photograph at the races and suggest they enter fashions on the field, I'm greeted with "surely you can find someone much younger than us."
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Well folks it's time to convince you that you're never too old for fashions on the field - and my Nana was proof.
Every Oaks Day my Nana, Shirley Parry would frock up for the fashions on field competition staged at her aged care facility, Harmony Village at Shepparton, Victoria.
It was a big event on Nana's social calendar in the home.
Just like anyone heading trackside to a raceday event, there was meticulous planning that went in to her outfit and appearance.
As her aged care home was conveniently located next door to The Marketplace shopping centre she would head over on her mobility scooter to Equip (a fashion accessory chain store) and buy a fascinator for the event.
Her hair would be given a freshen up colour, set and blow wave by the homes hairdresser in the lead up to the big day.
Nana quickly became a firm favourite among other residents as the sure bet to win the fashions competition due to the effort she put in.
She liked her get-up to be well coordinated and roses were usually a feature, basically the more matchy-matchy the better.
My favorite part of Oaks Day was hearing a funny story or even some controversy that accompanied Oaks Day nursing home style.
One year they were a bit light on for eligible men for the best dressed gent award so Nana's friend Lois stepped up and took home the sash.
Some years, Nana wouldn't tell us she had won over the phone and would prefer to send us a clipping from the local paper about her latest win and have the staff post photos of her to the family.
One clipping turned up with the very dramatic headline "Back from death's door, Shirley's Oaks Day outfit judged best".
The story appeared in The Shepparton News about a fortnight before Oaks Day in 2011 after Nana, at 75-years-old, suffered kidney failure due to her diabetes.
Cara's Nana, Shirley Parry, featured in The Shepparton News following her miraculous recovery from kidney failure to win fashions on the field.
Doctors didn't expect she would survive the ordeal, but she rallied and made a comeback and was back on deck for Oaks Day where she defended her title and told The Shepparton News: "I'm feeling really great now...I put my high heels on, but I put my slippers in the walker."
She also wanted the paper to make it clear she wasn't just recycling any old day-to-day outfit for the best dressed parade and judging, it was special: "My granddaughters bought me this two Christmases ago, I've only worn it twice".
And proving no one is ever too old to get a kick from being judged the best dressed filly she told the reporter: "It's a bit of a thrill to win. You just come for the fun."
The reporter also noted Nana sipped drinks and watched the races.
Sadly, two years ago in August 2013, Nana lost her battle to kidney disease.
Nana's passion for frocking up for the races has rubbed of on me and last year I took up millinery with one of the first headpieces I made and sold called "Shirley" in honour of her and it featured orange roses which were her favourite.
When I'm making a headpiece I often think about what would suit Nana - I know she would have been a pretty tough customer to please - and no doubt she would have told me she would be sticking with the offering from Equip until I got it right.
The more I have delved into millinery the more I have learnt about my ancestors' love of headwear. My mother gave me hat boxes that belonged to my great grandmother. Unfortunately, her hat collection - which I've been told was elaborate to the point of excessive - has long gone, most probably to the op shop.
All that said, Nana proved you don't have to be trackside and you don't have be a young colt or filly to enjoy the raceday atmosphere and festivities during the Spring Racing Carnival.
Where Fashions on the Field started
FACED with waning crowd attendances in the 1960s, the Victoria Racing Club committee held the first Fashions on the Field competition at Flemington in 1962, in an effort to woo female racegoers to back the races.
Now a national competition, state finalists from heats staged around the country during the Spring Racing season are flown to Melbourne, where the Victorian finalist is selected during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The national final then takes place on Crown Oakes Day.
Source: NSW State Library
