6 weeks til Spring (but who's counting?) - Sarah KempsonSarah Kempson

Melbourne looks deceptively warm through the windows of my 12th floor office complex. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I swear this morning, I could sense spring in the air. We are only halfway through July, still weeks away from birds chirping and the sounds of children in parks and the smells of freshly cut grass, yet, as the days start to get slightly longer (yes, I realise its only a minute or two every day) I can’t help but get excited about the prospect of another Racing Carnival just around the corner.

I love Spring Racing. An opportunity to get frocked up and drink champagne in the sun, to put dollar each way bets on a sport you know nothing about and possibly the only time you can get away with wearing ludicrous head adornments and still be called fashionable.

Today I took a quick tour of the DFO shopping centre at Spencer Street, and was drawn to the Jackie E store – not because I was looking for a gift for my Mum or Nanna, but because the frocks in the window were just so very pretty, feminine and charming I had to take a closer look.

Perfect chain store chic for Spring Racing (or for those of us that feel the need to purchase a new outfit for every outing at the carnival), Jackie E’s range of dresses, skirts and accessories will take you from the office to the track and out on the town afterwards without breaking the bank.

The pale colours of grey, champagne, ivory and pink work so well together and create a softness that melds with spring perfectly. They even have the shoes to match, though I wouldn’t recommend taking pale coloured satin or silk anywhere near damp grass or muddy racetracks. (By the same token, please don’t be one of those girls walking/stumbling home with her heels slung over her shoulders…)

The countdown is on … 6 weeks and counting. Start planning your outings and outfits now (and don’t forget the head adornments!)

http://www.jacquie.com.au/
http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/
www.vrc.net.au/victoria-racing-club/events.asp

Here are three of my favourite looks from the current Jackie E collection.