There are no words to describe last Saturday.

Really, there aren’t.

I went on a yacht. A real, live, ‘I could be on Gossip Girl’ type vessel, complete with 3 bedrooms and a television bigger than the one in my living room. Come to think of it, the floor space of said boat was bigger than my apartment. Enough said.

The Glasscutter – our AWESOME boat!

There was Mumm, and Moet & Chandon, and a delightful array of tapas and sushi. I am sure the fabulous people at the Sandringham Yacht Club had something to do with the glorious sunshine too.

I can see the City!

We were celebrating the Melbourne leg of the Sailing World Cup, and the Lifestyle Party that followed celebrated in spades.

The fashionably fabulous bought out their nautical best: the blues, reds and white of the sailing set flashing their stripes across the deck at the Sandringham Yacht Club.

I wore orange: Dress by ASOS, beads by Mimco. Dodgy updo thanks to the wind and water.

A fashion parade followed our little trip out to sea, gorgeous silks by Pineda Covalin cascading down the runway against the backdrop of the sun setting after a perfect day.

You can see more gorgeous pictures of the day at Style Melbourne, Small Lust and on my Facebook page.

Last Tuesday night, on a gloriously balmy evening after some rain, we gathered on the rooftop at Curtin House to see the big reveal of Bulmers new flavour – Blackcurrant Cider.

To say it was easy on the palette is an understatement. The deliciously refreshing beverage tastes like Ribena and goes down a treat on a warm night. You’ll want to stock up on this one for the summer months.

Fashionable taste testers: Sandi from Onya Mag, Phoebe from Lady Melbourne, Leah from Fashion Journal, me and Tamara

In addition to tasting the delightful new drink, we were entertained by a contortionist, caricaturist Luke Watson and a magician. There was an ice sculptor and the most fab fun photobooth I have ever seen.

Hey look, its me as a cartoon!

It seems Bulmers new blackcurrant cider is lot’s of fun – and we certainly had a ball testing it!

Photobooth by Polite in Public – Sandi from Onya Mag, me and Jennifer from Mirar

Images by Jennifer Estrada and Polite in Public

The third member of our Fashions on the Field team is Olivia – one of Adelaide’s 50 Most Stylish people. You can only imagine how I feel, working with Liv and Emma, who are both effortlessly stylish!

Derby Day – Liv wears dress by Liza Emanuele

Cup Day – Liv wears dress by Carla Zampatti

Liv is a racing regular, spending plenty of time at the track in between visits to her milliner, Amanda Mercer, of Adelaide Hatters. Liv has as many hats and headpieces as I have shoes!

Oaks Day – Liv wears dress by Cue

As well as being one of Adelaide’s 50 Most Stylish, Liv has also been a past winner of Myer Fashions on the Field – the South Australian finalist a few years back. It certainly is a thrill working with Liv to see what she will come to each day wearing.

Stakes Day – Liv wears dress by Review

The Spring Racing Carnival is a fashion mecca. While girls dress to the nines to impress the judges at Fashions on the Field, others put on half a frock and expect to be taken seriously. The races is not the place to wear your nightclub dress or your ballgown – the races require careful planning, considerable thought and a LOT of effort. But there are still those who are effortlessly gorgeous.

One of these people is my ‘boss’, for all intents and purposes, Emma, at Fashions on the Field. Emma and I go way back – she is a front of house event manager extraordinaire who has managed everything from fashion week to the Logies and I can only dream of being as efficient and fabulous as she is.

Meet CORVINA.

I want to take her out. All. Summer. Long.

Zu Shoes $200

But just in case she is busy…

NEROLI and ALLSORT will do just fine too.

The pin ups of the 50s still grace the screensavers and garage calenders of boys the world over and now a new Melbourne label can make you a pin up in your own right – introducing Bombshell Bay.

As a slightly curvy girl myself, this new range of swimsuits are made for me. In a fab range of colours and styles, Bombshell Bay has you covered – literally.

The inagural collection, Hollywood Bungalow, shows classic black and this seasons hottest block colours (mixed AND matched). Created in high quality lycra that is chlorine resistant and UV safe, Bombshell Bay is catering for the modern woman in a old fashioned way.

Miss Ava and Miss Brigitte styles in black and pink

Beachbags and swimsuit cleaner are also available and all designs are under $129. Buy online with shipping capped at $10 (buy two, shipping is free!) or at the South Melbourne’s Style After Dark Market from November 3.

Miss Patriot – Green and Gold!

Embrace your curves, cover your butt and get some va-va-voom on the beach this summer!
Buy yours at Bombshell Bay.

I am totally detoxing this week after a week of champagne, panadol, hayfever tablets, vitamin C and a few other pills and capsules (all TOTALLY legal ones – I was sick, remember?) and with the weather topping 30 degrees over the weekend, what better time to celebrate the unofficial birthday of 7-Eleven: November 7 (geddit!?)

It’s cool and refreshing and best of all, Slurpee is celebrating by giving you the presents – freebies!! (and we ALL love a freebie).

Head to your local 7-Eleven TODAY, Monday November 7 and say ‘Happy 7-Eleven Day’ between 7am and 11pm and you’ll score a free refreshing Slurpee. Perfect for heatwaves AND detoxes.

Here are some more fun facts about Slurpee. Which flavour will you choose?

·         Slurpee was invented by 7-Eleven in the 1960’s, but it was on 24th August 1977 that Australians got their first taste of the iconic iced drink at the first Australian 7-Eleven store in Oakleigh, Melbourne

·         On 7-Eleven Day in 2010, 274,875 Australians rushed into 7-Eleven stores to wish staff “Happy 7-Eleven Day!” and were rewarded with a free small Slurpee.  

·         Thursday 21 September 2011 marked the inaugural BYO Cup Day and the official start of Slurpee season.

Four days of extreme weather, a fainting spell, a little flu and and the sorest feet I have ever experienced are done. Melbourne Cup Week 2011 is over.

It started with excitement and anticipation, champagne filled days and canape filled nights, yet ended in a haze of sunscreen and bottled water. I have never been so grateful for a cool shower and my couch in my life.

Last Saturday kicked off in divine style at the Derby, a pleasant low 20s start to Cup Week where the traditional black and white came out to play and I had a glorious day in the sun after my first shift at Fashions on the Field.

Derby Day – Dress by Camilla and Marc, shoes by Wittner, facinator by Morgan & Taylor, watch by ASOS, bracelets, earrings and ring by Diva

The feet didn’t fare so badly on the first day but the back of my neck showed the effects of six months of Winter and my iPhone didn’t take well to being bounced off the temporary floor.

A two day break and we were back at it for the race that stops a nation – Melbourne Cup Day. A breezy 19 degrees but we toughed it out, braving the elements in just a shawl and enjoying the atmosphere that Melbourne provides, unlike anywhere else in the world.

Melbourne Cup Day – Dress by Basque at Myer, shoes by Lipstik at StyleTread, facinator by Kasmo Design, ring by Lovisa, earrings by Diva

My shoes were the casualty of the day, slightly tarnished after a little trip on the stairs, however no one noticed a little scuff in the Lexus marquee where my collegue and I partied until the music stopped.

Oaks Day is traditionally ladies day and I’d had the frock planned for this one a long time coming. With the arrival of Sarah Jessica Parker in the birdcage, I was planning on looking my most Carrie Bradshaw-esque just in case the most fashionable one of them all pop by our enclosure.

Oaks Day – Dress by Cue at Myer, belt by Peter Lang for Cue, shoes by Wittner, facinator by Morgan & Taylor, earrings by Chanel

But it wasn’t meant to be. Not long after starting my shift I was taken ill after a fainting spell and spent the rest of the day rugged up in my coat and scarf perched on a chair at my post, shivering my way through the 18 degree chill and an oncoming fever.

It was straight home to bed where my temperature topped 39 degrees and I feared not being able to make the final of the four days. 24 hours in bed (on the laptop of course) rendered me well enough to head back to the track for Stakes Day but for me there would be no final day parties.

Day four of the Cup Carnival greeted us with soaring temperatures – the first day over 30 degrees since March. It was all I could do to stay in the shade, let alone stay upright in my heels, but a fashionista must go on and that’s what I did.

Emirates Stakes Day – Dress by Target (Vintage from Op Shop), shoes by Tony Bianco, bag by Glomesh (Vintage from Op Shop), facinator by Kasmo Design, watch by ASOS

I served my time, said my farewells and headed home to rest my tired feet and aching body, wash off the sunscreen and get ready to go back to the real world. Another fashionable event is over and we now look forward to the (hopefully!) quieter Christmas period before LMFF early next year.

I hope you had a win – either on the horses or in the fashion stakes – this Cup Carnival!

Images thanks to Olivia; my thanks to Kasmo Design for all my headpieces this week.

Emirates Stakes Day Fashions on the Field – Winners Juniors (6 – 12) and Seniors (13 – 17)

Image thanks to VRC

Myer Fashions on the Field Oaks Day – Winners Millinery and National Womens Racewear

Images thanks to Myer and Lucas Dawson Photography