 |
| Penny Holloway |
"It feels and looks like just one big beautiful, glamorous party in the sun"
Penny Holloway enjoys dressing up to attend the races at racecourses across Victoria (Australia). With the racing season for 2012 at Saratoga Racecourse behind us, I wanted to get to know my fellow racing fashion fans in Australia - this is the third interview in a series.
What is your favorite part of visiting your racetrack?
"I cannot imagine my life now without being involved in racing! It is the most awesome vibe being at any of the racetracks throughout Victoria, it’s infectious. The atmosphere is so unbelievably glamorous, from what people are wearing, the track itself is full of colour, flowers, the food drinks and events you can go to at the race course, and of course the fashion (people go to so much effort for spring racing)! It feels and looks like just one big beautiful, glamorous party in the sun and everyone is having a fabulous time!"
Can you share a story about the first time you wore a hat?
"As a kid (and even now!) I always had a fascination with ‘the olden days’ wished I could go back in time to the 1800’s to wear great big hoop skirts, with those huge fluffy dresses, and bonnets! I used to make bonnet style hats out of my dress up box and play around my farm as if I was in a period film! Think Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind or Little Women."
Are there any men or women in your family that wore hats?
"Living in Australia, it can get so unbearably hot! My mum has taught me and my siblings to be so conscious of being out in the sun and the damage it can do to our skin, and she has always for as long as I can remember led us by example and ensured she always wears a hat. Doesn’t sound as particularly glamorous, but my Mum is gorgeous and always looks the part and this has encouraged me to embrace wearing cute and trendy hats all year long and make it part of my styling routine."
How does wearing a hat make you feel?
"Wearing hats is definitely not as common amongst the general public anymore compared to even fifty years ago; so when someone sees someone styling a hat into their outfit these days it can be a real eye catcher! I love to wear buy and wear original, unique items that people won’t have seen before and this includes headwear of all types! Some people don’t feel they are ‘brave enough’ to pull off a hat, so I love trying something others wouldn’t. When done right, hats can be the icing on the cake for an outfit, really finish an ensemble. I feel very lady like and polished when I wear hats, particularly when going to the races – where it’s almost taboo if you’re NOT wearing a hat of some sort"
Do you have any suggestions on how to inspire more women to wear hats to the track and special occasions?
"It started exactly 50 years ago this year that Melbourne Races started having ‘Best Dressed Lady Competitions’ encouraging women to dress up and come to the races, this initiative is right on the money, and women (and men) go above and beyond to try and take out the coveted title! I am working on an initiative with Country Racing Victoria now to try and encourage the same attitude at smaller races in the country, and encourage country women and men to dress up and wear the whole outfit, gloves to hat and bring the glamour that the city races see, to the country! The Country Racing blog hopes to encourage exactly this by giving race goers the know-how of where to get their hats and how to wear them. For races or any occasion women just need a bit of inspiration and someone to show them how to do it, I am happy to lead by example and put on a hat, always."
I asked Penny to share some of her favorite milliners and clothing brands and she recommended Pollyanna by Belinda Smith, pill box hats from eBay, ASOS and CUE.
Follow Penny at the Country Racing Victoria Fashion Blog – countryracing.com.au/blog
Know a lady who loves to wear hats?
Please share this blog with her!
Want to feel inspired to wear hats?
No comments:
Post a Comment