Galway Races, Ladies Day, Thursday 29th July 2010
I wanted to write about my experience at Galway Races Ladies Day because I felt there was a huge gap between the style that happens on the ground and what gets written in the National and Local press. And the style was incredible; the amount of effort put into each outfit was astonishing. I cannot emphasise it enough, the elegance and thought that went into each outfit was astounding!
I also wanted to acknowledge the fabulous women and men that spent hours, if not days considering, matching, stitching, thinking, wondering, talking and maybe dreaming about their outfits for the Galway Races.
So I started early, I got there around 11am, and interrupted women and asked them to tell me about their outfits, their style, what they love about their outfits and what their top tips for lasting through the day and any general fashion advice.
I’m going to apologise in advance if I made a mistake, I was trying to keep up, and there were so many gorgeous women, that it actually caught my breath, I had to stop gushing about the colour, texture, flounces, frills, bows, sparkley accessories, the list goes on . . .
Here’s what I found out:
The first 2 women I bumped into were, Cora Casserlly, who created a facebook page “Ladies Day Galway” who asked would I become a fan. She was wearing an outfit bought in Anthony Ryans, and a headpiece from their too, she was considering her dress from as far away as six weeks ago. She loves pearls, feels they make an outfit more elegant, and they have lovely warmth against the skin. Her Top Tip for the day is to buy flats shoes that match. The next lady I met was Carmel Dooley, she was wearing a black and white outfit, from Anthony Ryan, that she bought in March, the hat was a last minute purchase on Wednesday, and she was also adorned by pearls and had precious bracelets, which came from Diamonds by Julia.
So the next group of women, wonderfully adorned, (1st Photo) were Emer, she was in a Peach dress, that she got in Fran and Jane, it had long sleeves, but she had them cut off to give a summer feel, her hat was rented for the day by Aristohats from Newbridge, her shoes were LK Bennet, and she recommends not leaving the house without Vaseline and Blusher. The next girl was Niamh Garry, she was wearing a Rose Pink Chiffon dress that she made herself, and she was amazing because she’s a dress designer and she told me the story of the inspiration for the dress that it was from the Sound of Music and one of the outfits that the Baroness was wearing. The shoes were from Dunnes and the Pulse headpiece she added her own beading. The next wonderful lady was Caroline she wanted a proper full brim and crown hat, one that was big and bright, so she deliberately chose a neutral dress, so that she could go mad with the hat! So her showstopper was rented from a boutique I’d of before called The White Door in Dunleer. Next was Stephanie, she said her dress was from Brown Thomas, her shoes also, her hat from Debenhams, her bag came from the Design Centre in Drogheda and she only took one hour to get ready, she says the best way to last the day is to have painkiller for your feet and some spare safety pins. Next up was Cathy in a Navy Dress, the dress was 5 years old from Miss Selfridge the hat was from a Boutique in Tokyo called Ca4la pronounced “Cashla”, shoes, Gloves and Accessories were from Aldo, and the red lipstick makes her feel like she’s a movie star from the 40’s. So Lauren in the white dress, She took 90 mins to get ready, and reckons that you need to prep everything the night before, tan, nails, pack your clutch, etc, she was wearing a dress from Karen Millen, Shoes Aldo, her Mom made the Hat, the Umbrella was borrowed for the day, bag Ted Baker, and her final tip, she was wearing Lip Liner as a lipstick, cos it lasts longer.
So the next group of Ladies I accosted were from Kilkenny (I think), so I’ll try to get this left to right from the picture. Mary McGuire, she was wearing a lace dress with brown stole, So the dress she bought in a boutique, and she got in on sale, she said it was a short cocktail dress, she actually bought 2 of them and added extra onto the shirt to make it longer, the stole her mom made, it came from a very long dress skirt, which was cut lengthwise to make the scarf. Heels Kurt Geiger, Bag Borrowed, and the amazing hat, which if you looked closely had a horse and the word “Galway” in it, was made by Mathew Power from Callan in Kilkenny. Lorna Bagget, was wearing a long Turquoise Maxi dress, from a Boutique in Ennis, she said she started with the dress and worked around the colours, the headpiece, her Mom made it and they colour matched the flower also, she was wearing a plain black bolero jacket and her Top Tip is to pack the gel party feet cushion things! In the centre of the photo is Theresa Maher, she was wearing a long purple dress with black spots. So her dress came from My Dress in Carrick-on-Shannon, the hat from Aristohats and it was a Philip Treacy hat, her bag and shoes were a treat to herself, the bag, Lulu Guinness and the shoes Rupert Sanderson. So Jenny Cunningham of the black circles dress, she had started off about a month ago with a completely different outfit, she commissioned the hat from Mathew Power, then once the hat was finished, and the dress tried on, she wasn’t 100% so on a recent trip to Dublin, she spotted this dress, in a boutique called Kelli in Ranelagh and she fell in love and she just had to buy it! Shoes LK Bennett, Wrap she made herself, her Top Tip is not to drink too much and if you wear something you love, it will always make you look fabulous! Next up is clever Maria Raggett, she was wearing a Pennys purple jacket, which she changed the buttons, and match the buttons from the jacket to her dress also. White dress from Warehouse, the brolly from Butterslip in Kilkenny, shoes shoerack and on her wrists she had some pleated crin, with purple ribbon, that looked like a cross between a lace glove and a long linen cuff! Fabulous!
So the next women to catch my eye for the colour and glamour were (all from Galway, I think) Fiona Caulfield, she was wearing a pleated white dress from Kilkenny Design in Galway, Shoes from Frego, Bag from Chloe, the Hat Suzie Mahony, her pearls she loves and they came from a jeweller in Loughrea, and her Top Tip is to bring Flip Flops. In the navy prom dress we have Katie Warren, who it was her first time to Galway Races! Her hat from Gladys in Clarinbridge, dress Retro in Dublin, shoes Fitzpatricks, Gloves, Socks and Bags on e-bay and Bag Louis Vuitton. For Aoife Kileen, she took only 30 mins to get ready, but she had made her own hat, so that would have taken countless hours beforehand! She was in a purple dress, from Dunnes Stores, her shoes are old and she can’t remember where they came from, Bag Pennys, and she cleverly accessorised the dress with a wide red satin ribbon. The lady on the right is Elisa Molloy, her outfit started from the dress, which came from Treasure Chest in Galway City, Shoes Les Juemele, Bag Debenhams, her hat from Treasure Chest also and she added the rose herself, her Top Tip is Lip Gloss and Dermot Weld!
The following 2 Ladies I took because their colour was striking! Natasha Murphy is in a Peach and Black Lace dress from a shop in Castlebar called Sara, (hope I got that right) Bag Dunnes, Shoes Pennys and the Black Straw hat came from Dunnes Stores, she cut the crown out, then re-twisted the brim back onto itself and added a Peach silk rose and net. Wow! She says to last the day you need the gel feet cushions and then a travel size deodorant or a baby wipe in a tiny zip lock bag. Then we have Breda Lavelle, the dress also from the boutique in Castlebar called Sara, shoes & bag Pennys, Umbrella customised herself with ribbons, and the hat her Mum and herself made it. God Bless ingenious Moms!!!
The next girls I was delighted I bumped into, because their design story in amazing! The main idea came from Anna Corbett and she thought that it would be great to use Sex and the City as inspiration.
The 3 girl’s hats in the photo their hats were made by Catriona King from Tuam. Anna (who didn’t want to be in the photo) was wearing a black and white outfit. The dress from Demore in Galway, and she was delighted because she got great bargains, Shoes & Bags Cobblers in Loughrea and they have a new shop in Oranmore. Her main tip for lasting the day is Insoles, and then fake tan or bronzer under the tights. So for the 3 girls, we will start with Laura, in the black and white dress, her character reference was Charlotte, (she confessed, all of them wanted to be Carrie!!) so in a very elegant and Charlotte way we have a very considered outfit, where everything matches beautifully. If you look carefully, the trim on the shoes tie in with the border on the top of the dress. Dress from Lisa’s in Cork, Shoes & Bag from Glitz and Bitz, Umbrella borrowed from a cousin. So the lady in the long pink dress in Catherine and she is the doppelganger of Samantha, and so Catherine wears her debs dress, which she cleverly customised by ruching up the front, her handbag from Debehanams and shoes from Shu. The pink Tutu dress belongs to Anne-Marie Corbett who won the position to be Carrie. Dress from Lisa’s in Cork, Shoes from Shaws in Fermoy, and she was delighted to tell me her cousin did their tans. Her ring is from Pennys and her treasured possession is her bracelet which was a present for her 21st birthday.
I was drawn to the next group of people because the Man of the Group looked extraordinary, I couldn’t decide if the outfit was camp or gorgeous, but either way I had to talk to him! So from the photo, the man in the grey suit didn’t want to tell me about his outfit, even though he was in a gorgeous suit. The lady in purple was called Emma Johnson, her dress came from Helen McIlinden from House of Fraser, the bag Barrets, Shoes dyed specially, and the headpiece made by Keith (of the Peach Silk Suit). So Keith Kane (of the Peach Silk Suit) a hairdresser from Belfast told me that this suit was from Amsterdam, the Shirt and Shoes hand-painted in Italy the stick came from Edinburgh, and it was all a last minute decision. He dyed the hat to warm up the colour so as to blend in. The lady in Coral was called Amelia Fowles, her suit came from Armani which she had bought for a family wedding, and the hat was made by Keith specially to match the suit. Gloves e-bay, Shoes Dune. Her Top Tip for the day was to get a guy with a good eye to once over your outfit and then spare stocking in your bag, just in case.
I’ll have a lot more in part 2 including a brief interview with Rosanna Davidson, amongst others, and pictures of the Best Dressed Lady! I’ll keep you posted!! A Brief version of this is on my professional facebook page “Sarah McGahon Millinery”
Part 2 to follow shortly: The next few photos you will see, are wonderful stylish women who caught my attention:
I love this picture because of it captures the anticipation of the Best Dressed Lady Competition
