Monica Paige wears a Joseph Ribkoff hattinator from Sues of Invermay.
WOMEN of all generations will be heading to the Launceston Cup this week to dress up and be glamorous.
And why not? It is a trend that has been happening since the 1960s and one that doesn't look like it's letting up.
An excuse to pin your hair, don your heels and search for the perfect frock.
To swathe yourself in extravagant clothes and colourful accessories not normally worn, with a glass of champagne in one hand and a clutch in the other.
The message is this: feel good with your fellow ladies.
Looking back through the eighties, nineties and noughties, the scenes of flamboyant creativity haven't faded.
Suits, sunglasses, flowing lines, puffy sleeves and pencil skirts, spots, stripes, gloves, pearls, hats, fascinators and now - the hattinator.
Whatever the year, a flashing smile and a dash of confidence seemed to go a long way.
1996: The year of the tailored suit. Fashion on the Field was won with a classic navy and cream suit, but pastel colours were also a favourite. Daring get-ups came in the form of feather boas and pink fur-trimmed dresses. It reportedly rained that year, so gumboots were a spotted accessory.
2000: The demure suit was still a winner, crafted in fine fabrics in classic black and cream colour combinations. The Fashion on the Field winner was wearing a suit combo handmade by her mother, matched with traditional cup day accessories of gloves, pearls, a little black bag and pumps.
2003: A `50s inspired, knee-length and very pink dress teamed with black strappy shoes and hat won the Classic Fashion in the Field event this year. The wearer's energy was also noted: ``She obviously went to a lot of trouble and she was enjoying herself so much,'' the judge said. Competition included a brown, bias-cut, calf-length `30s inspired shift. Long silk and soft cotton tunics over elegant trousers also made a showing.
2006: A unique choice for the Fashions on the Field winner this year with a head-to-toe, tailored two piece, completed with gold strappy sandals and a breezy-but-elegant broad-rimmed hat. The look could be described as fit for royalty. The bar was said to have been lifted with the quality of outfits and continuity of style across the board.
``It was just magnificent,'' the judge said. ``The head-to-toe co-ordination was a definite improvement on last year.''
2010: The classic suit was back, teamed with a contemporary headpiece. A very off-white theme, including white gloves and white clutch, worn with brown heels. Short hemlines were on the rise among other Launceston Cup attendees, with smaller fascinators being a favourite.
2011: Black and white, red and black, white with a touch of colour, all with a hint of romanticism: the winners this year were chosen for their individuality and classic glamour.
The winner seemed to conform to the traditional cup attire - matching from hat to shoes in the same colour combination.
The 1950s-inspired outfit was described by the wearer as a ``fluke'' that was pulled together by mother and daughter.
2012: Bright colour, shorter hemlines and big and very different headpieces were seen to cast a different fashion sense over the field this year, but the win went to an outfit that retained a classic style. The 19-year-old Fashion on the Field winner stole the show in a 1950s-style Audrey Hepburn green and black polka dot dress, accessorised with vintage black shoes, a black hat, her great-grandmother's black gloves and her late next-door neighbour's purse.
BLACK is banished from the minds of fashionistas this year as they plan their attire for the Launceston Cup, but really it seems that anything goes.
Catherine's of Newstead owner Joanne Cotton said many of her customers had requested ``no black'' and were opting for bright colours.
She said ``hattinators'' - the half-hat, half-fascinator headpieces - had also proved popular.
``There will be a lot of florals in watermelon and coral colours, with electric blues and bright reds,'' she said.
``Accessories will play a big part, with shoes and handbags in softer colours.''
She said there would be a lot of floaty fabrics, bright prints and styles that sat just under the knee.
The classic cream-and-black teamed styles ``that never date'' were also still an option.
Former owner Catherine Nolan said judges were seeking attention to detail in the Fashion on the Field event. ``Usually they look for everything that matches,'' she said.
``Shoes that are closed in and not too strappy, dresses that are not too short, girls that are wearing gloves which are matched with the handbag and the shoes. Usually strappy dresses don't work. They like dresses with little sleeves, or little jackets.''