Abbey Gelmi on Stakes Day dressing and left-of-field headwear choices

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11th Oct 2019

If there’s one person you could lean on for advice around a day at the races, it’s Abbey Gelmi. A long-time sports journalist and presenter, with a particular passion for horse racing, she is continuing her tenure trackside at this year’s annual Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday October 12.

As a friend of Moët, not only will Gelmi be on official race reporting duties, but she will also take on the role of host to 120 VIPs, media, celebrities and influencers at the brand’s French heritage-themed race day celebrations within its newly refurbished champagne bar inside the track’s famed enclosure, The Stables.

Long-time trackside experience considered, we’re taking detailed notes of how Gelmi prepares for the races, including how she approaches dressing for the day.

“For me, and given my job, dressing for a day at the races has to be all about practicality,” she told Vogue. “So making sure you’re going to be comfortable, from headwear and footwear, making sure that while they’re glamorous, they need to be practical.” And yes, not every race attendee is at the track on official duties, but if you’ve ever spent an entire day at the races, you’d vouch for the very same advice.

Practicality aside, Stakes Day, as Gelmi puts it, is the “fashion day of the spring racing carnival” after all, and being that celebration and glamour is at the forefront of the day, and the day’s official partner is Moët, the sports figure recommends race goers embrace elegance when planning their outfits.

For this spring racing season, Gelmi does have her eyes on a few trending fabrics and cuts she recommends for all to incorporate into their outfits: “With spring, it’s about floral, lace, silk, and straw hats with millinery,” she explained, advising us all to steer well clear of felts, enclosure shoes, heavy textured fabrics and gloves we picked up when preparing for autumn racing.

Gelmi recommends race goers embrace elegance when planning their outfits. Image credit: Getty Images

What should you avoid when prepping your spring racing outfit? Cut-outs. “I think things like cut-outs are very fashion forward, and can look wonderful on the red carpet, but I don’t think they have a place track-side,” says Gelmi, who left us with one final piece of fashion advice: if you’re looking to show off your arms, seek out an outfit with a longer hemline, and if you’re looking to show off your legs with something slightly shorter, perhaps opt for a fuller sleeve.

And if you’re not up for investing in a piece of millinery, or simply don’t love the look of a fascinator, Gelmi has got you on that front too, suggesting you pair your race day outfit with a statement headband or a few eye-catching hair clips. “If value per wear is what you’re interested in, it’s a wonderful way to do it,” she told Vogue.

But dressing aside, before she steps onto the field, or picks up her microphone, Gelmi does have one particular racing ritual she likes to complete: “For me, it’s doing the form,” she says. “So I love knowing the history of the races, and knowing a little bit about last year’s winner, or different bits and pieces. Mostly, so that you can also impress your friends when they ask who you’re picking, and you can give them some extra insight as well.”

Of course, being on camera and generally as a seasoned trackside expert, she treats her make-up for the day with the same serious consideration as her outfit, proofing it for a jam-packed day. Gelmi always starts with a base of good skin so any consecutive make-up doesn’t have to be heavy, making regularly scheduled visits to Double Bay’s All Saints Clinic in the lead up to race season.

In terms of her overall beauty look, Gelmi plans to keep it “natural and fresh” while also embracing the theme of “a touch of pink”, one which her make-up will share with Moët and its Rosé Impérial this racing season. “I think it’s a really cute way to incorporate it into your look if you are going for more that subtle look,” she said of the look, which she will be executing with the help of make-up artist, Michael Brown.

However, no matter what beauty look you choose to wear on Stakes Day, expert race goer Gelmi recommends you always have a few beauty essentials in your clutch. “I think taking bobby pins and extra hair ties if you are capable of doing a quick up-do in the bathroom… it is very handy to have just a hair tie so you can pop things back into an elegant bun and keep things quite sleek.” She’s also sure to pack a concealer on the advice of Brown to tackle any fall out throughout the day.

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