What to wear for the Spring Racing carnival – Men’s guide 2023 from Rundle Tailoring.

The Spring Racing season has arrived and with it the joy of warmer weather, top-class racing, fashion, cuisine and entertainment. It’s a time to get more adventurous with our fashion choices and accessorise, accessorise, accessorise.

The Spring Racing Carnival is steeped in tradition and it’s important to follow race day etiquette with respect to the dress code of each day, while still adding your own unique flair and personality when dressing to impress. At Rundle Tailoring we have been dressing generations of men for the occasion and stock the largest range of quality suits and formal suit hire in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. We have a huge range of classic suits, as well as on trend seasonal fashion drops, full of colour, vibrant ties, bow ties, pocket squares and accessories with new stock dropping each week.

Whether you are attending your local track or travelling further afield, here are our seasoned tips to looking dapper on the day, while still following the age-old traditions and race day etiquettes of the sport of Kings.

Regardless of whether you are in the member’s stand or general admission, the Spring Racing Carnival is a time to embrace colour, pattern and accessories. Typically, member’s dress regulations include tailored pants, dress shoes, a collared shirt and tie and a suit jacket, sports coat or blazer. In general admission it’s your chance to get the guys together, suit up and stand out in the crowd for all the right reasons.

In terms of more corporate suiting, a slim-fit is still popular and the classics – navy, black and grey – are a safe option that can be easily jazzed up to take your everyday look to race day ready. Add unique pieces such as lapel and tie bars, with touches of colour in your pocket square and tie. For Ladies Day in particular, it is a nice touch to coordinate colours with your partner.

Checks are also particularly popular during Spring Racing and bring an element of flair and individuality. Separates are also totally acceptable for the Spring Racing Carnival. Keep your look cool and effortless with lighter shades for your sports coat or blazer and again, dress for the occasion by accessorising to up the style stakes.

Never look out of place on race day, follow our guide below so you are dressed to perfection for each race meet:

Look 1: Gibson Nitro suit in olive. Look 2: Cambridge Morse suit in navy Look 3: Cambridge Morse suit in denim Look 4: Gibson Nitro suit in green Look 5: Uberstone Jack suit in blue

What to wear to Derby Day

Derby Day traditionally calls for black, white or grey, but there are plenty of ways to stand out in the monochromatic crowd. Whether you are heading to Flemington or closer to home, Derby Day is one of the most prestigious days in the Spring Racing calendar and a time to up the style stakes.

There are lots of ways to interpret the monochromatic theme, instead of opting for a black suit, look to incorporate black or white in a more subtle nod to Derby Day style with checks.  A grey suit styled with a clack shirt and tie is also a way to stand out from the crowd.

The Spring Racing carnival allows plenty of time for bright and bold style but to avoid any fashion faux pas, Derby Day is best kept simple and understated.

The official flower for Derby Day is the cornflower.

See below for our winning Derby Day looks, all available in store:

Look 1: Joe Black Mission 3 piece suit in charcoal check Look 2: Daniel Hechter Parker Edward jacket in grey Look shot by Georgia Burns Look 3 & 5: Gibson double breasted vest & Joe Black suit Look 4: Christian Brookes Double Breasted Edward jacket Look 6: Gibson Cerium suit in grey.

What to wear to Melbourne Cup

Unlike Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup is a time to experiment with bold colours and strong patterns. This could be with your shirting, accessories or with a check suit. Melbourne Cup really signifies the start of the festive season in Australia and is a time to embrace the coming warmer weather and have a little fun with your dressing. Whether you are trackside or at a corporate function, don’t be afraid of dressing up for the occasion. For extra pizzazz, incorporate some conversation starting accessories such as a floral or diamanté lapel pin or a statement tie or bow tie with a unique tie bar and cufflinks.

The official flower of the Melbourne Cup is the yellow rose.

See below for our winning Melbourne Cup looks:

Look 1: Cambridge Morse suit in navy Look 2: Uberstone Marvin suit in green Look 3: Saville Row Abram suit in navy Look 4: Uberstone Marvin suit in green Look 5: Christian Brookes Jasper suit in blue check shot by Little Black Bow Look 6: Uberstone Jack suit in Navy and caramel check Look 7: Uberstone Jack suit in green Look 7: Joe Black Mission suit in green check.

What to wear to Oaks Day

Oaks Day, traditionally known as Ladies Day is a time to embrace softer hues and floral patterns. Pastel suits are popular, we have beautiful cream linen suits, pastel blues and greens all in store which can be mixed and matched with chinos and stand out in some of our fun patterened shirts. Oaks Day attire is perfect for any upcoming beach or garden party weddings you may have in the calendar, so you’ll get plenty of wear out of this look after Oaks day.

The traditional flower for Oaks Day is the pink rose.

For more inspiration on what to wear to Oaks day, see our top looks below:

Look 1 & 5: Daniel Hechter Linen suit Look 2: Christian Brookes Jasper Edward check jacket Look 3: Cambridge Armadale jacket in light blue check Look 4: Christian Brookes Japer Edward jacket in pink Look 6: Gibson Nitro suit in green Look 7: Uberstone Myles suit in Sand.

What to wear to Stakes Day

Stakes Day is the last day of the Spring Racing Carnival and is traditionally a quieter affair than Derby Day, Oaks Day and Melbourne Cup.  Often seen as a family day, Stakes Day attire can be somewhat more relaxed than the others, while still being a day for statement looks and style.

Mix and match a check sports coat or blazer with a pair of chinos and a tan leather shoe. Add a statement tie for something a little bit different. The tradition flower for Stakes Day is the red rose.

Look 1: Joe Black Guard jacket in denim Look 2: Joe Black Mission suit in denim Look 3: Joe Black Guard jacket in green check.

What to wear to Hunter Race Day

Hunter Race Day is on Saturday November 18th 2023 and is our region’s most prestigious race day. It is an elevated race meet and requires gentlemen to suit up in a 2- or 3-piece suit, a crisp shirt and accessorise with some of our new season ties, pocket squares, tie bars & dress shoes.

We styled Tommy from Wedding Chats & Party Chats, Scott from the Bespoke Gentlemen & DJ Sir Sean B from Hit 106.9 up for a recent race day, all these looks are available in store so come in and get your elevated race day look for Hunter Race Day.

Get the Look:

Left: Tommy

Jayson 3-piece blue checked Uberstone suit paired with the pink striped Motion shirt by Gibson & accessorised with the cloud print tie & pocket square by Peggy and Finn.

Middle: Scott

We styled Scott in the Christian Brookes pink Jasper Edward  3-piece-suit, crisp black Brooksfield shirt & Carlo Visconti burgundy tie with floral pocket square.

Right: Seany B

Seany B looked fresh in the Christian Brookes Jasper Edwards checked suit, Rundle Tailoring hire vest, James Harper navy textured tie & pocket square.

Tommy Casha of Wedding Chats & Party Charts, Scott Peters of Bespoke Gentlemen & Seany B from Hit 106.9 all dressed to impress in Rundle Tailoring to host this year’s Melbourne Cup Day at Harbour Bar Newcastle.

All pieces are available in store at Rundle Tailoring, the Newcastle menswear specialist. We stock a full range of race day suits, blazers, sportscoats and men’s accessories. Visit us in store for quality products and expert menswear advice and tailoring, let us style you for your race days and beyond, show you how to wear your pieces to different events on the social calendar and get lots of wear out of your pieces. Come and experience the difference.

Visit 767 Hunter Street, Newcastle West or phone 02 4940 8382. Open seven days.

For more inspiration, take a look at our previous Spring Racing Style shoot.

Pictured Uberstone Tom suit in sky check.