When I was first asked to go to
Burdekin which sometimes is just down the road from me, as I was in
Melbourne I had to decline due to the financial situation of lets
face it 'everyone'.
I was then enticed by flights and
accommodation, and I will let you know I had no Diva Demands of first
class or Thread Count Sheets. Travel and Accommodation and thank you
I would love to attend.
I was laughing to myself as the list of
when I started working in the fashion industry as a Model Booker at
one of Melbourne's Leading Agencies (That did have Tracy Grimshaw on
their books, yes she was a model and a lovely lady that I began to
get to know when we both rode horses in Wonga Park) at 17 took me
back some 23 years thinking, OH Gee I am old and some of the work I
had forgotten about.
Racing Fashion for me, is exactly what
is my site is about and how it all started.
When Racing Fashion Australia started
over 5 years ago now, not many photographers went to smaller
meetings, it was just the locals with the love of the horses and
dressing up for the day.
Everyone knew each other. Some lived
in different states and we would all catch up and have a giggle over
bubbles, while husbands, boyfriends and partners were off losing
their shirts.
It was a love of hats, a love of horses
and not an industry.
After enjoying my time in 'Fashions on
the Field', my husband would spend all day watching me and he would
get more upset than myself when I did not win. He just wanted to the
the quaddie on, or tell me how well that trifecta paid when I was
parading. I just loved dressing up and having a great outfit and we
would all talk to each other about each others outfit and hat and
where we found it. It is like the biggest Trash and Treasure meet of
all time.
I look around, especially this year,
and now I see not what I do, nor the competition does, but how some
people are trying to industrialise the Racing Fashion Market. I will
always want women to think for themselves about what they purchase
and why the purchase it. How does it make them feel when they wear
it???
It was apparent when I started
photographing. Obviously everyone thinks I make money out of this as
so many are trying to replicate it. I am grateful for Burdekin for
showing me why I stand as 'Racing Fashion'. I don't want you to look
like a model or a picture in a magazine.
I want ladies to be well groomed and
feel good and comfortable in their outfit.
This is really getting me back to the
basics of what I do and why I now know my 'Racing Fashion Australia'
has had millions of hits with populations watching it.
I had no idea until the untimely
shooting in America of children in a child minding centre. I was
depressed and crying and told my husband I could not cope today and
to take the children to the park as I did not want them to see me
this way. I was delving into different search engines as I really
have become a computer geek sitting with a cup of tea in my Pj's with
a cat perched on my kitchen table wanting attention from the
computer.
I dug deeper and deeper into the person
who I was and 'Racing Fashion' had become.
After a day of digging from about 7am
till about 3.30 of juggling mouse and keyboard, there was an itemised
list of hits and who is watching what. Demographic after
Demographic. Seriously I was astounded and shocked.
I was not beginning to believe that
people may be watching this 'Racing Fashion', I have since taken
down the online guests and hack ability into the site, but FNQ always
seems to get you back to basics. I don't know, I think it is the
people. (That is Far North Queensland for the OS)
They are humble, beautiful and they
talk to you because they want to say hello! They did not want
anything but to showcase their beautiful outfits. This race meeting
was huge, there was no Tote (TAB) but this meeting everyone was well
dressed and well mannered. There were no random people in the back
of bushes with shoes off and leaving the rest to your imagination. A
crowd that had a day to dress up for.
This is what I stand for and 'Racing
Fashion'.
The site has been offered by Big
Offshore online retailers and google adds to be put on the site. I
have always believed that I want my sponsors who are very few, but
loyal as I am to them. It is always quality not quantity.
I refuse to look at cheap clothes made
in a foreign country. Buy Australian or Bye Bye Australia! I want
ladies to make their clothes, or go treasure hunting. I want the
look to be individual and a statement. Burdekin was all of this that
I wanted.
I am back to basics. I want people to
know, yes I have precious items in my closet, but I live in Jay Jays
$5 tops and cheap shorts or skirts during the week. That is when I
purchase the cheap labor, not when I want to go out looking well
dressed. I would rather be dressed in tatters. The look is mine and
not what commercial advertising wants me to be. I am not going to
change the world, but I am going to change mine so my daughter who is
4 can make decisions about herself and not what she is told to
believe. I will try, I will lead her a path, but she may choose a
different track as we all have the right to do.
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
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| Racing Fashion on the Field at Burdekin Growers Raceday |
