It’s the race that stops the nation, but the odds-on favourites to really wow the crowds this year were the fashionable women from TriCare’s Mt Gravatt Retirement Community.
Eleven residents, aged between 74- and 93-years young, added another feather to their caps at a Cup-inspired millinery workshop hosted by trained milliner Gina Shaw.
The workshop garnered plenty of attention, including a news story on Channel 10.
With a variety of hats, fascinator combs, and headbands to choose from each one of the women in the group was beaming with excitement as they sifted through multitude of colourful feathers, lace, and flowers.
“I’m wearing red and white, what do you think would go with that?” asked one of the TriCare fashionistas.
“Oh, those emerald green feathers will go perfectly with my outfit,” said another.
Eighty-seven-year-old Dawn Lilly knew from the get-go what she wanted to create.
“That black hat, that pink feather and that black lace around it, it’ll be perfect,” she said as the gluing and pressing got under way.
According to Mrs Shaw, who has been an avid hat maker and race enthusiast for many years, the group exceeded her expectations in the best possible way.
“It was so much fun to see their creative juices flowing. Most of them knew what they wanted to make and what outfit it would go with which is often half the battle,” she said.
“To see them walk away at the end of the workshop not wanting to take their creations off was worth every minute of the time we spent with them.”
Mt Gravatt Assistant Village Manager Carmen Seaby said the residents were excited to take part in the workshop and very grateful for the time and materials donated to them.
“Everyone was so impressed by their handiwork that the team at Mt Gravatt has decided to have the ladies parade their creations in front of their fellow residents ahead of this year’s Cup luncheon,” she said.
“We were thrilled to show our hats off … you have made some old ladies very happy,” the group said after an obligatory group photo was taken and the last sips of sparkling wine had gone down.
Everyone was a winner on the day, according to the team.
