Cape Town- Cape Town was a hub of activity yesterday as the city filled up with ANC supporters who travelled from across the country to attend the party’s 103rd celebrations and those less politically-minded headed towards Kenilworth for the annual L’Ormanarins Queen’s Plate (LQP).
It was easy to identify who was heading to which event according to their dress.
Those with signature green, gold and black colours were heading to the stadium in Greenpoint and those in navy and white, the compulsory dress-code, were making a beeline to one of the world’s most popular horse racing events, apparently it’s rated fifth.
Without a doubt this annual horse race that takes place at the Kenilworth race course is as much a fashion and social event as it is a sporting one.
Never do fashion and sport converge with such success than they do with horse racing.
With prizes for the Best Dressed Woman, Man and Hat, as well as hordes of photographers roaming the VIP tents looking for outfits worth snapping, there is a lot of motivation for punters to spend as much time contemplating which horse to back as what pair of shoes and dress or suit to wear.
It wasn’t only the women that rose to the occasion.The men also did, although many suffered in the heat to look the part in their suits.
Eyes were on the race course when the races were on and the horses were charging around it with petite jockeys in bright outfits bobbing up and down and encouraging them on.
But when the race was over, it shifted to the dress horses parading their outfits and the celebrities milling about in their navy and white ensembles.
The usual attention-seeking suspects were out. Khanyi Mbau in white and transparent lace dress and Bonang Matheba, who also opted to wear an off-white lace jumpsuit by Gert Johan Coetzee.
Cindy Nell in a fitted navy dress made by her sister was spotted eagerly waiting to hear who would take the best-dressed awards.
She could confidently look on as she took the title last year.
This year Debbie Calmeyer snapped up the award in a fitted navy dress with an exposed gold zipper by French designer Roland Mouret, teamed with a hat made by the world-famous milliner Philip Treacy.
This made her a tough competitor in the dress stakes, however, the best hat award went to a camera-shy pensioner wearing a large, elaborate hat that easily rivalled a showy wedding cake.
In a tailored white suit procured on Savile Row, the street in London famous for men’s tailoring, Reggie Ansah walked off with the award for the best-man’s outfit.
This coveted fashion award ceremony took place in the Winners Circle, where the jockeys and their winning mares were paraded.
With 12 races taking place at Kenilworth, the site was full of action and winners, who more often than not were out of sync with bookie favourites.
Given the parallel fashion competition that takes place alongside the horse racing one, perhaps people ought to be able to also place bets on who will be the winner of the prized best-dressed competition.
It would make for a tough challenge for the thousands of punters, particularly those who were milling about in the VIP tents on the edge of the race course.
At this event, they all looked incredibly elegant.
Sophistication was the byword rather than edgy fashion, making for a wonderful vibe and a wonderful sea of navy and white.
Sunday Independent