My Fair Lady

I'm so excited to be attending my first official Ladies Day at the Grand National this coming Easter Monday, trend reporting on behalf of ladiesdayireland.com. The strictly formal dress code at Ladies Day requires pulling out your best frocks and frivolties, entering into a sophisticated style realm far from my usual grunge of chunky boots and oversized everything. Feeling like a real life Eliza Doolittle, I have set to work immediately on sourcing a suitable outfit in line with the ''Purple Reign" theme of the Carton House Most Stylish Lady Competition, to be judged by Brendan Courtney and Rosanna Davison.

''Best Dressed Lady'' competitions are big business and with prizes worth up to tens of thousands on offer,months of planning takes place in homes nationwide, with ladies seeking to achieve the most original, quirky yet chic look on the day. Don't feel you have to be a lady who lunches every other day of the year to be in with a chance of winning however, the judges favour a contestant who glams up a simple Penneys dress over a top-to-toe Designer Diva and giving your look an edgy twist is key to fighting off the competition. Similarly, you don't have to spend your life savings on a suitable headpiece. Local milliners will make one-of-a-kind pieces at the same cost as most Department store hats. I can't wait to pick a piece to complement  my frock this week from the lovely Hat Society, a Dundrum-based milliner who designs personalised pieces for every occasion from Ladies Day to bridalwear.

So this racing season, why not embrace your inner Eliza and try your hand in the style stakes? For a full list of Ladies Day events check out www.ladiesdayireland.com

Some of the stunning race-appropriate pieces from www.hatsociety.ie