'Always wear millinery': Carena West on how to win best-dressed at Ellerslie Boxing Day Races

If fashion had a form guide Carena West would have short odds leading into this year's Auckland Boxing Day races.

The Auckland Racing Club ambassador has just pocketed $100,000 for being judged the best dressed at the 2019 Melbourne Cup Carnival out of hundreds of Aussie equine fashionistas.

All this while West was six months pregnant, and draped in a dress made of traditional Uzbek fabric she had bought for $60 online and modified herself.

She's returning to the Ellerslie Boxing Day races this Thursday to be one of two judges of the Hawaiian Airlines Fashions in the Field - recognising the best-dressed racegoers on the day.

To help with your chances of pocketing the 100,000 air miles, and list of other prizes, judge West has offered up some fast fashion tips.

"At the moment we're seeing a lot of blues and yellows come through as very popular colours," West said.

"But I like to see when somebody takes a beautiful print or texture and puts their own spin on it, so it could be any colour.

"At the Melbourne Cup I wore a dress that had about six different colours and it worked great, obviously."

Carena West in front of Ellerslie Racecourse's new $6 million stables. Photo / Dean Purcell

West also pointed out a balance had to be found between dressing elegantly, and feeling comfortable during what can be a long day of carousing atop the Remuera turf.

"For the Fashion in the Field competition, I think it's about maintaining a ladylike look, so anything that's for the club probably wouldn't suit," West said.

"It's a daytime look, and always wear millinery [a hat].

"You have to be wearing it all day, so it has to be comfortable. But don't take your shoes off."

For the men, things were a little more straightforward.

"For a guy to look good at the races he just has to wear a great-fitting suit, most importantly, a well-pressed shirt, a tie, some nice shoes," West said.

"Make sure the hemline isn't too long and baggy, and usually they're good to go. They're very lucky."