Shocking pink and vintage expected to be big at Wellington Cup Day

Forget fascinators and florals at the races this year - smiles are in.

"The most important accessory for the races is a smile," said fashion stylist Sally-Ann Moffat, who today gave tips to the public on what to wear for Wellington Cup Day on Saturday.

"If you're on the catwalk and you're having a grumpy moment, it's not ideal. You really want to catch the judge's eye. You want to also show the crowd that you're happy and comfortable and having a great day."

Aside from smiling faces, the two big things Moffat expected to see at this year's event are shocking pink and vintage themes.

"Anything with a vintage aesthetic and I'm all over it. Like, literally I've got chills now even thinking about it."

Risha Kumar shows off a pink jumpsuit.

Moffat also loved seeing someone go the extra mile with their outfit.

"When someone's having fun on the catwalk and they've put maybe a little twist on their outfit, like it might have a little kind of a nod to the races, like a subtle horse on their hat, or it might be that they've got some kind of sparkly shoes . . . for me it's about that shine and that level of excellence where you can tell they didn't just pull this outfit out of the closet this morning. You can tell they've put their heart and soul into it."

Models Huda Tadesse, left, Nikita Decruy, Risha Kumar and Holly Coates at Midland Park today showed some of the fashions expected at Wellington Cup Day.

Perfection was also wonderful to see.

"I'm a really highly visual person, so when someone's hair is immaculate and their lipstick is stunning and they're smiling and they're carrying themselves with poise and elegance, what's not to love about that?"

A team of models showed off some of the outfits one might expect to see at the races this year, include jumpsuits and calf-length skirts.

For anyone putting on their prettiest shoes for Cup Day, Moffat recommended bringing along a spare pair of jandals to change into when people's feet needed a rest.

Painkillers were also a good idea to help with painful feet and headaches from a day in the hot sun.

Nikita Decruy models a floral number ahead of Wellington Cup Day.

Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy said Moffat's tips had encouraged him to wear a brighter tie to the event than he'd previously planned.

"It's about not being a little bit dressed up, it's probably Wellington's biggest party, biggest chance for us to really glam up," he said.

"It's a huge occasion . . . it's always a major part of the social calendar."

Guppy said he always dressed up for the occasion and was looking forward to it this year.