A Canberra mother of three and president of local charity Karinya House has won the prestigious Fashions on the Field competition at the Melbourne Cup, taking home thousands of dollars worth of prizes.
Sarah Kelly, of Deakin, was a first-time entrant, and her outfit was coincidentally previewed in Saturday's Canberra Times.
''I can't believe it, I'm still pinching myself. It was a fabulous day'' she said.
Ms Kelly, 42, impressed the judges with her 1950s inspired grey two-piece suit from Cue, comprising a knee-length pencil skirt and a fitted, short-sleeved top.
''The judges said the look was classic, elegant; just the racewear look they were after. You never know what they're going to look for on the day, though,'' Ms Kelly said.
The ensemble took six weeks to prepare, and was teamed with a custom-made large rimmed grey hat designed by Ainslie milliner Christine Waring, with black feathers crossing over the brim.
''It's the first time one of my designs has ever won. I feel like I've won the Melbourne Cup, it's so thrilling'' Ms Waring said.
''After 20 years in the business, it's very exciting''.
Ms Kelly, whose outfit was inspired by Christian Dior, chose a larger design for the hat to complement the plain structure of the dress. The look was finished with shoes from a Melbourne boutique and vintage gloves.
The fashion contest was held near the exclusive Birdcage enclosure, where celebrities and VIPs enjoyed the Cup at Flemington. Ms Kelly planned to only spend the day in Melbourne with her husband, Dominic, but now they will stay until Thursday so she can parade her winning outfit again at the Oaks Day final of the Fashions on the Field.