Jo Gall and her daughter, Georgie, took out fashion prizes last year and their style journey to fascinators had a fascinating start.
In 2007, Jo was in her hometown, Dubbo, with her friends.
“We were single girls from Dubbo, so we decided we’d go to the country races,” she said.
“It was like a Thelma and Louise weekend.
“I came out for a trip and met my future husband, Lachlan, at St Pat’s.”
Jo married and moved to a property 120 km east of Broken Hill and entered the Most Stylish Lady contest in 2012.
“There were buckets of rain – six inches of rain just beforehand,” said Jo.
“We had to take the Landcruiser and go the long way around.
“I was all decked up and Lachy had to drive and open the gates on the property.”
Jo won Most Stylish Lady in 2012 and again in 2013.
“Then I started getting hooked on it,” she said.
“I love getting dressed up for the races.”
Jo won Most Stylish Lady in 2020 and Most Elegant Lady in 2021 and she is trying to choose between five or six outfits for 2022.
I look at other country races for ideas,” she said.
“This year, race trends seem to be a bit of a mix of asymmetrical, bold florals or prints.”
Jo has seen colour blocks with black lines around them, lots of florals in bright colours and pastels and plain-coloured dresses in red, lilac or dusky pink. Pencil dresses are to knee length.
Jo’s daughter, Georgie, is now aged eight and a half and won Junior of the Course last year.
“Georgie got into it last year because she saw me getting dressed up,” said Jo.
“She’s only young and I don’t want her looking like a teenager because of her height.
“She’s just a little child, having a go and getting dressed up.”
Georgie really liked her prizes, which included a mobile phone and products or vouchers from The Lollipop Tree, LV Nails, Sampsons and Bells Milk Bar.
Jo’s prizes included vouchers from Marble and Arch, Sampsons, Aura and Fashion Den.
The best part of winning for Georgie was when she was sashed.
“It made me feel like I was a queen,” she said.
