It is the honour of a lifetime for the fashion focused to be crowned the victor at Ladies Day at the Galway Races.
The contest will be judged by Mandy Maher, Kieran O’Malley and Michelle Regazzoli-Stone.
The Best Dressed prize winner will walk away with an eye-watering €10,000 cash prize.
While winner of the Best Hat will win €3,000.
Judge Kieran O’Malley, digital marketing manager for the Connacht Hospitality Group, said choosing one winner would be difficult because “everywhere I look the style is incredible”.
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Davinia Knight, Portarlington enjoying Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan
“We are looking for a classic look, but it has to be race-appropriate.
“The Galway races is sophisticated and mature and we are looking for something that it’s on brand with that.
“As a group, the Connacht Hospitality Group, we’re a really stylish brand and we are looking for something that aligns with that.
“So it’s difficult, everyone’s fashion choice is really different, but I’m hoping that I look around and I go ‘Wow, that’s it, that’s our winner’.
“That happened last year, it was really exciting and I think we chose a fabulous winner. “Hopefully this year it can be sort of similar again.”
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Niamh O’Donovan, Gort, Jennifer Wrynne, Leitrim, Mary Lee, Gort and Hayley Coleman, Westport enjoying Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan
O’Malley said the fashion community in Galway is supportive and inclusive and Ladies Day is a great time for friends to come together.
“There’s great honesty in it and energy in it.
“And I’m with some of the most stylish people in the west, so it’s brilliant to be able to bounce ideas off each other.
“We’ve been going through the pictures already and there is some outstanding candidates
“I know as people come in the gates, the standard is going to rise and rise.”
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Siobhan Delaney, Cashel, Katie O’Mahoney, Oughterard and Catherine Gorton, Oughterard enjoying Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan
In terms of what he is looking for in a winning outfit O’Malley said: “I want to see a lot of thought has gone into it, that it all works together and ties in.
“We have incredible head pieces everywhere we look, but it has to work with the outfit, and then you have to have thought into the accessories.
“I love a story, you know ‘I wore this to my sister’s wedding’ or ‘my friend made it’ or something like that.
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Jean Browne, Tuam, Gillian Duggan, GAlway, Pamela Richardson, Galway, Carloine Downey, Tuam and Marianne Walsh, Galway enjoying Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan
“There’s a lot of sustainable dressing this year.
“I have met people throughout the week that have been wearing pre-loved clothes and that’s brilliant to see as well.
“It’s not all about spending a fortune.
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Therese Conway , Oranmore uses her sisters Carita Conway glasses to put on some lipbalm at Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan
“But if there’s something emotional about your outfit, if there’s a story with it, that’s lovely as well.”
Stylist Marietta Doran, the official style MC of Ladies Day, said she loves nothing more than given women a platform to talk about their fashion choices.
And Marietta set the tone with a showstopping ensemble of orange silk.
“My headpiece is Edel Ramberg from Galway, I always support our local Galway milliners.
“My dress is Roisin Linnane, Roisin is incredible and she featured recently in Vogue.
“I’m really looking forward to a great day. There is nothing like the excitement at the Galway Races.”
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Carlha Callinan, Spiddeal enjoying Ladies Day of the Galway Races Summer Festival in Ballybrit. Photo: Ray Ryan