It’s been a while since I posted anything, it’s not that I didn’t have the content. I think it is more to do with the fact that everyone has been so dreadfully busy, now that New Zealand are out of lockdown and life is generally business as usual, aside of course from any international travel. Nonetheless there’s still online shopping to keep my style habit fuelled and there’s no shortage of fabulous style ideas via social media, film and ideas formed through everyday life experiences.

I don’t intend to write specifically about style in this post, rather I intend to write about the most fabulous place that I live and the buzz and excitement that surrounds us in Canterbury as New Zealand’s premier horse racing week nears.

Canterbury

Canterbury is the home of New Zealand’s second biggest city, Christchurch. To me it is famous for its Cathedral, Britishness, rugby, braided rivers, the mighty southern alps and expansive plains that produce the world’s finest crops, cattle and lamb. Canterbury is also the home of the Canterbury Crusaders, arguably the world’s finest rugby franchise. The Canterbury rugby team are famous for their red and black colours, to all Cantabrians red and black is our colour. However, I’m also going to put it out there that whilst red and black is our team, blue is our colour. Blue is the colour of the Canterbury sky on a hot summers’ day, the same sky that frames the Southern Alps that all who live here are fortunate enough to claim as their winter playground. Blue is also the colour of some of Canterbury’s finest rivers, namely the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers that run a crystal cobalt in deep pools and are stocked with Salmon that run from the ocean to spawn every December – March. Blue is definitely our colour and it is also my favourite and is my go-to colour when it comes to suits.

The chat in the coffee shop

As we move into the first week of November the talk of our city and the chat over an espresso tends to centre around, “what days are you going this year?” and “have you sorted your outfit?” If you live in Christchurch, then at this time of the year, everyone knows that “what days are you going?” refers to the races.

Cup week

Cup week presents three very different days of racing, fashion and socializing. It all starts with the New Zealand Trotting Cup on the Tuesday at Addington. Cantabrians flock to this day which to my mind is less traditional than the gallops, but nonetheless it is still a fabulous opportunity to make a real fashion statement. The weather is generally scorching and along with stunning fashion, the day is quite a spectacle.

For me personally, I am more of a fan of the proceeding two days of gallops that start with Ladies’ day at Riccarton. To be honest, I am not entirely sure why it is called Ladies’ day, however, there can be no better way to spend a day in the summer’s sun, amongst those fabulous old oaks that shelter the members area of the racecourse. Ladies day on the Wednesday is less formal, however I regularly take the opportunity to wear my favourite cream double breasted linen suit to this day. I have the view that if a particular look works for you then there should be no reason why it shouldn’t be worn again. I’m not shy to repeat a look that I might have worn on a previous year to at least one of the three days. The great thing about Ladies’ day, is that members are allowed to bring in their own refreshments and fare, this of course allows for a bottle or two of our favourite champagne to make its way into the hamper alongside a range of goodies that might rival Harrods of London, Food Hall. We are fortunate that we are able to pack the hamper with many Canterbury sourced foods including fabulous salamis, smoked salmon, artisan breads and fruit, all from the region.

Of the three day’s my favourite is the New Zealand cup at Riccarton (gallops) on the Saturday. To this day I always wear my finest suits and accessories, including fragrance. There’s no expense spared and the planning can be as far out as 6 months or more. The expectation and excitement of the day is like no other. It comes every year, thank goodness! I might add that I don’t gamble, well only once! I can go to the races and not see a horse all day. However the races to me are not necessarily about the horse racing at all, the races are a catalyst, an enabler if you like, that brings people together in great style, to rekindle friendships, to chat about the year that’s been and discuss what the next will hold, to eat fine food and to be blissfully careless for one day. In my view there is no other day like it. We will be sad when it’s over, but we also know that we’ll all be back for race week again next year and in the meantime, we’ve still got the Polo to attend in March.

What am I wearing to the Saturday?

This year I’m wearing baby blue, the colour of a Canterbury sky just as light comes up, my pocket square as per usual will be big and white, like the single cloud that drifts high-up. My tie will be navy, like the deepest of deep blue pools of the Rakaia. So, whilst red and black is our team blue is our colour.

If you can’t do it in style, don’t do it!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•