At The Everest, young people are more interested in dancing than dressing up

This year, even more day to nightclub attire from Bec & Bridge and Sir The Label can be expected, with female ticket purchases rising from 44 per cent to 47 per cent of overall attendees. So far, 50 per cent of 2023 Sydney Everest carnival tickets have been purchased by people under the age of 35.

Stylist Elliot Garnaut will be judging Fashion Stakes at The Everest and welcomes a more relaxed approach to fashion.

“Modernising dress codes to reflect key design elements that appeal to a younger audience has allowed for greater adaptation,” Garnaut says. “You want something that will stand up against the duration of the day. Memo to the girls though, no matter how sore your feet are, do not leave the track barefoot.”

Fashion might not be what makes most racegoers visit the track, but people still need something to wear. Many fashion labels prefer to keep their relationship with racing at the checkout, fearing a backlash from animal rights activists, but designer Rachel Gilbert acknowledges the season’s commercial importance.

“The racing industry is still so prominent within Australia and globally,” Gilbert says. “There is a certain heritage to the carnival that is routine to countless Australians. Many industries feel increased activity around this time.”

“We are a brand that caters for the multi-faceted landscape of events, so naturally our pieces tend to fit the criteria of racing attire.”

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While The Everest is acknowledging the growing interest in music with performances from Hot Dub Time Machine and Empire of the Sun, it hasn’t completely forgotten people who know a trilby from a fedora.

“Fashion is still very much an experience on the day,” says Forbes. “We launched a Pamper Pavilion where people can touch up their make-up and hair. At the autumn carnival, men were coming in for touch-ups, using hairdryers to deal with damp shirts.”

Perhaps people are still interested in knowing that your hat elastic goes at your nape not under your chin and pocket handkerchiefs should complement shorts and ties, not match them exactly.