Under the brollies, between the chukkas: Alexia Petsinis reports Land Rover Polo In The City from every angle. Well, almost…
Words and photographs: Alexia Petsinis (pictured, above, with Josh Bozin and Dalton Graham of The Tailored Man)
A well-seasoned polo veteran gave me a few pieces of advice some years back: “You don’t have to wear white but, wear a little hat if you feel inclined; look summery, but for goodness sake, don’t wear stiletto heels, hon, they’ll be gobbled up by the divots.” I took the advice yesterday at Land Rover Polo in the City, a handsome affair, divots and white dresses included. Albert Park was a swishy playing ground for good-looking, immaculately dressed and just-generally-cool humans with – forecast? – blue skies and bright smiles.
Dasha Gold from The Trend Spotter, classic polo style
The Land Rover marquee was a breezy spectacle. “I sorta feel like I’m in Monte Carlo!” I heard a pink-suited lad exclaim. Plush white lounges and handsome waiters (did we see one of them in a Ralph Lauren campaign?) exuded a dreamy frivolity that might feature in any Fitzgerald novel. (And, who cares if they spill a little champagne on you by accident?!) “I’ve been to a few Polo events, but this one has the best atmosphere by far,” said fashion blogger Jess Dempsey, radiant in a chic, nautical-style oversized blazer. I wondered at that moment, what makes one ‘Polo’ better than the others? Perhaps, the clichéd ‘fun-in-the-sun’ slogan plays a small part, particularly when Melbourne is host.
Sanchia Sevel and Jess Dempsey , sunny smiles
The real fun was in full swing by 2pm; “a rather good time to arrive,” commented master milliner Richard Nylon, suave in black gloves and matching fedora. Celebrity A-listers including Bernard Tomic, Bec Judd, RHOM’s Chyka Keebaugh, and 2015 ‘Bachelor’ Sam Wood were pursued by a relentless trail of snappers and selfie seekers. “There’s a lot of posing going on here today,” reflected legendary photographer Monty Coles between mouthfuls of crisped zucchini flowers. “That’s not why I came though. I came to photograph the runners on the pitch. The women who run in their heels. They don’t do that anywhere else.”
“Sir Nylon”, suave in matching gloves and fedora
Mind you, it did take three-quarters of Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, blasted over the loudspeakers, to coax braver lasses on to the pitch for divot stomping. And, there could be no better rhythmic syncopation for such an activity, particularly after a few Aperol spritzes. In the polo sphere, reality seems a little further away than usual and, for many, no gritty callouses or blistered ankles were going to impinge on a romping good time. “Jeez, imagine if it was raining,” chuckled one pastel-frocked woman, pointing down at her friend’s inappropriate choice of footwear. I thought about a slosh-fest Polo and then I thought we’d better not speak too soon.
The legend Monty Coles
A quick note on the headwear; boater hats on nearly every pretty head in sight. A nice sense of style unity but, alas, a pain if you brush the backside of she who you thought was your girlfriend. Sorry pal, wrong boater!
Boaters! Melbourne fashion bloggers Melanie Liu and Bianca O’Neill
And, finally, polo fashion? A mixed bag. Of course, crisp whites and pastels dominated in dainty laces and the like, but that only made darker ensembles of black and navy all the more striking. That said, Helen O’Connor’s feminine white lace frock from her own Thurley collection, was a favourite among the Melbourne blogger set.
Thurley’s Helen O’Connor (left) with Bec Judd, styled in a Thurley playsuit by Lana Wilkinson.
Oh, and Fashions on the Field is also a thing at the polo; significantly less competitive than its Spring Carnival counterpart but, none the less charming.
There was also an actual polo game played. Maybe two. On ponies. Though to my regret, I cannot tell you much more about it…
@alexiapetsinis, www.alexiapetsinis.com, email: info@voxfrock.com.au
