Bright red and bold block colours are popular fashion choices among celebrities and racegoers as punters brave wintry conditions trackside at the Melbourne Cup.
Champion former jockey Michelle Payne led the pack with a short bright red number as she arrived at Flemington Racecourse with brother Stevie, who acted as strapper when Prince Of Penzance roared to victory a decade ago.
"It's a really special feeling and special moment, to have Stevie here again, it's just unbelievable," Ms Payne told reporters at Flemington.
She was buoyed three women were riding in the Cup and wished she was out there with them but declined to give her tip, saying she could pick 15 and still not name the winner.
Punters in high heels carefully navigated soggy grass at the track, as helicopters buzzed overhead ferrying VIP guests to the exclusive Birdcage filled with high-profile guests, sports stars, socialites and titans of industry.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop chose a long orange dress for a busy day of marquee hopping with friends but said wet weather played no part in her fashion choice.
"Rain, hail or shine, I had the outfit," she said.
"It's such a vibrant, dynamic meeting of people and the horse racing, of course, is important."
MasterChef judge Melissa Leong chose a bright green long sleeve number and was impressed by how the crowd played with different textures and colours.
"For me, when it comes to spring racing it's all about watching the fashion," she said.
Cold and drizzly conditions did nothing to dull the revelry and glamour at Melbourne Cup as punters arrived early to nab the best spots trackside.
Friends Tiffany Price, Linda Kerr and Tamara Farrelly were overjoyed with the atmosphere after cruising down from Sydney to attend the race for the first time.
Clad in sleeveless dresses, the trio quickly came up with a plan to stay warm: drink plenty of beer.
"It's about the look, not about how cold you are," Ms Price told AAP.
While many men took the chance to flex their fashion muscles, Wayne Fernance left his outfit up to his wife and ended up with a bright purple, $60 suit from online marketplace Temu.
Fashionista Geannie Todaro used leftover fabric from her daughter's wedding dress to create a striking look that she entered into the annual Fashions on the Field competition.
"If you can wear it down the street, it's not race wear so for race day we go all out," she said.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said sunshine was expected in the late morning but showers would sweep across Melbourne in the afternoon.
“Race time looks to be on a little bit of a knife edge, we're anticipating quite a few showers before the race,” he said.
Greta Bradman, granddaughter of cricketing great Sir Donald Bradman, will perform the national anthem just before the main race at 3pm.
Attendance at the track for the cup has steadily increased in recent years with about 90,000 people through the gates in 2024, although that was still below 2003's record attendance of 122,000 people.
