INTERVIEW with Milano Imai || Racing Fashion Blogger
Photo by Wendell Teodoro
SD: I love following you on your social media, Milano! But for my readers who don’t know you yet, can you please introduce yourself?
MI: I am a racing fashion blogger from the Gold Coast. I have been entering Fashions on the Field (FOTF) competitions for 9 years now. I write about all things racing fashion related on my blog www.milanoimai.com. Aside from entering FOTF competitions I have also judged numerous competitions nationally and internationally.
In 2017 I created Millinery Market www.millinerymarket.com , a platform for milliners and race enthusiasts to sell or rent race day hats across Australia, NZ and worldwide.
SD: When did you first start entering Fashions on the Field events?
MI: I came across Fashions on the Field in 2011 when a boutique I was working for at the time was sponsoring some prizes for the event.
I went along for the day to help out. I was in awe when I saw the FOTF competition, I had never seen so many immaculately dressed women, complete with beautiful millinery and wanted to give it a go myself.
I put together my first 'racing fashion' outfit and purchased my very first piece of millinery, I entered at Melbourne Cup Day at the Gold Coast Turf Club and came away with a winning sash. I was hooked ever since.
Photo by Wendell Teodoro
SD: What are some of your favourite pieces you’ve worn at FOTF events?
MI: My favourite pieces are definitely the custom dresses I've had made. I have a background in Fashion Design but never quite got the hang of the sewing side of it. Over the years I've had two amazing dressmakers who I have worked closely with to come up with some seriously epic dresses that really reflect my personal style and taste in fashion.
SD: What do you love most about a day at The Races?
MI: I love the atmosphere at the races, especially if you are entering the FOTF event. I love the lead up to the race day spending countless hours putting together the perfect outfit, sourcing the perfect accessories, customising, and then getting dolled up for the day with hair and makeup. Getting on stage a FOTF event is your chance to showcase your personal style and I really love that! And where else can you wear a fabulous hat?!
SD: What are your top five tips you would give to women who are entering FOTF competitions for the first time?
MI: Entering a FOTF competition can be nerve wrecking, I still get nervous and I have entered over 100 competitions!!
The best advice is to do a little bit of research so you know what to expect from a FOTF competition, how the competition will play out and what to do on stage. You could even practice a couple of poses at home in front of a mirror.
It is important to read about the competition rules before hand as they may have a theme like say 'black, white and a touch of red' or the competition may be set in Autumn/Winter in which case you cannot wear straw millinery. I have a lot of great blogs for beginners here https://www.milanoimai.com/category/getting-started/ .
Always make sure you leave with plenty of time to arrive before the competition starts, as the track can get very busy with delays in traffic, which can see you miss the event completely!!
Pack a spare bag with some necessities for the day such as a pair of flat shoes for after the competition (if your feet are prone to hurting), something to keep you warm, some spare pins for any outfit mishaps, makeup touch ups and some snacks.
The most important advice is to remember the competition is a bit of fun! And it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, you are there to enjoy yourself and showcase your personal style and to feel fabulous on stage. The ladies are always very friendly and it's the perfect opportunity to make some new friends too.
SD: Tell us more about the fashion community group you have on Facebook:
MI: I created the 'Field Fashion Community' Facebook group www.milanoimai.com/community as a place for race enthusiasts to be able to come and share their experiences in racing fashion, share stories and photos, information, ask for advice, form new friendships, plan meet ups and more.
SD: What are some of your favourite designers?
MI: If I am buying an 'off the rack' dress there are many brands I love looking at (whether I can afford them or not is another story haha). I love Roksanda, Nicola Finetti, Toni Maticevski, Self Portrait, Thurley, Lover, Solace, ASOS, Johanna Ortiz and more I can't think of right now!
SD: Why is fashion important?
MI: Fashion is a chance to express yourself and your creativity. For me, I have always been creative and loved fashion design, but I didn't know how that would fit into my life as I didn't want to have my own label or work for a brand. Racing fashion gave me the outlet I needed to be creative in designing and putting together a complete outfit and to be able to showcase it on a stage in front of an audience. It is like my own little runway show. I really can't think of any other events where you can get dressed up to the nines AND wear a fabulous hat.
SD: What was your biggest fashion mistake for FOTF?
MI: I've definitely had my share of outfits I've worn that I look back on now and cringe a little inside, but that's all part of the learning process. Experimenting with different styles can help shape you and help you find what works for you and what doesn't.
One thing I used to do was to bead all my outfits. This used to take me HOURS upon hours and often I would be beading right through the night before a big race day and get no sleep at all. So during the day I would be exhausted and couldn't enjoy myself. I've learnt now that those extra beads I could have put on an outfit aren't worth the stress the night before.
SD: And your greatest achievement with FOTF?
MI: I think in FOTF the thing I am most proud of has nothing to do with sashes I've won or events I've placed in, but with the community i've helped to create and blogs I've written. I've had some really lovely messages from ladies who've said I inspired them to get into racing fashion and have the confidence to compete and my blogs have helped them in some way.
Follow Milano on her:
Blog: http://www.milanoimai.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/milanoimai/
Facebook Business Page: http://www.facebook.com/MilanoImaiFieldFashion/
Facebook Community Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/FieldFashionCommunity/
Photo by Wendell Teodoro