Racing: Fashion in Field winner sews matching dress for baby

This year's Boxing Day Fashion in the Field winner at Ellerslie mixed things up by making her own outfit - including a matching dress for her baby girl.

Aucklander Aleisha Mitchell, 34, took out best dressed woman in the annual and much-hyped event.

Her male counterpart was Christchurch man Matt Anderson, who had flown up for the event specially.

Mitchell designed and made her own floral pantsuit for the event, saying she wanted to shake things up for race day.

"Things have been the same for quite a long time," she told the Herald.

"I loved the idea of doing something a little bit different."

• READ MORE: Stars out, thousands brave weather for Ellerslie Boxing Day Races

Her two-piece pantsuit was a change from the usual frocks worn by fashion in the field contestants, but Mitchell's ensemble was still feminine in its cut and fabric choice, she said.

She had picked a fabric she liked, a delicate floral design in blues and greens with flashes of purple on a white background, and worked from there.

Paired with her outfit was a tanned tulle wrap flowing from her shoulders down past her knees, pinned on one shoulder with a pale purple flower, and a halo-shaped fascinator designed by milliner Claire Hahn.

It featured purple hand-painted glass flowers framing the right side of Mitchell's face.

A career in the fashion industry had been put on hold after the birth of her daughter Lola last December, so her outfit had been a creative outlet and something she could do just for herself, Mitchell said.

Even so Lola still featured, with Mitchell sewing her a simple shift dress in matching fabric on Christmas Eve, which the newly-turned 1-year-old wore to the races to match her mum.

Mitchell took away a prize including 100,000 air miles with Hawaiian Airlines and a Mumm champagne magnum.

She also won a weekend away in a Hyundai Tucson and gain automatic entry into the Regional Final of Viva Prix de Fashion - the national fashions in the field final - held on Vodafone Derby Day in March.

• READ MORE: Auckland's Boxing Day Races set to go ahead despite drizzly start

This year's Fashion in the Field event was judged by five festive fashionistas - the biggest judging panel in its history.

Wilhelmina Shrimpton was MC throughout the competition as judges, Sarah Stuart (head of styling at Newshub), celebrity stylist Lulu Wilcox, 2017 Viva Prix de Fashion winner and Beauty by Hannah's Hannah Carson, Showroom 22's Murray Bevan and leading menswear buyer Christian Harmes, worked out their winners.

New for this year was the millinery category, the prize went to Annette Potts for her Carolyn Gibson designed headpiece.

Best dressed male winner Matt Anderson had his dark blue suit custom-made by Sergio Menswear in Christchurch.

The Cantabrian had flown to Auckland specially for today's competition.

"I've always got runner-up [in other competitions]," he said.

"It's made the trip so worth it."

Given he was up in Auckland alone, Anderson said he would be delaying his celebrations until back home with friends in Christchurch tomorrow.

He also took away 100,000 Hawaiian Airline air miles as part of his prize.

About 15,000 braved the rain to enjoy a day at the annual event - the biggest day in the New Zealand horse racing calendar.