ACCORDING to this month's Vogue, cardigans are in for autumn/winter. And not any old cardi this year's fashion will be cringingly familiar to those of us who spent far too many hours in the 1970s ties watching Starsky and Hutch and coveting Paul Michael Glasier's wrap around, double knit bottom warmer. And as if to add insult to injury, brown is apparently the colour for next season, so prepare to scoff at the sight of fashion victims covered from head to hip in mud coloured shetland.
Happily, the contestants at the Rover Fashion Day at the Kerrygold Horse Show completely ignored Vogue's dictates, and the peculiarly changeable weather, and went for smart pastels and with very good reason. The prize for Best Dressed Person was a flame red Rover 214i worth over £12,000. Not bad for wandering around in high heels and your best guna.
Marty Whelan hosted the event and the judges were Late Late Show designer of the year Miriam Mone, David Harpur from Rover, and, curiously enough, Tracy Piggott, who didn't exactly look like a fashion icon on TV doing her Olympic commentary. The lucky car winner was Suzanne Deegan from Ballsbridge, wearing a hand painted dress by Irish designer Mary Gregory, with matching hat. She must be the first pregnant winner of a Best Dressed competition her baby is due in September.
Celia Holman Lee from Limerick came second wearing a candy floss coloured pink two piece and Robert Harkin from Blarney in Co Cork walked off with the third prize (of £500) wearing a classic 1950s style double breasted suit.
NO amount of dressing up could make any woman at this week's horse show get as much attention as King Hussein's 22 year old daughter Princess Haya Bint al Hussein of Jordan, who was competing in four events. During the week her younger brother Prince Ali arrived to give the experienced horsewoman some moral support.
Celeb spotters have been largely disappointed so far the only recognisable faces in the crowd have been TV chef Keith Floyd accompanied by his wife Tess, his 13 year old horse mad daughter Poppy and his mother Win.
