The races will soon be popping up

YOU’LL never be too early when it comes to getting ready for Ladies Day at Ballybrit and I know of some of the style set who have their outfits not only planned but in the bag already.
There’s a new sponsor for the big day this year with Kilkenny store taking on the challenge of selecting Best Dressed.
And, while there will be plenty of faces pulled and snarly comments when the result is finally announced, all eyes are always on who will take the Best Hat prize.
There’s no other racecourse that attracts such a fantastic display of millinery – from the dainty and elegant to the wild, wonderful and woeful.
A familiar face at racecourses around Ireland is Athenry milliner Fiona Mangan, whose creations always feature on the heads of ladies who make the Best Dressed shortlist.
Fiona is one of the milliners whose hats feature in the races pop-up installation in Brown Thomas Galway at the moment. Fiona’s hats have donned winning ladies of a number of Best Dressed Lady competitions — most recently the Grand National at Fairyhouse in 2014. Her celebrity list includes Zara Philips, Rosanna Davison, Karen Koster and Marietta Doran.
“Wear a hat to suit your personality; don’t be afraid to wear a big statement headpiece,” comments Fiona. “Even if your outfit is block coloured or all one colour, why not introduce something vibrant  in your hat?”
Tones of the same colour add more depth to the overall outfit, according to Fiona: “You don’t have to match the bag and shoes and certainly there is no need exactly match the colour of your outfit. Stay away from fussy feathered fascinators — keep your hat structured and classy.”
Roscommon native Martha Lynn is debuting her latest collection at the Galway pop-up shop. While she is based in Dublin Martha’s face and her hats are always to be seen at Galway Race Week. Her summer collection draws inspiration from 1960s bold monochrome fashion, as well as strong, clean and colourful lines of Matisse’s Paper Cut Outs of the 1940s. The juxtaposition of these two contrasting themes makes for a diverse collection of simple bold silhouettes, alongside classic shapes in a reduced structure of colour — black, white, pink and blue.
“When planning a day at the races it’s the hat that will make the outfit,” comments Martha. “It’s the perfect opportunity to show off your personal style, and have a little fun with your accessories. For me comfort is very important, you have to be confident with the outfit and hat you have chosen to wear. If you feel good you will look good.”

• The races pop-up installation is in store now until Tuesday, August 11