How I stay on top of my race wear planning + budgeting

With so many race days and racing functions to attend each year, staying on top of my outfits and all of the elements required can be quite a task. 

I’ve always been extremely organized which has helped in both my professional and personal life but have always used planning tools to help me keep on track. Some of the tools I use to assist me are fairly simple but include:

• checklists
• the ‘Stylebook’ wardrobe cataloguing & outfit planning app -this app is available on the Apple App Store (I’m unsure if this is available on other platforms)
• FOTF Outfit planning document - available to download here

I thought it might be useful to show you how I use some of these planning tools.

I use the ‘notes’ function on my phone to store multiple lists. These include: 

• Packing lists for items I need when going away
• Lists of bookings I need to make ie race day tickets, hotels, hair, beauty services, etc 
• Lists of elements I need to purchase for outfits. I list these items in order of priority based on when I require them
• A list of ‘gaps’ of staple items I am missing from my wardrobe that I will likely need for an outfit 

ie I did not own a black bag with silver hardware. This was on my list for quite some time until I actually needed this colour combination for some upcoming outfits. I searched for some suitable possibilities and asked for this item as a birthday present. This was an extremely useful present that filled a gap in my wardrobe and has now been used on multiple occasions! Something that has been on this list for some time is a pair of navy leather or patent leather high heeled sandals. I know that they’re on the list so if I ever find a pair on sale I can justify my spending as I know I will use them. This list keeps me on track and stops me from impulse purchasing and doubling up

• A list of new brands/websites I have discovered but am yet to purchase from. This list is sorted into categories eg shoes, bags, jewellery, outfits etc. When hunting for something unique, this is a great memory jogger! 
• Keeping track of payments. For example, who I have paid deposits to ie milliner, tailor etc and balances owing 
• Timings. Keeping a list of timings for days when I have multiple appointments is much easier for me to check than my phone calendar. If I have a busy day, a list/running sheet of appointments and events helps me to transition between each commitment ie 7am Hair 8am Makeup 11am Pickup 11.30am-5.00 Race day 5.15pm Pickup 

There are other apps and functions on devices for creating lists, but this is the one that works for me.

I have had this app downloaded onto my iPad for many years and as I purchase a new item, add it to the wardrobe section. I then add a few details about the item ie I copy & paste the item description, measurements & care instructions from the website purchased from, add item details such as designer, size, price, colour etc Listing the price has a double benefit if you ever need to insure your wardrobe! 

I also use this app when planning my FOTF outfits, by using the ‘looks’ section to create virtual flat-lays of my outfits. I find this app amazing as I can see everything I own in one place, and am able to see if certain accessories and colours go together before retrieving them from my wardrobe and trying on. Here are some examples of flat-lays of some of my previous looks:

No app can predict how good an item will look on your own body, so I use this as a first step prior to trying on. Sometimes I’ll include multiple options in my flat-lays for accessories such as earrings, shoes, bags and gloves until I have actually tried everything on and find the perfect combination.

I have also found this app incredibly useful when visiting the professionals I work with, so I carry my iPad and fabric or outfit with me. This way I don’t need to bring along every accessory I’m planning on using as well, so my app can give them a feel for colours and shapes of my accessories in the overall look. Quite often showing accessories will spark a creative new idea! 

This simple table can be used in multiple ways to organise your outfits. 

The first way I use it is to list all of the items I will be using for events, including the brand or description of each item. This makes it easy to pull these items from my wardrobe, as a checklist if I need to pack for travel and also keep me on track when getting ready for an event. Here is an example of how I have used this tool in the past, for last years Cairns Amateurs carnival:

I have also used the same format for competition looks throughout seasonal competing times. 

I have used this table in a different way as a tool to keep myself on track when planning for multiple outfits. This way I know what I am using from my wardrobe, what I have purchased, what has arrived, what is on order and what items I am yet to source. Here is this years Cairns Amateurs outfit tracker: 

You will see that I have included a basic traffic light key as a visual cue to know where I still need to focus my attention and follow up on.

How each person organizes their race wear looks is completely personal and I know of some very successful FOTF competitors who have done very well without much planning at all! Having a catalogued wardrobe full of staple items I can draw from helps me to reuse and rewear rather than always buying new, and also reminds me of hidden gems I may have forgotten about! I also love to keep all of my organization digital, as it is easily changed, portable and can be added to anywhere. My flat-lays are also great for reflecting and chronicling my past looks whilst building upon new ideas. 

Heading to the races is an extremely fun pastime, and whether you are competing in FOTF or not, having a lovely outfit to wear and looking our best is usually high up on a fashion lovers priority list. If you are not careful, race wear can become very expensive, especially when you consider every item you need. Here are a few tips I use when budgeting for my race wear:

• Have a budget and stick to it! Work out a realistic amount you can afford to spend on race-wear each year then divide this up into weekly/fortnightly/monthly parts (to match your payment cycle)
• Put your budgeted amount aside each week or pay-cycle. Things I put money away for are: milliner, hair, accessories, outfits, tailoring 
• Have separate accounts for your savings or if saving in cash, separate purses or envelopes to stash away. This way you are kept accountable and as the saying goes ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Stores & milliners may even give you the option to purchase gift vouchers, which is a way you may save your money without being tempted to spend it! 
• I have a rule not to ever buy something I cannot afford or do not have the money for first, which means no credit cards or using credit services like Afterpay. I personally don’t like to own something I still have to pay for in the future
• Put things you love in your store 'wishlist' and wait for them to come on sale
• Compare prices with multiple retailers. Is the item you want cheaper elsewhere or do they offer coupon codes for shopping online?
• Do you already own something that will do the job ie shoes, clutch, earrings, millinery etc? Check your own wardrobe before spending money
• Before paying big dollars for a brand-new item, check if that item or something equally as good can be purchased at an op shop, at vintage stores (I’m a big fan of Etsy), on resale sites such as millinery & race-wear pages on Facebook 
• If there is something special you love but is outside of your budget, see if you can receive it as a gift for an upcoming birthday or gift giving event like Christmas, Mother’s Day etc. If the price is outside of one person’s budget, ask for vouchers to that store to go towards your purchase, even if it takes some time to save for 
• If you simply can’t afford it, do not put yourself in debt. There is no outfit in the world or FOTF competition worth creating future financial headaches for. Remember that how much each person spends on their race day outfits is only relevant to themselves and their own circumstances, so don’t feel pressured to spend outside of your means
• Sell things you will never wear again and reinvest the proceeds into your budget. That being said, if an item is a wardrobe staple and you can afford to hold onto it (& have the space) keep to reuse. I’ve personally been building up wardrobe staples over many, many years so you will see many of my accessories such as shoes, bags and jewellery on repeat
• If you are fortunate enough to win vouchers or cash as FOTF prizes, reinvest into future outfits (if appropriate)
• Travel costs are something people often don’t consider when budgeting to attend races, especially if driving hundreds of kilometres or if the price of hotels and flights are to be considered. If you travel long distances often for race days, you may wish to include this in your budget. Race club memberships, ticketing and functions should also be considered 
• Use cashback sites & stores with rewards programs. If you are loyal to some stores & regularly use cashback sites you may be surprised how much you can save. I’ve been consistent using one cashback website over the last few years for all of my shopping & have received thousands of dollars back as a result over this time. I’m also loyal to one store in particular and am now a top-level VIP member so have early access to sales, free shipping, additional discounts etc 
• Learn to do things yourself. I know many FOTF competitors who are now particularly skilled at sewing, making their own millinery, doing their own hair and makeup as some cost cutting examples. I personally know where my strengths do and do not lie, so will pay for professional services if I cannot do them adequately myself
• If you’re anything like me and fashion in general is your passion, you will find ways to purchase things you love. That might mean doing overtime, picking up additional shifts (or an extra job) or making other sacrifices such as less nights out, but to me, all worth it when you own that very special piece! If something is important to you, you will find a way!
• I also live by the saying ‘if it’s meant to be, it will come to me’, which means if I’m meant to own something, it will come on sale in my size at the right time! 

I hope these tips give you some good ideas about how to manage your race wear and budget. I’m always looking out for new ideas to help me with my own organization, and as the quote says “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” – Anonymous 

I personally love the planning process, especially when putting new looks together! I know that at the wearing of every race day outfit, hours of planning and consideration have been put in by the wearer, and that should always be applauded!

Emma Scodellaro June 2023