Community & Business
4 November, 2025
Fashionistas pass the flame
AFTER dazzling judges at Fashions on the Field competitions for the past two decades, and having 180 sashes to prove it, stylish couple Alison and Trevor Wilson have decided it’s time for them to pass the flame to the younger generation.
Mrs Wilson has picked up countless wins in fashion competitions at country races nationwide for the past 30 years and began entering with her husband when the pair moved to the Tablelands 20-odd years ago.
“It wasn’t until we moved here that he started to do the fashion with me and we’ve been on a winning streak ever since. He’s a bloody turd, he always beats me,” she said, as if it were a competition.
“He’s won about six watches. We’ve won about 40 bottles of booze, 37 bottles of aftershave, 180 sashes, I’ve also won perfume. We’ve won golf vouchers, hot air balloon rides – you name it darlin’, we got it!”
Mrs Wilson’s journey into the Fashions on the Field scene began 32 years ago in Victoria, when she was 50 years old.
“My aunties had a sewing room in Melbourne at Oakley, and they had a contract to make clothes for Myer and David Jones,” she explained.
“They said, ‘Alison, dress up and go to the races’. I was 50 years old, and I started going to the races. So that’s how it all began and I’ve been doing it ever since.
“At that age, I won, won, won. Went to the Melbourne Cup, won there. Then my husband and I decided to move to Darwin.
“We kept going to the races – he’d go to the races with me but he wouldn’t dress up. Then I kept winning, winning, winning. Then we moved up here.”
She said the fashion hadn’t changed much over the years, just that the girls are getting prettier.
But when asked if she had a favourite outfit, she said “all of them”. Yes, all the hundreds of them. Although she has sold a large portion of them in recent times.
But now being in their 80s, the Wilsons have decided it is time for them to “slow down”.
Mrs Wilson hopes she can encourage the younger generation to start entering the fashion competitions and enjoy them as much as she and her husband have.
“The girls these days are lovely looking girls. I hope I can encourage them to keep going or inspire them to get out there. It’s their time to win like we used to,” she said.
“I think it’s an interest. They can meet different people and they can make good friends. It’s a good place to go along and enjoy your race day and dress up.
“It’s just a good day out, having a nice lunch and a couple of drinkies,” she said cheekily.
Nowadays, the Wilsons only attend the Mareeba and Atherton races occasionally.
“I love the Atherton Turf Club, and Mareeba is the best – they’re the best club ever,” she said quite passionately.
“They’re fantastic people, the judges and everything, I just love it.”
The fashionable couple were headed to the Tolga Pub dressed to the nines for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, hoping to tick another Fashions on the Field contest off their list.
