By Charlotte Tonkin
After a slow start to summer the weather turned up the heat for Cup Day in Wellington.
It posed a problem for sun conscious Kiwis dedicated to fancy race headwear, forcing them to choose between being sun smart or stylish.
Hemlines were high and headwear ranged from sensible to sublime.
Even Prime Minister John Key was keeping an eye on the latest fashions in the field.
“Straw hats seem to be the flavour this year – I’ve seen a lot of those,” he says.
After a hat, an umbrella was the next best accessory, otherwise escaping the heat came down to creative tailoring.
“It’s all about the pain,” says milliner Amy Jansen-Leen. “The shoes, the handbags, the hat, the dress – which may be a little too tight. It’s all for the look.”
The look proved too painful for many, inundating St John Ambulance with blistered race goers wearing inappropriate footwear. The heat simply added to paramedics’ woes.
“The temperature is going up and most people are consuming a lot of fluids now – but maybe not the right ones,” says David Roland of St John Ambulance.
It’s a concern shared by police.
“The tempers just get a bit frayed with the heat and alcohol,” says Area Commander Mike Hill. “We’ll be patrolling throughout the area and keep a lid on everything.”
Police are predicting a busy night ahead. Not only are thousands enjoying cup day, but tonight more than 30,000 will pack Westpac Stadium for the final Wellington AC/DC concert.
3 News