With The Galway Races kicking off today, women and men from all over will be putting the final touches on their looks for the stylish festival.
One prestigious competition taking place over the week is the g Hotel Best Dressed Lady competition and the g Hotel Best Hat.
Actress Aoibhin Garrihy will be judging the competition and spoke to exclusively to VIP Magazine about how to be awarded the prestigious title of best dressed lady.
“The G hotel for me exudes design, it’s at the core of the brand considering the concept came from [Irish milliner] Philip Treacy, which means creativity and design is a big part of the hotel. So I think it should be a big part of the best dressed winner on the day,” she told VIP Magazine.
While impressive design is the key to a winning look, Aoibhin stresses you don’t have to spend a fortune to achieve it.
“That doesn’t mean spending money or going for a designer, it just means someone who is prepared to be creative and really paints the picture and makes it easy for us. The best dressed winner tends to stand out because the way they put the style together is a work of art.
“But they can’t let the style upstage them either, they have to shine from within and have inner-confidence and not let the dress wear them. It needs to stand out.”
The Dancing with the Stars finalist offers hopefuls some simple advice: be daring.
“For someone looking to covet the prize i’d say take a risk, don’t worry about the rules.
“Sometimes you think you need to tick certain boxes in order to win, but I don’t think you do I think the one that’s really original will probably be the one that i’ll be drawn towards.”
The star adds that the cultured creative city the races are set in should provide inspiration.
“Galway for me is such an invasion of the senses. I remember going one year and thinking I feel like I’m in the middle of Alice in Wonderland. It felt like a Mad Hatter’s tea party in a really vibrant and colourful way.
“Theres a real energy in Galway you don’t get anywhere else. I have a real passion for the West, and have been to the Galway races so many times so to be the other side of the fence is a real honour.”
The best dressed lady will win over €10k worth of prizes including a VIP trip to London, a penthouse stay at g Hotel with tasting menu in the award winning gigi’s restaurant and pampering in the hotels incredible ESPA spa and there is a €2,000 prize for the g Hotel Best Hat winner.
The competition taking place Thursday August 3rd will be judged by Aoibhin Garrihy, along with Baz Ashmawy, Bairbre Power Fashion Editor of the Irish Independent, Triona Barrett General Manager of the g Hotel.
