With over $8300 worth of prizes on the line, competition was fierce.

After a lengthy judges' deliberation, Kate Lynch took first place in a photo finish with runner-up Nadean Love.

Ms Lynch, 19, is a veteran competitor in Fashions on the Field who travels from Hawkesbury to attend race days around the state.

“This is my second Most Stylish Female win after I won first place in Scone earlier this year,” she said. 

Julie Lynch hand embroidered the embellishments on her daughter's 1960s style sheath and made her matching headpiece from scratch.

“It was a lot of late nights and early mornings,” she said.

“We chose the timeless look because it doesn’t date, you can wear the same thing ten years from now.”

The pair decided to turn race day fashion into a full time hobby 12 months ago after attending the races for years.

‘‘We always said when Kate was old enough we would start competing and she turned 18 last year,’’ she said.

Illawarra milliner Locopa Designs finished in pole position by taking home the Millinery award.

Holly Cohen commissioned her custom head piece to match her multicoloured Finders Keepers dress from the Wollongong milliner after discovering their designs at Kiama Seaside Markets.

Alongside Terence Gregory, the two Illawarra hat makers were well represented in the field of entrants. 

This year, classic feminity ruled race day fashion with most women split into two factions of either subdued pastels or springtime florals.

Reece Murray took home most Stylish Male, while Mark D’Antonio placed second.

His secret?

‘‘My beard was my whole strategy, you can’t beat a good beard.’’