RECYCLED and hand-made outfits marked Wodonga’s fashion on the field yesterday, with contestants reaching into their wardrobes and choosing something just a little bit different.

Brocklesby’s Taryn Preston trotted out her grandmother’s white hat, gloves and jade-and-gold jewellery that graced Melbourne racetracks more than 50 years ago.

Barbara Preston, 86, now has Alzheimer’s and lives in a nursing home but Ms Preston said she would have been delighted to know her granddaughter had dusted off her lovely old things.

Ms Preston teamed the vintage accessories with a white Cue dress, leading a popular trend to mix old with new.

“People seem to be picking out the odd vintage piece that’s different. Many other things seem to look really similar,” she said.

Wodonga’s Lachlan Murray took it a step further with a $20 suit bought at Albury’s Lifeline charity store.

Mr Murray had used the outfit when he played a racing reporter in the ABC telemovie Cliffy and yesterday teamed it with a hat from Trade Secret.

And he wasn’t the only man going out on a limb for cup day.

Mathew Cox, of Bendigo, made it into the finals wearing shorts with his suit, shirt and tie.

They weren’t just any pair of shorts — they were made by his wife Brigette using horse-print Ralph Lauren fabric.

Mr Cox said the few inches of missing leg had made things considerably more comfortable.

“You’re not trying to get out of the hot black pants,” he said.

Overall fashions winner, Albury’s Karen Naughtin, had a more troublesome relationship with the weather.

The feather on her hat fell off — twice — but that was only the start of it.

Her entire head piece blew off completely during the final judging and was retrieved by a small child.

Fortunately, the judges didn’t seem to mind and handed her the prize.