KEY POINTS:
The Melbourne Cup might be the race that stops the nation, but for the weeks running up to the event, the cash registers at the city's hotels, boutiques, bars and restaurants are going flat tack.
The Cup Carnival Week, which includes Derby Day, Cup Day, Oaks Day and
Stakes Day, is such an enormous event that many racing fans plan the first week in November with military precision ... well in advance. Clothes, hats, button holes, hotels, restaurants, transport, hair appointments and picnic baskets are all things to be negotiated early to ensure the experience all runs smoothly.
So, where to start? Well, a place to rest a weary head and sore feet for the night should take priority.
With more than 100,000 attending the events on the race calendar during the week, hotel rooms book out fast and rates are high.
Many only offer a minimum two or three-night stay, usually either side of Cup Day. However, this can come with benefits.
Guests are often provided with additional extras such as bottles of wine, transport to Flemington and access to VIP facilities.
There are no gate sales at Flemington during Cup Week, so tickets need to be booked in advance. Expect to pay up to $60 for a general admission ticket to attend each major race day and up to $240 for a reserved seat.
If money is no object and you are going with a large group of similarly loaded friends, the marquees and private boxes are the best bet.
Regulars suggest getting to Flemington early to avoid the crush. Gates open about 8am each day.
Taxis need to be booked well in advance but most people prefer to catch the train. Services start at 7.15am and there will be one every four minutes during peak times. The last return leaves at 9pm.
If you don't fancy being crammed in like a sardine, the river ferry offers a more sophisticated and leisurely experience.
Passengers can sip an early morning glass of bubbly while you merrily make your way.
Those who are more cashed up can opt for a door-to-door helicopter service for $385 return.
But for many people, Cup Week is all about the clothes and the gee-gees barely get a look in.
The Age fashion editor Janice Breen-Burns has covered the Fashions on the Field events during the Spring Carnival for 26 years and says that while younger people have brought a more relaxed style, some rules still apply.
"Headwear is still important and I'm never going to tell anyone they should wear a hat instead of a fascinator because it's all about what works with the rest of the outfit," she says.
"The trend this year is for smaller cocktail-styled hats which should be tipped over the left eye.
"For men, suits are a must and this season all I'm seeing is grey, grey, grey in every shade - from almost charcoal to pale silver."
Derby Day, on Saturday, is Melbourne's nod to Royal Ascot and racegoers are expected to dress accordingly. For men, this means top hats, tails and a cornflower boutonnière. For women, tradition compels black and white racewear and, of course, a hat.
Cup Day, next Tuesday, is much more casual - some people arrive in fancy dress, and Oaks Day on Thursday is Ladies Day and is where fashion shines.
The mood is more garden party than horse racing, with woman donning floaty sunfrocks and summery hats and men putting a pink rose in their buttonholes.
The main Fashions on the Field events are on Oaks Day and the racecourse becomes a catwalk for much of the day.
Breen-Burns' advice for those needing an outfit or two is to head straight for the major department stores in the Bourke St Mall in the centre of the city where David Jones and Myer have floors devoted to the carnival.
Those with more time, and cash, can head to the big-name designer boutiques of High St, Armadale, and the multiname brand shops of Malvern Rd.
Event regulars recommend wearing flats or wedge heels to prevent sinking into the turf, but long-time racegoer Lorraine Cookson, who won the overall Fashions on the Field event last year, has no such problems.
"I always wear heels but the key is to walk like a lady - on your toes - and not clomp around," she says.
Cookson suggests women planning on entering Fashion on the Field plan their outfits, go for traditional suiting rather than cocktail dresses and don a hat.
"But most of all it's about having fun," she says.
"Don't enter expecting to win because you can never tell what the judges are thinking."
Trying to compete with 100,000 others for a place in the fast food line is never fun so many take a picnic hamper.
Almost everything consumable, bar alcohol, is allowed so it's sensible to take provisions.
Caterers do a good trade compiling baskets specifically for Cup Week but if you want to DIY and are based in the city, the David Jones food hall on Bourke Street will have everything required. Otherwise, a trip to one of the inner-city markets will do the trick.
After the action on the race track dies down, the city comes back to life. Getting a table at one of the top restaurants in Melbourne is almost impossible. Most of the movers and shakers head to South Bank, so if you can get an outside table at one of the restaurants along Yarra River you'll have a great time people watching.
And if you want to continue your winning streak, or try to recoup some losses, Crown Casino is a stroll away.
Non-racing days can be just as carnival-oriented. The Parade of Stars runs through the central city from noon until 1pm next Monday and showcases all the jockeys and trainers involved with this year's Emirates Melbourne Cup.
MELBOURNE CUP
For tickets and carnival information visit flemington.com.au.
TRANSPORT: For train timetables visit: connexmelbourne.com.au. For trams, catch the number 57 from the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders streets in the CBD. For ferries, City River Cruises will take groups along the Yarra River.
FURTHER INFORMATION: cityrivercruises.com.au.
FOOD: Picnic hampers can be arranged through Phillippa Grogan or Tangelo.
