Raid your granny's wardrobe for the Punchestown Bollinger Best Dressed Competition at the Kildare track

The famous Bollinger Best Dressed Competition returns across the first four days of the Punchestown Festival April 28 to the final on Friday, May 1.

Each day judges will scout the crowds and enclosures seeking out looks from 1.30pm ahead of racing getting underway at 2.30pm (3.30pm on Friday). Finalists will be asked to gather in the Bollinger Garden in the South Enclosure from 3.30pm. A winner will be selected from the daily finalists by 4.30pm. That winner progresses to the grand final on Ladies Day.

While judges will cover as many locations as possible, The Bollinger Champagne Lounge and Garden located in the South enclosure will be the Style Quarter for the festival. This is where daily and grand finalists will take to the stage for judging each day straight after the second race.

The overall winner and guest win a ‘money can’t buy’ trip of a lifetime to the home of Bollinger. This includes flights to Paris, a stay at a 5* Hotel, Michelin Star dining, private chauffeur, exclusive Champagne Bollinger experience including private tour of the cellars, vineyards, gardens, house and an overnight stay in the beautiful capital of the champagne region Reims. They will also recieve a one year supply of Bollinger (a case of12 bottles)

The official winners portrait photo will appear in Irish Country Magazine as part of the ever popular My Style My Story feature. Daily winners and finalists will also enjoy a deluxe goody bag.

On Friday, sharply dressed gents will enjoy the opportunity to win a case of Bollinger along with a www.louiscopeland.com prize.

The judges include Jess Colivet, Jennifer Wrynne, Hayley StJohn and Carol Nolan, Niamh Devereux, Arthur Robert, Michelle O’Sullivan, Vera Farrell and David O’Connor.

Based only a stones throw from Punchestown, lead judge Jess Colivet is a renowned personal stylist and content creator known for her inspiring fashion insights on Instagram. Entrepreneur, designer, and digital creator, Jennifer Wrynne has cultivated a distinctive presence within Ireland’s fashion and lifestyle landscape. Beyond style, the mum of four recently shared a deeply personal chapter of her life, navigating and overcoming breast cancer.

The Wicklow based pair, Hayley StJohn and Carol Nolan @InTheEdit started an Instagram page to share outfits and style finds that mix forever pieces with high street buys. They now have a community of 92,000 followers. Irish Country Magazine Deputy Editor, Niamh Devereux will represent the Irish magazine team for co-judge duties on Festival Thursday.

As a champion for Irish design and channeling the Something Old/Something New sustainable fashion theme, Niamh says “I’ll be looking for the best stories behind the outfits with a particular eye for Irish design”.

In his roll as Bollinger Business Manager for France and Europe, Arthur Robert, will have a keen eye for who represents this timeless, luxury brand. A director of Bollinger representatives in Ireland, Findlater & Co, Michelle O’Sullivan has over two decades of experience working in the wine industry and has been instrumental in the development of the Bollinger Best Dressed at Punchestown since 2016.

Kildare-born Verona Farrell, also known as @secondhandhuns, is a content-creator, writer and street-style videographer. Today she is based in London, where she continues to grow her online presence while studying book writing at a publishing house, Faber.

Aptly known as ‘The Style Doctor’ David O’Connor has been working with the Louis Copeland group for over twenty years where he has styled some of the sharpest dressed, well known gentlemen including actors Patrick Dempsey and John C Reilly, celebrity chef Donal Skeahan, TV presenter and Olympian Greg O’Shea and globally renowned mentalist Keith Barry. David will be looking for perfect fit through great tailoring as well as attention to detail on presentation.

“We are excited to introduce the Something Old/Something New theme focused on sustainable fashion. This simply means to take a considered approach to your race day look. Start by shopping your own wardrobe. Is there a key piece that you can reinvent?,” said the organisers.

“Exchange, borrow, swap and rent key pieces with your circle of friends and the many fashion rental businesses that have launched. Invest in quality. Buy something that you love. That is really well made using quality materials and design. Think of timeless style. Visit one of the many pre-loved stores online or in person and bag a quality piece for a fraction of the price.”