For many Capetonians the only time they ever lay eyes on a race horse is at the J&B Met, a staple of the local racing and fashion scene.

Last year, however, saw the brand end their 39-year association with the race, a fact that seems to have escaped many.

Ask folks if they’re going to The Sun Met this year and, more than likely, they’ll say “the J&B Met?”

It’s kind of like how people still talk about the Argus Cycle Tour, when in fact the popular race is now known as the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

So why did the almost four decade long relationship come to an end last year? This, from Fin24, when the announcement was made last June:

The 2016 J&B Met was the completion of a three year contract commitment to the event. In reviewing its strategy for the J&B brand, Diageo SA has made the decision to end the partnership and allocate resources to other brand initiatives.

“This has not been an easy decision but we feel that this is right for the brand,” said Jeff Milliken, managing director of Diageo SA.

Perhaps now that there’s a new sponsor there will be renewed focus on the fashion side of things.

Come now, we all know the J&B Met turned into a ‘who can dress the most outlandishly’ contest more than a few year’s back.

Especially for the blokes – like this:

And this:

Of course there are themes, and it’s fun to get creative, but might 2017 be the year the race returns to simple elegance?

The theme is “Decades of Glamour”, meaning those attending can choose any time period – from the Roaring 20s and Retro 40s, right through to modern day – and glam it up.

If you’re not feeling the need to don feathers in order to stand out from the crowd, one local brand we know will do the trick is bluecollarwhitecollar.

Their range of products, all produced locally, are the perfect way for peeps to stand out from the crowd without looking like you’re headed for a costume party.

A few snapshots of what they’re offering – certainly a good fit for the modern day, retro look:

Grab a shirt off that rack and you’re doing just fine in the fashion department. More of their range below:

We also hear that African prints are all the rage at the moment, so maybe you want to make a statement with your handbag.

The team at WeAllShareRoots (Instagram HERE) have the perfect range of “ethical & ethnical handbags”, which is why they’re now part of the WearSA family.

A few of those handbags:

Whichever decade you choose, and whichever outfit you decide to don, let’s hope it’s a great day out at the races.

We look forward to seeing some of the fashion hits and misses once the dust settles.

[source:fin24]