It all started five years ago when the mum-of-two decided to make her own hat to wear to the Bendigo Cup.

She soon had requests from girlfriends, and plenty of encouragement to go commercial.

Fashion boutique Mona Lisa supports Belinda’s label each year, and she now has some of Bendigo’s most stylish returning each racing season for a new creation.

Sewing has always been a source of fun for Belinda, who says each hat she makes is unique, so she doesn’t get bored.

“I’ve always sewn My mum bought me a Holly Hobby machine when I was seven and I used to run up skating skirts and then go and put on productions that I’d make my parents suffer through,” she laughs.

Come cup day next week, Belinda will be there, looking out for her hats on Bendigo’s fashionistas.

“Are there horses there?” she jokes.

“I just love the roses, the flowers, the typical sunny day, and the fashions. I love people watching and just all the creativity that goes into the day.”

Belinda will be the one in the black and white-striped dress, if she finds the time to finish making it.

“It’s cut out on the lounge room floor,” she says.

“No one’s allowed to walk in there, I’ve declared that as my zone too now – the poor family!”

Bronwyn Rivett's creations are wowing Bendigo's fashion savvy.

Talking about fashionista: that’s the name of Bronwyn Rivett’s hat and head piece label, which this year has grown wings and taken flight.

Might have something to do with all those feathers… and flowers, pearls, bows, jewels and tulle.

Even the prettiest of parrots would look dull alongside one of Bronwyn’s designs, which have taken over a room in her Flora Hill home and are sold in several Bendigo boutiques.

Bronwyn says she’s always been a crafty lady, and the label is an extension of her hobbies.

She says in the quest to find something different to wear to the races one year, she decided to have a go at making her own head piece. “I had a little play with one and my husband said, ‘You’re not going to wear that are you?’,” she laughs

“I didn’t wear it but I really enjoyed making it.”

Bronwyn and her daughter Jessica spend their spare time scouring Bendigo craft shops and antique galleries for embellishments, so each Fashionista piece is a one-off.

The only element that ties them all together is eye-popping colour.

“I just love colour,” Bronwyn says.

“I wouldn’t say I’m someone who wears a lot of outlandish things but I love to see them on other people.

“I love seeing people step out of their comfort zones.”

Bronwyn has taken time off from her day job this year to do just that – watch the women at country cup carnivals.

“I just enjoy looking at all the people,” she says.

“It’s always good to see young people dress up, I love seeing them take pride in what they’re wearing rather than just going for shorts skirts and high heels.

“It’s good to see them put a bit of thought into their outfits for cup day.”

The face of the Bendigo Cup has worn a Fashionista headpiece the last two years running, and Bronwyn’s creations have featured in several fashion parades, including the Wearable Art parade at Tin Shed Arts this year, meaning her hobby is now very much out of the house and in the limelight.

So, have her creations won over her hubby?

“He still thinks I’ve got some sort of problem,” Bronwyn laughs.

“Especially when I’m up late at night making headpieces… but this is not just for today, this is our collection.”

Milliner and former Bendigo girl Rebecca Share will judge the local Fashions on the Field at the Bendigo Cup.

The amazing bird-inspired headpiece featured on the cover of today's More Weekend is the work of renowned milliner and former Bendigo girl Rebecca Share.

Once she completed VCE at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Rebecca left to study fashion design at RMIT.

After visiting a milliner to have a hat made for a dress she’d made, Rebecca fell in love with the trade.

Now she designs a new collection each year, plus custom-makes beautiful hats for some of Melbourne’s celebrities.

This year, some of Channel Nine’s glamour girls, such as Livinia Nixon and Brodie Harper, wore Rebecca’s hats to the Caulfield Cup.

“A couple of weeks ago I got a call at 5.30 on a Tuesday afternoon to design a hat for Emma Freedman," she says.

“I only got four hours sleep that night but the hat was sent by courier the next day.

“You’ve got to be prepared to have late nights to do things like that for celebrities.”

Rebecca will be back in Bendigo next week, judging the Fashions on the Field at the Bendigo Jockey Club.

She says this year racegoers can expect to see vibrant colour combinations and bold designs in head wear.

“There are still racegoers who really just want to invest in a beautiful black hat, but for women who want to step outside their comfort zone, this year they can purchase something dramatic and bright,” she says.

“Shoes really have the wow factor this year too, it’s just a really fun season to dress for.”

There’s some big prize money on the table for this year’s fashion competition, so everyone wants to know, what will the judges be looking out for?

“Everyone asks that question and really I know it when I see it,” Rebecca says.

“It’s just the overall look, but the KISS principal does go a long way – keep it simple and elegant and try to tie the whole outfit in together.

“I always look at the hats, and I know if a hat’s been handmade or not – not that you have to have a handmade hat to win a fashions on the field.”

But of course if you do, all the better to buy local.