Best & worst dressed celebs at the 2018 Sun Met

The stars came out to play on Saturday at South Africa’s favourite annual equestrian-cum-fashion extravaganza: the Sun Met. But it seems some famous race-goers missed the sartorial memo we (so thoughtfully) released, and either butchered – or outright ignored – this year’s Afro-chic theme.

Here’s who captured our attention at this year’s Sun Met for all the right reasons plus our pick of the worst fashion offenders.

BEST DRESSED

MALA BRYAN

Model and entrepreneur Mala Bryan took home the official Best Dressed Award this year, and we have to concur with the judges: her colourful, sheer-sleeved dress, complemented by a matching head-wrap, was the epitome of Afro-chic style.

Clearly, Mala has dressing for the races down to an art, as she also took home first prize for Best Dressed Attendee at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate earlier this month.

LOOT LOVE

Reliably chic TV personality Loot Love put the competition to shame in an ensemble that incorporated the Afro-chic theme without compromising on subtlety and style.

Her dramatic, bell-sleeved Rubicon Clothing suit was striking, elegant and contemporary – an African take on a timeless classic.

MELODY MOLALE

Stylist and fashion blogger Melody Molale’s custom Neviole gown wasn’t exactly theme-appropriate, but it still left us rapturous.

Her light, glimmering metallic sundress was both daytime-appropriate and uber-glamorous; a perfect example of how to turn heads at an event without resorting to gimmicky pageantry. 

WORST DRESSED

MINNIE DLAMINI

Minnie Dlamini’s incongruous pairings didn’t do the gorgeous newly-wed any favours this year's Sun Met: her stylist should be firmly reprimanded.

Her revealing, red-sequined dress is more appropriate for a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing than it is for a fashion-forward South African style icon. And, simply donning a beaded headband and adapting your makeup does not an African-themed outfit make.

LALLA HIRAYAMA

Nothing could make beautiful TV host Lalla Hirayama look truly bad, but her choice of outfit for the 2018 Sun Met was doing its best.

The orange-thing, replete with train and the odd yard of fabric, looks like a costume from a live-action enactment of the Lion King. It’s dated, showgirl-y, and the antithesis of contemporary African chic.

THE LADY IN THE MANDELA-SHIELD-HAT-THING (MARGA FOURIE)

This women gets a special mention for the most truly unfortunate hat of all time.