First past the post... the dress I knocked up yesterday

A bumper crowd at York Racecourse revelled in what has become one of the fashion events of the year, almost 30,000 people drawn in by the promise of fine weather and a stunning parade of elaborate hats, brightly-coloured dresses and the highest of high heels.

They were treated to a dramatic afternoon of racing, with the favourite Sariska refusing to exit the stalls in the day's biggest race, the Yorkshire Oaks. Her great rival Midday romped home in first place.

But the horses had to take a back seat for most of the day as the ladies strutted their stuff.

Star of the show was 30-year-old Kelly Ewing, from Leeds, who won a holiday in Dubai after being chosen as the festival's best-dressed lady for her fabulous silk hitch skirt and matching hat.

Ms Ewing, a fashion designer who says she handmade her outfit the previous day, was close to tears as the judging panel picked her out.

"I'm so shocked, I can't even begin to tell you," she said, beaming from ear to ear. "I think my heart's about to explode. I can't wait to ring everybody and tell them.

"I only started sewing six years ago – I bought myself a sewing machine and taught myself while I was on maternity leave, and it's turned into this massive business now. It's all occasional wear like this, all really posh dresses. But I've never worn one of my own outfits out before, ever. This is the first time."

Ms Ewing said she has regularly designed outfits for Ebor-goers in previous years – including the Union Flag dress worn by last year's winner.

"I always make the dresses for people who come here but I've never been myself," she said. "I can't believe it – I only made this dress yesterday morning.

"I've got a little son, Jimmy, who's five years old and he's on his school holidays – I dragged him down to work because I thought 'I'm going to the races, I've got to wear something'."

Many of the other outfits had clearly been considerably longer in the planning.

Designer Yvette Jelfs, who sells her own handmade hats at Ebor each year, said elaborate hats and very short dresses were the most popular items.

"It's nice to see hats coming back," she said. "Fascinators seem to be running their course, which is good – hats show off more personality I think. Yorkshire itself has so many milliners, and so it's lovely that you can go to a local milliner around here and have something made specifically to go with your outfit."

Good forecasts and a fine, sunny morning helped yesterday's crowd hit 29,000, some eight per cent higher than the 2009 Ladies' Day figure. Overall attendances for the four-day meeting are now up on last year, going into today's final day at the Knavesmire.

"The pixie dust of Ladies' Day just draws in the crowds – people just love the chance to dress up and enjoy a grand day out," said racecourse head of marketing James Brennan. "We're delighted with how the day has gone."