'The vital lesson I learned from Jess Fox, Rachel Griffiths and Sylvia Jeffreys at the Melbourne Cup Carnival'

If a week of reporting from the Melbourne Cup Carnival for 9Honey taught me anything, it's this: nothing looks as good as comfy feels.Just ask award-winning actress Rachel Griffiths, or Olympic champion Jessica Fox, or even Nine's own Sylvia Jeffreys."I love bright and I love bold, but fashion's got to be practical. I don't want to think about holding my tummy in and I don't want shoes that hurt my feet," Jeffreys told 9honey on Oaks Day.READ MORE: Why Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson wanted to 'get away from the sporting world' Meanwhile, Griffths revealed her best fashion secret to 9Honey on Derby Day when she pulled a pair of foldable ballet flats out of her tiny handbag."This is what I'll be wearing to walk like a kilometre and a half to my car tonight," she confessed, adding "you don't have to dress for others, just yourself".I even spotted Fox on Cup Day changing into sky-high platform pumps for photos, then slipping straight back into her kitten heels for comfort as soon as the cameras stopped flashing.All three of these famous, fabulous women and many more in the Birdcage put comfort first at the races and it's a trend I think we should all start embracing.READ MORE: For years, Jess Fox 'hated' her most iconic featureI learned that lesson the hard way when my chic stiletto heels tore my feet to ribbons on Derby Day. By the time the races were over, the bottom of one heel had even snapped off, exposing the metal underneath. Did I toss them out? Invest in more sensible shoes for Cup Day? Not a chance.Determined to be as fashion-forward as possible, I strapped my abused feet back into those little white torture devices and did it all over again. Within a few hours both heels were broken and my feet were bleeding. Nevertheless, I persisted and only admitted defeat and kicked them off as I got into an Uber to leave the racecourse.The next day I could barely walk, and for what? So my photos looked a tiny bit cooler? So I could be a little bit taller?When Oaks day rolled around I had to accept I'd been bested (and my stilettos were broken beyond repair) and wear sensible little block heels. Reader, I fell in love.READ MORE: The harrowing secret Bindi Irwin hid from the world for 10 years The reality is that swapping out stylish stilettos for comfier shoes made a world of difference to my entire experience at the races; suddenly I could enjoy myself without wincing in pain with every step, I could dance, I could even go down stairs without fearing I'd break my neck.You bet I wore those sensible little heels again on Stakes Day today.The truth is that even celebrities crave comfort and though they may look glamorous in their sky-high heels for the glossy photos, most of them are back in kitten heels seconds later. So learn from them and embrace comfort above all else for the Melbourne Cup Carnival 2024.Just make sure you stick to the dress code while you're at it.FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.