Maria does it her way to bloom at Ballybrit

RACY Maria McCullen had to break all the rules to land the title of Best Dressed Lady at the Galway Festival yesterday.

Looking stunning in an off-the-shoulder, flowing white top, black leather pants and an outrageous floral hat, the 28-year-old foot specialist from Stamullen, Co Meath, threw away the rule book by wearing a pair of multi-coloured high heels.

“I suppose it’s all right to wear them for a day but I always advise the people who come to my clinic to stick with flat-heeled shoes,” said Maria, who runs the Navan Foot and Ankle centre.

The judges were spoilt for choice at the fashion battle at Ballybrit, in what is traditionally the busiest and most stylish day of the week-long festival. However, Maria’s “mix and match” outfit won the hearts of the judging panel that included TV3 star Grainne Seoige.

“I’m absolutely thrilled. I love fashion and I always go all out for the Galway races,” said Maria, who pocketed a 3,000 shopping voucher for Brown Thomas for her troubles. However, she was unwilling to reveal how much her outfit set her back.

“You can’t put a value on things like this, it would be like trying to say out how much your husband is worth,” she said.

Husband Maurice Harvey, who works as a vet in Swords, Co Dublin, was more forthcoming. He admitted the credit card had been “incinerated” by his big-spending wife.