What to Wear to the Kentucky Derby | 2021 Kentucky Derby & Oaks

Please note: The use of a protective face covering will be required by all personnel and guests.

Women

One of the truly unique characteristics of the Kentucky Derby, and its sister event, the Kentucky Oaks, is that they are sports parties that showcase the finest in spring fashions. Both female and male attendees pull out all of the stops when selecting their Kentucky Derby and Oaks apparel.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to Derby dressing, in part because what you wear has much to do with where you plan to spend the day. In the reserved seating areas (grandstand, clubhouse, suites and corporate hospitality areas), ladies typically wear spring dresses, pastel-colored suits, or bold separates that coordinate with their Derby headwear and accessories.

The Kentucky Derby is a chance for every female to express her inner Southern Belle so take note and don’t hold back when planning your Kentucky Derby wardrobe!

Dress

When selecting your dress for the Kentucky Derby the recommended practice is to keep it simple, so it doesn’t take away from your hat. You can also let the color and excitement of spring inspire you and select a dress full of color, or floral or equine patterns. Vineyard Vines, the official style of the Kentucky Derby, has created a line of dresses just for the Kentucky Derby. And remember to dress in layers, the Kentucky Derby is an outdoor event and the weather can be hard to predict.

Shoes

No Kentucky Derby outfit is complete without the spring heel or sandal. But remember, Churchill Downs historic grounds can be tricky to maneuver and the day is long, so remember to pack a backup pair of flats, just in case!

Accessories

Jewelry

Since the hat is the focus of Derby fashion, there’s not much need for large, statement jewelry. Let your hat be the attention grabber as your primary accessory and keep the jewelry simple. You can also celebrate the day with Kentucky Derby themed jewelry.

Bags

The Kentucky Derby is a long day, with a lot of walking, so pack accessories accordingly. We recommend a large bag (but be sure to stay within the size limit) to carry a pair of shoes, a bottle of water, your program, sunglasses, sunscreen, a poncho, and anything else you might need during the day. In that bag, pack a smaller clutch or over-the-shoulder bag for your cash, wagers, phone, and essentials that you can grab to go make a wager or snap a quick picture of the celebrities on the Red Carpet.

Hats

What sets the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks apart from other sports and entertainment events? Is it the world-class horses? The Hollywood stars? The romantic Twin Spires? Well, first and foremost, it’s the hats! Part Southern tradition, part spectacle, the Kentucky Derby hat parade is much of what makes “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” one of the greatest people-watching events in the world! From the fantastic to the sublime, there are no rules or limits when it comes to choosing your Derby hat.

Wearing a hat to the Kentucky Derby is believed to bear good luck! The long-established fashion was started by the women, however, over the last few years, many men have taken part in the tradition as well. Wearing a hat is much like getting into costume, you might be pleasantly surprised to see what type of character you become. From the fantastic to the sublime, there are no rules or limits.

Within the seated sections of Churchill Downs, you will find hats of elegance and style. Generally speaking, women wear wide-brimmed, “Southern Belle” inspired Kentucky Derby hats. The hats can be decorated with flowers, feathers, bows and ribbons of any color to express creativity and individuality.

In the Churchill Downs Infield, hats are a bit more eccentric! You will see hats in all shapes and sizes, as well as some hats exuding humorous themes!

Jenny Pfanenstiel- A Featured Milliner

Jenny Pfanenstiel, Master Milliner and owner of Formé Millinery, is internationally recognized for her award winning craft of hand creating and sculpting hats using the highest quality and rare materials found all over the world. The art of Millinery is a technique that dates back centuries through molding straw and wool over wooden hat forms. In addition to incorporating traditional millinery skills, Jenny has created a unique style of hats that are sculpted on her braid machine from the 1800’s. She sculpts the braid with her hands as it is sewing together creating one-of-a-kind sculptures for the head, something Jenny is known for throughout the world.

Learn more about Jenny Pfanenstiel and view additional designs at www.formemillinery.com. A donation of 12% of purchase will be made to the Churchill Downs Charity Foundation when website offer is mentioned.

Christine A. Moore-A Featured Milliner

Christine creates styles that are beautiful, elegant, easy to wear, and have been grabbing the attention of celebrities and photographers for years! She is the first and only Milliner to garner many racing titles, so you should definitely take a look at some of her styles here on the slide show below and at camhats.com. Use promo code KYDERBYFEATURED147 for %15 off your purchase.

Featured Milliner Christine A. Moore Advice/Hat Tips:

1. Most important! – Hats are all about personality, especially for the Kentucky Derby! If the style fits your personality, start there and then let us help you customize the hat to fit everything else about you! It is important to consider brim size, crown size and your head measurement.We always want the proportions to be spot-on and fit you comfortably for the entire day!
2. Hat or Dress first? We say either! Find the hat or dress that speaks to you and the rest will follow. We are always here to help either way!
3. Match or not to match? Matching is certainly eye-catching and sometimes elegant, but blending is always elegant.Again, it goes back to how you want your audience to view you and your personality.
4. The Kentucky Derby is actually a 2 day fashion event. Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday. Do I have to wear specific colors to either one? Not at all. The Kentucky Derby is a chance for guests to express themselves through fashion, and you will see every shade and hue and lots more represented!Many women and men will incorporate various shades of pink into their outfits on Oaks day and some will incorporate floral shades of red into their looks on Derby Day in support of the nickname “Run for the Roses”.
5. Do men really wear hats to the Derby? Yes! A sleek fedora trimmed in colors to match a suit is timeless and always a classic look. Choose straw over felt and you will be cooler!

The bottom line is you want to be comfortable, look great, have the best time ever and all the photographers will find you! Happy Derby!

To learn more about Christine and her Collections go to: https://www.camhats.com

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