Are you a fashion-conscious person who loves to dress up as per the demands of an event? The Kentucky Derby is fast approaching, and it is an event not just about horse racing but also about making fashion statements.
What is Kentucky Derby 2025?
The Kentucky Derby race will be held on May 3, 2025. This American Grade 1 stakes race takes place at Churchill Downs, which is in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. There are a total of 16 races held in the Kentucky Derby Championship Series.
This year, 18 three-year-old thoroughbred horses will compete in the race, covering a distance of 1 ¼ miles. Often called ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®,’ the Kentucky Derby still holds the suspense and spectacle worldwide. It is one of the most awaited events.
A quick look at Derby’s fashion culture
The history of the Kentucky Derby goes back to 1875 and has been held annually since then.
But the event is known also for its fashion culture, which changes every decade with the changing fashion scenario. In the 1950s, the Kentucky Derby had women coming well-dressed in chick suits and skirts fitted tightly to the body.
Then, in the 1960s, women in society were wearing lauder hats. That was the beginning of the unique hats worn today. During the 1970s and 1980s, casual dress continued to be the trend, with longer skirts returning to the fashion scenario.
From the 1990s onwards, younger women replaced the suit and gloves. But hats continued to be the chief attraction. Hats have become wilder and more expensive each year.
Why are custom outfits trending?
A reason for custom outfits trending in 2025 is personalized fashion. People today love to customize and personalize fashion for their unique personalities. Sustainability and advanced technology, such as AI, have also influenced the preference for custom outfits.
Cust fit clothes are also preferred because people like to wear comfortable clothes. They do not get the comfort of ready-made clothes. Moreover, custom outfits give users multiple choices regarding design, fabric, and colors. Moreover, custom-fit outfits are trending as people want to stand out in their unique style.
Dress Code Basics
No dress code is imposed on people who go to the Kentucky Derby event. There are no strict fashion rules followed either. People generally wear whatever outfits they are comfortable in. Still, many people like to honor the event’s tradition by wearing conventional outfits. Others find the event an opportunity to showcase their fashionable side by wearing trendy clothes.
You can opt for some trendy styles as well. Choose vibrant colors such as oranges and pinks, which are trending for the Kentucky Derby 2025. Wide-brimming hats have been traditional choices. Fascinators are also traditional wear that looks extravagant and whimsical on the day.
People can wear pantsuits, jumpsuits, or dressy suits, which are all acceptable at the event. However, check if certain sections of the derby track have issued guidelines for wearing specific clothes as a dress code.
Custom Looks for Women
Women look forward to making their dynamic personality felt while celebrating the Kentucky Derby. They wear attractive dresses with patterns and varied colors. Such dresses, along with uniquely designed big hats and stand-out accessories, highlight the occasion.
There are some commonly accepted rules for wearing clothes for the day. For instance, if you wear an outfit with a bold and colorful print, it would be good to have one color from it for your hat. Avoid adding all the colors from your outfit to your hat.
Fascinators and hats both are acceptable during the derby event. But you can choose not to wear a hat if you are uncomfortable with it.
The best tip is to wear what you like, as you must look confident and not self-conscious during the event
Dresses
Women can dress themselves in many colorful ways to commemorate the Kentucky Derby. Most women like to wear fancy hats where fascinators are perched on an elastic band or a headband.
Most women buy headpieces and get a dress that matches the hat. Or, a hat designer can create a custom hat that aligns with your outfit.
You have many options when choosing a dress to mark the Kentucky Derby celebration. You can opt for a simple dress so that the hat dominates and shines. Such a dress has a simple silhouette with little embellishments.
You can also opt for a dress that dominates and drives the attention. Such dresses have bright colors or patterns.
Think of choosing a fit-and-flare dress with solid colors with pockets to hold your essentials. If you want to wear a low-key outfit, give it some asymmetrical touches. Or, opt for a perl midi dress with a blue fine lace.
Pick a dress with bold patterns to highlight your presence at the Kentucky Derby. Have bright colors and florals that look fun, or opt for a print that evokes a classy look. Give the dress a bold style.
Choose a dress with a botanical motif in black and white to stand out. These are eye-catching patterns. Or settle for an off-white wavy and floral midi dress.
Hats
Hats are traditionally considered lucky to wear, so people usually wear bigger hats for better luck. That is the reason for hats have larger brims.
There are many types of hats people wear during the Kentucky Derby. Amongst such hats, cartwheel hats have an exaggerated disc. It has a small crown, whose brim is wide and lays at an angle on the head. The hat looks dramatic.
Ladylike hats come in pillbox style and are smaller. These look like street-style hats with brimless silhouettes. Then, there are turban-style hats with headscarves and veils.
Stand out accessories
Do not forget to give yourself a complete Kentucky Derby look with some stand-out accessories. There are plenty of accessories that go well with the dress and hat you choose for the occasion.
Accessories such as headbands, derby neckties, horse and jockey beads, rain ponchos, wooden jockey silk earrings, horseshow lapel pins, cotton canvas bags, etc., are attractive options.
Custom Looks for Men
Men also wish to make the Kentucky Derby memorable by wearing fashionable outfits. They, too, have multiple choices to make to create a customized look for the day.
Suits
Men have numerous choices when wearing suits to celebrate the Kentucky Derby You can wear a classic suit made of lightweight fabric such as linen.
Choose suits with traditional colors like grey, khaki, and navy. However, you can also experiment by adding pastel tones and bold patterns. Think of wearing a white shirt and a tie to give yourself a sophisticated look.
How about wearing a statement blazer instead of a traditional suit? A blazer with bold and bright colors and patterns in silk or velvet will add excitement to your personality and occasion. Then, pair the suit with a button-down shirt to balance comfort and style.
A double-breasted jacket is also trending, a great choice for the occasion.
Hats
Wear a stylish hat that will help add a new look to your personality. In fact, a hat is a must-wear for any horse rider or spectator during the Kentucky Derby.
You can choose to wear a Panama hat to give yourself a classy look. If that is not your choice, wear a statement bowler or fedora hat for a dashing appearance.
Don’t forget to accessorize with a polished pair of leather shoes, a sophisticated watch, and a coordinating pocket square for a refined finishing touch.
Remember that the Kentucky Derby is an occasion to wear a one-of-a-kind hat, not a basic hat. Buy a hat that helps you stand out from the crowd.
Choose a traditional Kentucky Derby hat with ribbons that looks appealing to the crowd. Or, wear an embellished derby hat. You can also choose to get a bowler hat with semi-formal attire.
When wearing a Kentucky Derby hat, ensure it sits comfortably and flat on your head. Avoid making it lean on one side.
Couple & Group Coordination
Most people enjoy showing their fashion side during the Kentucky Derby. But, some couples and groups showcase themselves as a coordinated unit.
They do not have to wear the same clothes to show they are a couple or belong to the same group.
All they need to do is to give some hint that they are a couple or a group. To do that, choose some colors or patterns that are the same across all the clothes they wear. But do not wear the same attire. That might not look impressive as your personality still should look distinctively different on the occasion.
Make sure that some fun elements of colors, animals, masks, etc, are incorporated into the clothes of the partners and all the group members.
Pick the same theme for the clothes so that onlookers identify you as a couple or group.
Where to Shop & When
There are numerous online sources to shop for clothes and accessories for the Kentucky Derby. These shops offer discounts and let you buy outfits at affordable prices. Here is a list of such best custom clothing sources.
PrintShop by Designhill
This is a leading print-on-demand site where they have lined up fashion clothes for every occasion. Just go to the site and choose your clothing. You can also customize your choice of clothes by adding colors and motifs using a design tool.
You can then order the site to print your Kentucky Derby outfit and get it delivered to your address per schedule.
Printful
Printful is a popular POD site where users can have their customized clothes delivered to their addresses. This site is known for its wide-ranging catalog of clothes. You can get your clothes designed easily and see them on mockups.
Printify
Printify is another POD site where your Kentucky Derby clothes are designed and delivered. It boasts of an excellent library of items. You can explore its printing partners to your advantage. It has a vast supplier network with various printing options.
Gooten
This is another site to source your Kentucky Derby outfits, which you can design yourself. It has a network of over 50 manufacturers in over 70 regions worldwide. It has the design tools to customize and see your clothes on mockups.
Besides these popular sites, you can also try out other POD sites such as Spreadconnect, CustomCat, and JetPrint.
Final Tips
You should be planning well ahead of the Kentucky Derby day with strategies. That is the way to ensure derby-day essentials and confidence boosters to enjoy the day and event.
Essentials
First, ensure that you wear comfortable outfits that are stylish as well. It would be good to look at the crowd and plan to be part of the event. To boost your confidence, wear stylish clothes that help you be one of the crowd and at the same time stand out.
Make plans to enjoy the day and event with your family and friends. Plan how you will have the transportation and tackle the traffic. Consider your parking options as well.
Ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day and eat healthy snacks to energize yourself.
Wear sunglasses and sunscreen to avoid harmful UV rays in case the event occurs outdoors.
Also, choose comfortable shoes since you might walk around the track during the day.
Confidence boosters
You should prepare for the day with some steps to boost your confidence. Ensure you are in peak physical condition, as the event may be exhausting. Your mental well-being is also a condition to fulfill for enjoying the day. So, take good care of yourself by sleeping soundly, exercising, and eating well.
Do not let negative thoughts invade your mind, and keep a positive outlook so you can enjoy the event thoroughly.
Dress up nicely for the event to boost your confidence. Dressing up is perhaps the biggest factor in boosting your confidence since it helps you to become involved with the event and its proceedings.
Try to come out of the comfort zone that you live in most of the time and think of experiencing something new on the day.
Also, do not be disheartened by the mistakes you make. Instead, learn from those mistakes to not repeat them. That will also boost your confidence while enjoying the event.
So, these are the outfit ideas you should try during the Kentucky Derby 2025. Make sure that you stand out in the crowd while enjoying the day. Try different combinations of colors and dresses to find out which will best suit your personality.
Wrapping Up
The Kentucky Derby 2025 will be held shortly, and you should be preparing for the event. Choose the right clothes with the right colors and motifs. Try to stand out from the crowd with your unique outfits to feel special and be one with the ongoing proceedings.