Hats Off To 150 Years Of Kentucky Derby Fashion | Forbes Life

You have to tip your hat to the fans of the Kentucky Derby. For 150 years now, they have shown up on the first Saturday in May wearing their Sunday best–or better.

Dressing up on Derby Day is a tradition that dates back to the early days of the Run for the Roses. In 1875, when Colonel Merriwether Lewis Clark Jr.—grandson of the famed American explorer—helped found the race, he was inspired by England’s Epsom Derby, which had formal dress codes for spectators, including hats. By the time the Derby was first televised in 1952, fine millinery was as ubiquitous as a fresh mint julep at Churchill Downs.

Today, there is no official dress code at Churchill Downs, although spectators at the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby hardly need reminding that they are as much on parade as the Thoroughbreds in the paddock. Clark’s original fashion policy is just fine with the 150,000 who will attend the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Even fans who wouldn’t know a furlong from a fetlock, understand that Derby Day requires the widest brims, the boldest colors and the most outrageous equestrian clichés.

Read the full story:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/msolomon/2023/05/06/best-hats-2023-kentucky-derby/

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