Derby Days

Paula Patton

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend and there are several reasons why I love watching. The tradition is one but my main reason is the fashion. As you might have noticed from my Instagram and Facebook pics the women in my family love hats. I have decided that I won't wear a hat until I'm 40 but trust me I'm looking forward to it. Every year I say I'm going to the Kentucky Derby and I never make it. One day this will happen!

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. From the fantastic to the sublime, there are no rules or limits. In the clubhouse and paddock, women of grace and taste sport classy, fashionable styles. In the infield, the headwear has tendancy to take on a flashier tone.

When the Kentucky Derby was first held at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Ky., 137 years ago, hats were all the rage and regarded as an essential everyday accessory -- for those who could afford them. At special events such as the horse races, women wore fancy and extravagant hats to broadcast their social status and show off their expensive style. Men simply wore top hats.  

Over the years, the Churchill Downs hat tradition has remained for women and continues to be a Kentucky Derby staple. Although women aren't required to wear a hat to the races, most do. One common theme among Kentucky Derby hats is roses, since the race is known as the "run for the roses" because the winning horse receives a blanket made of more than 500 of the blossoms.

Take a look and let me know- What's your favorite look for the Kentucky Derby?