Another Kentucky Derby is officially under our belts and this year was MUCH better than last year (ha!)! I was in super
recovery mode last year from a series of pretty nasty surgeries, so to be right up in the action with finish line seats was a far better time this year!
I've been going to the Derby since I was a youngin' - my parents were always awesome and included us in such a Kentucky staple. And even though I've been more times than I can count, every year it's always just as magical. And it's the absolute BEST time to live in Kentucky.
This year the weather was a super bummer (rainy + cold), but the Bluegrass has some Derby magic and come time for the 143rd run for the roses the sun was indeed shining bright on our old Kentucky Home! <3 I rocked black jumpsuits, wellies, and fascinators both days and couldn't have been more pleased with my choices.
First up was a gals day at the track for the Kentucky Oaks. I went with one of my lifelong besties, Jessica, we've been friends since kindergarten and it was such a fun gals day (minus the frigid temps). Before we left for a super fun breakfast little Lainey gal joined the fun and wore one of my fascinators from years past.
If you know anything about Derby week, you know it's ALLLLL about the fashion ... well that and the ponies ... and the celebrities, and the parties, and mint juleps (HA!)! But .... back to the fashion. There are A LOT of options of places to sit (or not for that matter) and with better places to sit comes a heft price tag right along side of it. So, for a fun a last minute girls day ... we opted for the cheap seats (because we had no idea the weather would be so cray) ... and therefore when you're not under cover and gonna be walking for miles ... you ditch the beautifully fancy shoes and embrace the rain boots! BEST decision EVER!
All of these girls ended up ditching their heels and wearing rain boots too ... but for the sake of the photos they adorned heels (look who didn't have hers, heheheee).
We finished the night with a yummy yummy gals night dinner and wrapped the Oaks, just to wake up and do it all over again for Derby!
And whew, my Derby date was lookin FLLYYYYYY. Oh heyyy rain boots (again!) ... I actually switched out of the rain boots by race three and rocked heels for the rest of the day because the weather gods were on our side with that Kentucky Derby magic. But, alas - the only photo we have I'm rocking those pink wellies again.
Hey pretty mama!
And all the fascinator love! I made both of my hats you see in these pics (I've done it every year since I've been a kiddo - a lot of us Louisville gals do) and it's absolutely one of my favorite parts of Derby. I think my Oaks day fascinator was actually my favorite of the two, but it didn't photograph that well. The top of it was much more to write home about than the straight on view. But, either way, my late night glue gun creations are my favorites and seeing all of the hats and fashion at the track is just something unlike anything else.
Fam Bam!
And finish line fun with the baby bro in from NYC and daddy-o! We didn't have the winner, but man did we have fun!
Hope to be back next year for 144 ... come with me, I promise you'll have a good time!
