Kentucky
Here are 5 Kentucky Derby outfit ideas and fashion tips for women
2025 Kentucky Derby: See outfit ideas, fashion tips for women
From sequins and satin to ruffles and bold colors, here’s what women will wear to the 2025 Kentucky Derby
Prepping your fashion by scouring the internet for “what to wear to the 2025 Kentucky Derby” is one way to gain inspiration for your ensemble. Or you can take an easier route with tips from a professional who truly knows her way around fashion at the track.
For more than three decades, Louisville-based fashion consultant Jo Ross has produced stunning results for women and men seeking advice on their Kentucky Derby wardrobe. A lifelong Kentuckian, Ross understands how Southern style is interpreted at the racetrack and intertwines this know-how with her experience as a regular at New York City’s iconic Fashion Week and Prêt a Porter in Paris.
Simply put — seasoned Derby goers “dress to impress” as if they are attending an upscale garden party with mint juleps, horseracing and friends. This look is accomplished by pairing color, silhouette, accents, a stunning headpiece and the right pair of shoes. We’re not joking, shoes can mean a winning or losing day at the track and we promise to explain.
But first, to help you create your own standout outfit(s) for spring 2025, Ross met our team at the Oxmoor Bourbon Company, 720 Oxmoor Ave. This historic home several miles from Louisville is a first-of-its-kind historical tour and tasting experience at Kentucky’s famed Oxmoor Farm. Ross arrived with racks filled with must-have spring fashions from Von Maur and models Vanessa Thorton, Alexis Gregory and A’nya Winburn who where selected during our open model audition earlier this year.
From breezy pleated sundresses to more ornate cocktail attire with sequins, ruffles and coordinating outfits for couples attending the races, Ross created multiple Kentucky Derby worthy ensembles showcasing this season’s silhouettes and colors but said your ensemble comes down to one prime piece of advice, no matter which year you attend the Kentucky Derby.
“Derby is always colorful and so much fun and your fashion should reflect that mood,” Ross told the Courier Journal. “There are so many options, whether you choose to wear a dress, pantsuit, jumpsuit or romper. The key is to feel great in what you wear.”
So let’s get started. Here are five tips to help you perfect your winning outfit for this year’s Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, held this year on May 2 and 3, respectively.
What colors will women wear to the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Churchill Downs is awash in brilliant colors each spring. The week of the Kentucky Derby we see vibrant color in the racetrack’s landscape from the silks the jockeys wear as they race and the guests who flow through the gates.
With upward of 100,000 fans flooding through the gates at Churchill Downs each day of Kentucky Derby weekend, you’ll see just about every color under the sun.
“Color is again, the big story in 2025,” said Ross.”The dominant favorites are cobalt, pinks and oranges with a lot of multi-color bold prints.”
If this is your first trip to the Kentucky Derby, you probably also have tickets to the Kentucky Oaks, which is held this year on Friday, May 2. Pink is the color of the day as the official flower of the Kentucky Oaks is the stargazer lily, the official drink is the Oaks Lily (also pink) and the official Survivors Parade celebrates breast and ovarian cancer survivors.
The following day is the “Run for the Roses” or the Kentucky Derby. The official flower of the Derby is the red rose and plenty of spectators dress in shades of red and floral patterns. But Derby Day is more of a free for all as far as color is concerned. Every color under the rainbow is game and that includes lots and lots of pink, again.
If bright bold colors aren’t your speed, Ross suggests an ensemble in traditional spectator colors, that’s black and white and navy and white. A long standing favorite at the racetrack spectator colors are always classic and look extra special accented with a splash of color in your hat, a scarf or jewelry.
Do I wear a hat to the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Well, yes! Beautiful wide brimmed hats and fancy fascinators perched on a headband or elastic band are tradition at the Kentucky Derby. The big question is do you buy the hat first or your outfit? If you are working with a custom hat designer, they can create a hat to coordinate with your outfit. But many women buy their headpiece first and then find a dress, jumpsuit or romper that coordinates well with the colors and style of their hat.
Which style of clothing do I wear to the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
A good starting point is understanding where you’ll be seated for the races. Some sections of the racetrack are more formal than others. For instance, if you are seated in the uncovered Grandstand you’ll need to dress to easily move about in the crowd and depending on the weather you may need to add a jacket or wrap or even a raincoat. Sundresses, rompers and jumpsuits are favorites in this section of Churchill Downs.
Indoor seating lends itself to being a bit more formal since you won’t need to be dressed to withstand the weather for six to eight hours.
“I am seeing a lot of feminine touches in 2025 collections such as ruffles, tiers, flounces, crochet, lace and chiffon adorn dresses,” said Ross. “You can also get away with sparkle by day by wearing a cocktail dress with sequins to the track.”
If you aren’t sure what the dress code is for the section of Churchill Downs where you are seated, you can read more at the Churchill Downs website, which details what is appropriate in each section of the track.
What are the hemline trends for fashion at the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
This is the easiest decision of all our Kentucky Derby fashion tips because it’s really whatever you are most comfortable wearing.
Ross said this year’s top trends are all over the map. “Lengths go from thigh high to ankle, with everything in between.”
So pick a dress length or style in which you’re most comfortable.
What type of shoes do I wear to the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
While you don’t need to sacrifice comfort for style, Ross does suggest prioritizing comfort as a day at the Churchill Downs Racetrack is long and you’ll spend a lot of time walking to get to your seat and meeting up with friends who may be seated in different sections of the venue.
You’ll thank us if you leave the stilettos at home and opt for a more stable wedge instead. Chunky heels and pretty sandals with low heels are another option. Some women will wear platform sneakers to Churchill Downs and everyone who has been to the races before knows to slip a pair of flip flops in your bag. Your feet will thank you at the end of the day.
Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com or Twitter @kirbylouisville.
Jim Obergefell talks LGBTQ+ rights 10 years after Supreme Court ruling
Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that legalized gay marriage nationwide, looks back on its impact 10 years later.
Happy Pride Month!
About 9% of U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or something other than heterosexual, and some places are safer for and more welcoming of those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Here’s how Kentucky ranks compared to other states.
How Kentucky ranks for being welcoming, safe for LGBTQ+ members
Kentucky ranks No. 35 out of 50 states for being welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community, according to Out Leadership’s State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index. While the commonwealth has climbed eight spots since 2019, it earned about 41 out of 100 possible points, receiving a B- grade.
The report comes as national scores continue to decline. The average state score has fallen for four consecutive years and now sits at 53.1, with 26 states scoring below 60, Out Leadership founder and CEO Todd Sears told USA TODAY.
The index suggests acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. has declined in recent years, reversing progress that once improved the well-being and safety of LGBTQ+ communities, Sears said.
“When we started this index eight years ago, the goal was to show Americans the issues that were still live but invisible — HIV criminalization, conversion therapy, where state legislators actually stood — because once marriage equality passed, a lot of people assumed the work was done. It wasn’t,” Sears said. “What we’ve documented since is a genuine regression.”
This year, Out Leadership added 12 new indicators measuring the effects of policies affecting LGBTQ+ people, including restrictions on bathroom access, pronoun and name use and gender-affirming care for adults. Sears said the additions were made to better capture policies that have increasingly affected LGBTQ+ residents and their families.
“For the last several years, we simply weren’t capturing forces that were already hitting LGBTQ+ citizens and their families,” Sears said.
SafeHome.org also ranks Kentucky on the lower side for LGBTQ+ safety. The state ranks No. 27 out of 51 jurisdictions, including Washington, D.C., and received a score of 80.7 and a B- grade.
The rankings are based on a score that combines state laws affecting LGBTQ+ residents and hate crime data. Researchers evaluated laws across several policy areas using input from a survey of more than 1,000 LGBTQ+ people and paired the results with FBI hate crime statistics before calculating the final scores.
Contributing: Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY Network. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
Kentucky got consecutive home runs from Jayce Tharnish and Tyler Bell to take a 9-6 lead over West Virginia. Chase Alderman and Nile Adcock combined to record five consecutive scoreless innings. The Bat Cats were three outs away from reaching — and hosting — a super regional.
West Virginia had other plans.
Free passes, a balk, and a three-run home run from Paul Schoenfield plated five runs in the ninth. It was absolute chaos in Kendrick Family Ballpark. Kentucky snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
That sets up one final game between the Wildcats and the Mountaineers again, but this one could sting for some time. Jeff Drummond and myself are reacting to the crushing loss by taking a look at what went wrong, how it got off the rails so quickly. and what could be on the horizon for tomorrow.
Smash that play button.
More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel
Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.
Want more coverage of the Cats? Join KSR+
KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. Now is the perfect time to join our growing online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard and House of Blue, the most vibrant message board communities in Big Blue Nation.
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There is a ton of stress right now in Lexington as Mark Pope and the staff are trying to land Milan Momcilovic, but this recruitment is being stretched out, which isn’t good for Kentucky. It sounds like the Wildcats have the highest offer NIL money wise, but he still hasn’t committed which has Kentucky fans scratching their heads.
Since Momcilovic pulled his name out of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night, Kentucky fans have felt pretty good about him being a Wildcat, but with the Wildcats being the hot name in the recruitment, fans wanted this done sooner rather than later. The other schools that are involved in this recruitment are Louisville and Arizona.
Louisville has spent a ton of money this offseason, but it sounds like they still have more in the tank, knowing their offer isn’t far off from Kentucky’s, according to reports. Arizona hasn’t offered as much as these two schools, so if Momcilovic were in it for the money, one would imagine that he ends up at Louisville or Kentucky.
When it comes to his system fit at these two schools, he fits in well with what both Pope and Pat Kelsey want to do. These teams want to shoot the three-ball a ton, and Momcilovic is the best shooter in college basketball. Both Kentucky and Louisville are in need of some shooters, so he would be a massive addition to either of these rosters.
Knowing the Wildcats had a ton of early momentum in this recruitment, Big Blue Nation wanted this to be a done deal late last week or early this weekend. It is midday on Sunday, and there is no word on his recruitment. It is head-scratching for Kentucky fans knowing that the Wildcats have a massive offer on the table, but he still hasn’t picked Kentucky.
While I do believe he will end up in Lexington, it is definitely a little bit concerning that he hasn’t done it already, knowing the Wildcats have thrown a ton of money his way. Pope knows how important adding a player like Momcilovic is to the upside of this team, so if he isn’t able to land him, things could get ugly next season in Lexington.
There is a world where he could commit later this evening, but if this keeps drawing out over the next few days, it really seems like Momcilovic might not want to be a Wildcat unless he is looking for more NIL money.
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