I've been invited to a Derby party. I've never been - no idea until I learned I'm supposed to dress up. Suggestions on what to wear, and where to find these items?

Madras and pastels are always Derby favorites along with a sporty fedora and dark shades.

I won best dressed male at a party last year. (Free bottle of bourbon!) I wore a white dress shirt, dark blue blazer, matching pastel color bow tie and pocket square, and brown dress shoes. Any version of that will suffice. If you want to go all out, get a seersucker suit with bow tie, suspenders, pocket square, and a gentleman's straw boating hat.

We had Derby parties for years being the lone KY representative in the neighborhood, always fun, every year we'd get asked if we were doing it again.

It depends on how much you want to get into it, Derby isn't a costume thing, for ladies, summer dress, and a hat with lots of color, flowers, or even whimsical.



Now if you want to look the part a seer sucker suit, cane, and you'll want to bring a silver cup for your julip, practice up on your "darlin", y'all, and if wanting to be inclusive of a group, "all y'all"

Generally a nice button down shirt, khakis, bass wejuns (penny loafers) no socks, ray ban aviators,

Stop by a local para mutual office and pick up a derby program for the day at churchill downs.

If you know how many folks will be there a great give away is to buy $2 win tickets on each horse, then let folks draw, someone will win a real derby bet.

Before the horses post for the Derby they will play My Old Kentucky Home, a Stephen Foster song, it's tradition and knowing the lyrics will endear you to any true Kentuckians.

Its a sacred thing, don't muck it up.

My Old Kentucky Home

The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn-top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom
While the birds make music all the day.

The young folks roll on the little cabin floor
All merry, all happy and bright;
By 'n by hard times comes a knocking at the door
Then my old Kentucky home, Good-night!

Chorus:

Weep no more my lady.
Oh! Weep no more today!
We will sing one song
For my old Kentucky home
For the old Kentucky home, far away.

https://www.kentuckyderby.com/

Go in a Union General's uniform.

Only time I went to a Derby party, I wore a plaid Brooks Bros sports jacket, white shirt, tan slacks, dress shoes, stuff I had. I bought a bow tie and a straw fedora hat to add to the above.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Go in a Union General's uniform.

It's KY, a Colonels Uniform would be appropriate

Looking at that spiffy hat, I guess one doesn't wear a Derby to the Derby.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Go in a Union General's uniform.

It's KY, a Colonels Uniform would be appropriate

This guy was the real deal, and don’t forget the bucket!

Get a long wig......do a couple lines of coke so you are all jittery and high strung and hire a dwarf to ride on your back.

Clothing....your choice but less is best

You should go as Louisville Native, Hunter S. Thompson who authored "The Kentucky Derby is decadent and depraved".

https://sensitiveskinmagazine....cadent-and-depraved/

How tall are you? This 'could' be an option.