Lilly Pulitzer and the Kentucky Derby
The famed Palm Beach clothing designer's ties to the Kentucky Derby
(Reposting this popular post, which was originally written in 2016. This post was brought to you by Shircliff Publishing. For more Kentucky Derby history, download The Kentucky Derby Book by Bill Doolittle for only $9.99; available in Kindle and iBooks editions.)
Here in Kentucky, a lot of us love to wear our Lilly Pulitzer prints to the racetrack. A flattering dress in a bright, preppy print is the perfect outfit for a day at Keeneland or Churchill Downs. Lots of us break out our favorite Lilly dresses for Kentucky Derby week activities. But did you know that Lilly Pulitzer herself had lots of ties to the Derby and thoroughbred horse racing?
Lilly's famous Derby-themed prints
Lilly's stepfather, Ogden Phipps took horses quite seriously. He used Paris, Kentucky's storied Claiborne Farms, for the breeding and training of his horses. He helped found the New York Racing Association and served as Chairman of the Jockey Club for over twenty year, and he lost the famous coin toss that awarded Secretariat to Penny Chenery. Mr. Phipps owned horses that won the Breeder's Cup and the Belmont, but a Kentucky Derby win eluded him. In fact, in the 2004 book Essentially Lilly, Lilly told her co-author, Jay Mulveny, "I don't race, but everyone in the family has had horses in the Derby. And no one has ever won."
While Lilly never saw a relative win the Kentucky Derby, her half-brother Dinny Phipps did win the Derby with Orb in 2013, only a month after Lilly's passing.
Of course, longtime HerKentucky readers know that Lilly's ties to Kentucky don't stop with her family's racing heritage. Lilly briefly lived in Eastern Kentucky, putting her love of horseback riding to good use as she volunteered as a courier for Mary Breckinridge's Frontier Nursing Service.
And, of course, the Lilly Pulitzer company has put out some lovely Derby- and racing- themed prints over the years; these prints are traditionally cherished by Kentucky Lilly-lovers!
My grandmother made me this quilt from a vintage, Kentucky Derby-themed Lilly print.
Shop my favorite Lilly Dresses for Kentucky Derby 145!
Why Do We Wear Hats to the Kentucky Derby?
Did you ever wonder why we wear elaborate hats to the Kentucky Derby? Well, the history of the Kentucky Derby goes back to the Derby Stakes in Britain, known here in the States as the Epsom Derby. The Epsom Derby was first run in 1780 and is the highest-purse horse race in Britain.
In 1873, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. visited Europe, taking in the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp. He returned home to Louisville and organized the race now known as the Kentucky Derby, looking toward these races for inspiration for track design, race length and other details. When the Kentucky Derby began in 1875, Kentucky ladies wore their finest to the races, just as their British counterparts did. Of course, in those days, finery included a chapeau, and the tradition stuck.
Kentucky Derby 1938. via The Huffington Post.
These days, a Derby Hat is the first thing most ladies look for when they make place for the big race. Kate Welsh, co-owner of The Hat Girls, the Official Hat Designers of the Kentucky Derby Festival, says "Sixty percent of our business is custom work, which wasn’t in our original business plan. We find that, typically, a lady wants to pick out her clothes around the hat. Others want a custom design made from dresses they’ve already picked out."
Of course, there's a fine line between a dramatic hat and one that's too comfortable for race day wear. Kate Welsh says "We’re very honest with customers about what works for them. People try the hats on, and they don’t always realize that an adjustable hat brim only helps them so much. As designers, we try to limit how many feathers or sequins we add to the hat so thatit’s not sagging down into the customer’s face."
Rachel Bell, Ms. Welsh's Hat Girls partner, notes that their designs do strike a balance between practicality and flair. "But, at the same time, the hat usually is the focal point of the outfit."
Kate Walsh of The Hat Girls shows a hat that was custom-made to match a client's Derby Dress.
Whether your preferred look is a practical fascinator or a show-stopping chapeau, you can thank the Derby's English roots -- and especially Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr's trip to Epsom -- for the tradition of Kentucky Derby Hats.
Want to learn more about the Kentucky Derby's history? Download The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle, now in eBook format, on Amazon or iBooks.
Kentucky Derby Book Giveaway!
Bill Doolittle's The Kentucky Derby: Derby Fever, Derby Day, and the Run for the Roses® captures the heritage and history of the Derby!
Derby is only two weeks away, y'all!
If you love the pageantry and history of The Kentucky Derby, or if you're looking for a gift for a Derby fanatic, you'll love The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle. This stunning coffee table book tells the story of the most exciting two minutes in sports from Meriwether Lewis Clark's original race based on the Epsom Derby up to American Pharoah's thrilling victory.
I love my copy of The Kentucky Derby because it features Digimarc Discover® technology, which allows me to use my iPhone to watch video footage pertaining to the story. You can actually watch some of the races that the author references, or watch a video to help you make a better mint julep. It's such a cool way to get more immersed into the story!
I also love that Shircliff Publishing is committed to giving back to the community. If you order a hardback copy directly through the book's website, you can choose among several Louisville-area charities to receive a donation of $10 your purchase price at no additional charge to you!
If coffee table books aren't your jam, The Kentucky Derby is now available as an ebook! You can choose from Amazon Kindle or iBooks for your tablet, Kindle, or smartphone. For only $9.99, the ebook format is a great way to learn the history of the Derby on the go!
HerKentucky has teamed up with Shircliff Publishing to give one reader a hardcover copy of The Kentucky Derby (a $50 value). You can enter using the rafflecopter raffle below. The contest ends Sunday, April 23rd at midnight; the winner will be contacted and announced on Monday morning.
Please let us know in the comments section: What is your favorite Kentucky Derby tradition?
In the spirit of disclosure and transparency, please note that I have an ongoing business relationship with Shircliff Publishing, the company that produced The Kentucky Derby book. All opinions are, as always, my own.
Derby-Pie®
Perhaps the most iconic of all Kentucky Derby dishes is the Derby-Pie®; in fact, Derby is right there in the pastry’s name! Served warm or cool, with ice cream, whipped cream, or all by itself, Derby-Pie® is one of those treats that you just can’t pass up. The signature mix of chocolate chips and walnuts, the oh-so-light filling, the flaky pastry. Every time you take a bite, you feel like a cross between an amateur chef and a detective: Is that a taste of bourbon? Or maybe vanilla? No, it’s got to be a high-rye bourbon; the tartness will offset the sweetness of the chocolate…
Of course, the secrets of Derby-Pie® are closely guarded by Kern’s Kitchen, a family-owned company here in Louisville. The story goes that, in the early 1950s, George Kern was managing the restaurant at the Melrose Inn in Prospect, KY, just outside of Louisville. With the help of his parents, Walter and Leaudra Kern, George came up with a signature dessert for the restaurant. Once the recipe was perfected, the Kerns needed a great name for their creation, which combined the flavors of a chocolate chip cookie and a nut pie. So, they wrote several suggestions on slips of paper, and threw those into a hat. The winning name was, of course, Derby Pie, a reference to the big horse race just a few miles down the road. Soon, the Kerns were met with so many copycats of their delicious dessert that, in 1968, they filed for federal trademark protection of the term Derby-Pie®.
The Melrose Inn is long gone, having closed its doors in 2000, but the Kern’s Kitchen company is going strong, selling their delicious pies in restaurants and retailers throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. For over fifty years, Derby-Pie® has been the taste of the Kentucky Derby for Kentuckians who are way too young to place a bet or order a mint julep, who miss their Old Kentucky Homes, or for those attending parties en route to the Derby. We may not know exactly what’s in a Derby-Pie®, but we know it tastes like Derby Season!
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book blog. Special thanks to the folks at Kern's Kitchen for Derby-Pie® photos!}
Kentucky Derby Beauty with Primp Style Lounge
Tips to help you look your best on Derby day!
Kentucky Derby Day is, from a fashion standpoint, the most important day of many Kentucky ladies' year. The perfect Derby ensemble takes planning: the hat has to complement the dress, as Hat Girls Kate and Rachel reminded us last week, and the hair and makeup have to complement the hat. I sat down with Shannon Kessler, the founder of Primp Style Lounge, Louisville's premier blow dry lounge, and Cathy Shircliff, the Sales and Marketing Director for Shircliff Publishing (who also served as our model for this blog post!), to talk Derby Day beauty.
Heather C. Watson: What suggestions do you have for Derby Day beauty?
Shannon Kessler: Derby weather is unpredictable. Don’t overglam it; you could very easily wind up with raccoon eyes. Rather, take your normal look and glam it up. Enhance your daily routine, because you’ll be taking lots of pictures!
As for hair, the hat or head piece determines the hairstyle. If you’re doing a fascinator, think of your hairstyle as a trusty sidekick. Beachy waves are always a great option. If you’re wearing a big hat, let that remain a focal point. Choose a low, messy side bun, or a boho chic side braid, which can be worn up or down.
The most important tip for hair is to use the right product! You wouldn’t put the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven without seasoning it, would you? Use a memory locking product to season the hair. If you’re using the right product, you can go from Oaks to Derby without a new blowout. At Primp, we use Eufora products to properly prep your hair for a blowout that lasts several days. We do most of the prep work while the hair is still wet, and finish with hairspray once it’s dry for a finished look.
HCW: What beauty trends are you seeing for spring and Derby season?
SK: We're seeing a movement toward natural and texturized hair, not something that looks too polished or overly “done.” The look is more boho, so you don't seem so finished and fussy for the track.
As for makeup, start with a natural glow; you can transition to a more polished look for evening galas. Some of the trends we’re seeing this year are lips in soft yet bright pink shades; a lot of pink lips with smoky, neutral eyes.
HCW: What beauty tips would you provide for ladies who want to look their best on Derby Day?
SK: Set your makeup with a primer or a finishing spray for all day coverage. Of course, use waterproof mascara. For lips, use a locking color or stain so you aren’t constantly having to stop and reapply. Having a great lip gloss on hand is always a great idea!
Use the right products to prep hair, but having a 2oz hairspray on hand (if your bag allows) never hurts! Keep bobby pins in your bag! You never know when you’ll ned to secure your hat or your hair (or even your dress!) Always take a stack of band-aids; even if you don’t need them, there may be out-of-towners around who didn’t know to come prepared!
Use the right products to prep hair, but having a 2oz hairspray on hand (if your bag allows) never hurts! Keep bobby pins in your bag! You never know when you’ll ned to secure your hat or your hair (or even your dress!) Always take a stack of band-aids; even if you don’t need them, there may be out-of-towners around who didn’t know to come prepared!
Cathy Shircliff: What happens when clients come in with ideas that won’t work for them?
SK: I stress that shorter hair needs to stay down working with a full style; lots of volume. This style highlights the hair that you have – it simply won’t go into a ponytail or a low, messy bun. Often, clients come in with looks from Pinterest that are hard to replicate – their hair is often different in structure or texture from the hair used in the photo. I’ve learned to say with brides “Tell me what you like about that photo” so that we can incorporate elements into a look that works for them. For Derby, we stress making sure that the client’s hat or fascinator works with her hair type; a lot of times, short or fine hair can’t be revived for an evening look if it’s been under a heavy hat or fascinator all day.
Call Primp Style Lounge or visit their website today to book an appointment! Derby weekend appointments are nearly all booked up at Primp's St. Matthews Lounge, but the Middletown Lounge may still have some availability. Special thanks to Shannon Kessler and Samantha Stewart for providing Cathy's look, and to Merci Boutique for loaning gorgeous hats for the photo shoot!
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book blog.