The HerKentucky Guide to Keeneland's Dress Code

The search terms that most often lead new readers to HerKentucky involve the Keeneland dress code. We get a whole lot of folks who wonder what they should wear to the Paddock, the Clubhouse, and all spaces in-between. Tomorrow is Opening Day -- one of Lexington's biggest spring holidays -- so we thought we'd revisit the HerKentucky Guide to Keeneland's Dress Code, which we originally posted last year, to get you ready.  

Of course, if you're still in doubt, you can always visit our favorite Lexington boutiques -- AJ's Casuals, Bella Rose, Monkee's and The Peppermint Palm -- and get some ideas! Most of all, I hope you look nice, win big, and enjoy the races!! -- HCW

Every year, in springtime and autumn, it seems that tons of new visitors arrive at HerKentucky  with variants of the same search: "What should I wear to Keeneland?"  I always want to reach out through Google, find all of y'all in Jacksonville, Ontario, and everywhere in-between, give you a hug and say "look nice and be yourself."

Now, the dress codes for Keeneland vary pretty wildly according to your location.  That really is my favorite thing about this racetrack.  There's a way to have fun at any budget, and at any level of dress.  But, as we've said before here at HerKentucky, visitors to Keeneland just try a little harder.

If you're going to stay near the Paddock -- General Admission, Grandstand, or Equestrian Room -- there's no need to dress up very much.  Guys are fine in khakis and polo shirts, and girls can wear slacks.  In fact, you may even see folks wearing (gasp!) jeans.  These are the areas nearest the track itself, and people are truly there to watch (and bet on) the horses. With that said, don't be surprised to see a lot of dresses and sport coats in the lower-levels.  In recent years, a culture of dressy tailgating (think Steeplechase) has popped up among college students and twenty-somethings, and the second floor (General Admission) Sports Bar often resembles a campus bar or fraternity semi-formal.  While the dress code says "casual", there's plenty of Vineyard Vines and Lilly Pulitzer to be seen.

If you'll be dining in the upper-level, enclosed dining rooms-- The Lexington, Kentucky, or Phoenix Rooms-- then expect to dress for a business event.  The Lexington and Kentucky rooms -- dining rooms often reserved for business and social gatherings-- have a "business formal" dress code; these areas require men to don a coat and tie, and skirts/dresses/dressy slacks for ladies.  The Phoenix Room-- another reserved dining room-- is "business casual", requiring collared shirts and slacks for men and dresses/pantsuits for ladies.  During the week, many professionals take long business lunches in these areas, as is reflected in their dress code. 

The members-only Clubhouse similarly requires coat and tie for men and dressy pants/skirts for ladies.  I find that a skirt suit or a dress paired with a pretty cardigan or wrap is always appropriate for the upper levels.  In general, if you'd wear it to church or a business meeting, you're golden.  Most of all, remember to look nice because you'll see plenty of people!

What do y'all wear to Keeneland?

{all images via Keeneland.}

Just This Once.

I freaking love The Tournament.

It's almost a joke among my family and friends. When the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament rolls around, the retired cheerleader comes out in me in a major way. As does the type A++ planner. My brackets are always kept up to date, using that year's "bracket pen." (Oh, come on. Nothing looks tackier than mixing ink types/colors.) I always know what game is on and what channel is carrying it. I know the seeds and the backstories. I've tried all season to keep up with other conferences, just so I can talk about their teams, their players, and their respective strengths. Apparently, it's funny how obsessive I get with watching mid-major games from other time zones, just so I'll know what's in the field. Some people call it ridiculous; I call it being prepared. I don't want any surprises going into The Tournament. I guess it's the curse of being a coach's daughter.

Now, this year, The Tournament brought more surprises than I could ever anticipate. My beloved Wildcats, coming off an abysmal season, didn't even earn an invitation. I found myself watching from a distance -- not really caring even when teams I'm interested in (or hate) were playing. But, then, Sunday night, something changed.

Louisville guard Kevin Ware suffered the most horrific injury I've seen in a long-assed time. Just watching it on TV was gut-wrenching. Twitter equated it to the Joe Theismann - Lawrence Taylor injury (y'all Lee Anne Tuohy fans know the one...); all I could think of was the time I was standing at the rail at Keeneland when a horse went down and threw a jockey. Even though sports are fueled by high speeds and high level physical performance, you just never really expect a serious injury to occur. As a spectator, you're physically sick and you just don't want to be there any more. Personally, I just can't watch the injury footage. I turned the TV off when it was Marcus Lattimore back in football season, and when it was our own Nerlens Noel earlier this year. This time, I almost followed suit, but I was haunted by the image before me.

via Philly.com

It wasn't the replays of the awful fall that got to me. It wasn't the graphic focus on Ware's injury. It was the pure pain and love and despair expressed by his fellow Cardinals. These boys were in anguish at the site of their teammate's pain. And they channeled their own pain into one of the most convincing victories I've seen this season. Coach Pitino, whom I've scorned for as long as I can remember, was brushing away real live tears of heartbreak. Chane Behanan donned his teammate's number as a tribute. And they beat the crap out of Duke, which is always a good thing.

Two hours earlier, I'd been fed up with the sanctimonious folks who'd wanted to ruin my Easter by reminding me that Louisville "is still an in-state school" and that I should support them. As I tweeted from Easter dinner, I'm fully apprised of the city's geography. They aren't my team. I just wasn't cheering for anybody. But, as I watched the way those kids pulled together, I realized where my focus should be, at least for the next week. Geography or rivalry aside, these kids are a team. They like each other a lot, and they are willing to make sacrifices for each other. That's what wins The Tournament. 

So, just for a week or so, I'm pulling for that amazing team to win it all. They have the talent and they certainly have the heart. Kevin Ware is receiving tons of support and encouragement and quality healthcare treatment. He'll be back next year. Joe Theismann says so. We'll start a new season in a week. Kentucky will scoop up Andrew Wiggins and I'll go ahead and pre-order my 2014 National Champs Tervis Tumbler. But, for this week, I'm changing that bracket pen to Cardinal Red ink and rooting for the team that deserves it the most.

Here, in print for the world to read forever, is the only time you'll ever see me say it.  
Go Cards.

The HerKentucky Easter Basket Wishlist

If you're like me, you're going to be spending Easter Sunday with a big family dinner, a fancy dress hidden under a sweater, and the resolve to not eat too many Peeps. I thought it would be fun to put together a couple of Easter Baskets full of Kentucky-themed products to go along with those holiday plans!

HerKentucky Easter Basket by herkentucky on Polyvore

• The littlest gal on your Easter list will love this Savannah Seersucker Bonnet from Lexington's own Beaufort Bonnet Company. This monogrammable bonnet makes an amazing keepsake of her first Easter.
• I adore the Lilly Pulitzer Just Add Mint print for spring. With all the fixin's for a julep, it's sure to be a hit at the spring races. Both the Lexington and Louisville Peppermint Palm stores have plenty of this fun print in stock, including my favorite, the Lavender skirt, as well as the Leandra and Lacina dresses.
• Mellen Designs strikes again! Dress your iPhone 4 or 5 in your favorite team colors with the Winning Team Phone Case.

HerKentucky's Easter Basket for Him by herkentucky on Polyvore

• The little guy in your life will look sharp in the Baylor Bow Tie from Beaufort Bonnet. I love the monogram option!
• Treat your beau to a bourbon class at the 1785 Bourbon Societyat Midway's Holly Hill Inn. I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a tasting; I left feeling a little happier and a lot more knowledgeable about Kentucky's native spirit!
• Of course, what your favorite Kentucky fan wants is a commitment from Andrew Wiggins. I doubt the Easter Bunny can swing that one, but this Waterford crystal paperweight commemorating our 8th National Title is pretty nice.

Hoops and Horses

Spring in the Bluegrass seems to have brought some interesting things this year.

1. Lack of UK Men's basketball in the NCAA Tournament
2. UK Hoops (Women) making it to the NCAA Tourney Sweet 16
3. Snow

I will leave the basketball commentary to our more sports-inclined writers. And luckily for you, I won't spend the next few hundred words writing about how awful snow in late March is. Instead, I'll share something that IS consistent with spring: Keeneland.

Next Friday is opening day of the 2013 Spring Meet at Keeneland, and it comes at a time where we're ready to bust out of our houses in springy dresses and sunglasses. We look forward to betting on gorgeous thoroughbreds and sipping on bourbon in the sunshine. 

If you're like me, you've been shopping with Keeneland in mind. Thankfully florals are a huge trend right now, as is the Pantone color the year, Emerald. This means a plethora of options for the month of April and days spent in the sun.

If the sun and temperatures don't cooperate with our outfits, remember to just layer some tights, keep your boots out, and add a cardigan and wool coat over your flowered frock. Keeneland is one spring tradition that should never be broken. 

UK Hoops

March Madness.

Usually, those words signify three weeks of bracket-making, tv-watching, referee-cursing, and general lost productivity for most Kentuckians. We're glued to the games, cheering on our 'Cats or our Cards or our Hilltoppers or our Eagles. We support our own teams, and sometimes we extend our allegiances to all reaches of the Commonwealth. Or sometimes we don't.

This year, the men's brackets have been a mixed bag for Kentuckians. WKU's Hilltoppers made a fine run, losing to Kansas in a heartbreaking second (I guess we call it the third now??) round game. Coach Cal and his team brought the Big Blue Nation a roller-coaster season full of injury, disappointment, and "what-ifs." Coach Pitino's Cardinals, on the other hand, are headed to the Sweet Sixteen this week and playing as well as anyone in the field. It's either the best or the worst March ever, depending on your team preference.

As the women's NCAA tournament enters the second round, two Kentucky teams are still in the field. Louisville's women's team plays Purdue tonight at 7:00. At the same time, UK Hoops takes on Dayton. Now, y'all know that I'm a ridiculous Wildcat fan, so -- just maybe -- I'm a little biased. Still, Coach Mitchell's team is my absolute favorite team left anywhere in the brackets. They're tough, they're talented, and they're just so damn fun to watch.

If you haven't caught any women's basketball this season, tune in to the UK game tonight. We have some amazing players -- Jennifer O'Neill and A'dia Mathies are the best pair of guards I've seen anywhere this season. We have teamwork, a love of the game, and a really fun style of play. Even more importantly, the Hoops team has the most adorable coach in the sport (and the winningest coach in the women's team's history...), Matthew Mitchell. Y'all tell me the last time you saw Rick or Cal do the Dougie.

Go 'Cats!

Western Kentucky Women: Gerry B. Montgomery and Dolly McNutt

I've recently been receiving profiles of famous Kentucky women in celebration of Women's History Month. Not surprisingly, most of these women hail from the usual hot spots - Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort.

Well, I'm here to tell you far Western Kentucky has its own set of impressive women.

Growing up in Paducah, I was influenced at a young age by our female mayor Gerry B. Montgomery. She served our fair town from 1988 to 1996 proclaiming it Quilt City U.S.A. during her tenure. I was always so impressed with her strong leadership and how everyone in town always spoke of her with such respect.

I wonder how much it influenced my own political ambitions that I grew up seeing a woman so comfortable in a position of power. Something far too many young girls grow up without.

I had always assumed Gerry B. Montgomery was the first female mayor of Paducah. Imagine my surprise when I learned about Dolly McNutt. I had driven past Dolly McNutt Plaza a thousand times but never taken the time to learn about the woman for which the plaza was named.

From the Jackson Purchase History Organization,

“Madam Eloquent” was a title bestowed on Alice “Dolly” McNutt by those who heard her speak.  She was the first woman to become the mayor of a second-class city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in 1971. Dolly carried 22 of the 28 precincts and tied for another.  During her tenure in office the city enjoyed many federal funds that went for improvement of the infrastructure such as improved sewers and sewage treatment facilities.  Also, new water, power, and sewer lines went out to what is now Kentucky Oaks Mall and out Coleman Road.  Locally, she fully funded the pension funds for both fire and police departments.  Hueblein opened a plant in Paducah to produce vodka.  Bill Bartleman and Berry Craig summed up the career of Mrs. Houston McNutt in the Paducah Sun on January 13, 1989.  Their article reported Judge J. William Howerton saying, “She didn’t count votes before she took a position on an issue.  She decided what was best and worked to accomplish that, without concern about how it was going to affect her politically.”  Former Governor Julian Carroll felt Mrs. McNutt was one of the rare people who not only was intelligent, but also had the ability to communicate.  “We very rarely see anyone that has both of those abilities and because of it, she had a tremendous influence in her leadership in the General Assembly and as mayor.”" (This excerpt from Paducahans, Famous and Not so Famous by Allan Rhodes, Sr. and John E. L. Robertson, Sr.; used by permission) 

Dolly McNutt served in the Kentucky State House of Representatives from 1976 to 1986.  An outdoor civic plaza in Paducah is named in her honor.  Alice “Dolly” Hite McNutt died of cancer on January 11, 1989 and is buried beside her husband, Samuel Houston McNutt, in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Paducah, KY.

I love the idea of a strong Kentucky women getting things done while impressing everyone with her eloquent words and sharp wit.

I love the idea of a proud history of strong Paducah women even more - continued to this day with our current mayor Gayle Kaler.

~ Sarah Stewart Holland

What's a Kentucky Fan To Do?

So, got any plans this weekend? As a lifelong and loyal Kentucky fan, I’d like to skip the tournament and plunge myself headfirst into Derby festivities, but  I live over here in North Carolina, and there aren’t any. Specifically, I live in Wake County, home of NC State and a 45 minute drive to either UNC or Duke. As you can imagine, living here amongst these similarly basketball crazed folks, I find it much more fun when we win the championship than I do when we are knocked out of the NIT by Zack Morris. Fine, whatever. Robert Morris.

Actually, living outside of Kentucky for such a long time has allowed me to almost want U of L to win a game or two, and that’s saying something. Go Birds. And while I’m mentioning Kentucky schools in the tournament, here’s hoping that Western Kentucky becomes the first 16 seed to upset a 1 seed. If anyone loves to choke in the tournament, it’s Kansas, so here’s your chance, Toppers!

Anyway, as difficult as some of the past week’s games have been for many of us to watch, there has been a multitude of excellent basketball programs available to ease the pain. Let's review my favorites.

1. Of course there has been coverage of Julius Randle joining the Harrison twins, James Young, Dakari Johnson, and Marcus Lee in Kentucky’s next recruiting class. Some analysts are calling this the best recruiting class ever, by anyone, anywhere. (Did you hear that, Fab Five?) And what’s important about that? Well, this kind of news serves as the light at the end of a disappointing tunnel. And of course that light is another banner hanging from the rafters at Rupp.

Welcome to the BBN, Julius!

2. Did you catch Bluegrass Kingdom: The Gospel of Kentucky Basketball? Any Kentucky fan would declare it the finest of love letters to our beloved basketball team and the most passionate fanbase ever known. I wager that even someone who didn’t necessarily like Kentucky but appreciates history and good basketball could think of a nice word or two. You will see everyone from Pat Riley to MKG singing the praises of the program. If you missed it, and I hope you didn’t, you can catch it here.

3. We were also drawn into the latest 30 for 30 on ESPN, which heralded Jimmy Valvano and his 1983 NC State Tournament Champions. The documentary is called Survive and Advance, which coincidentally is my mantra for each day with all my sports crazed, busy boys; well-traveled husband; and geriatric dog. But back to Jimmy V... I think that anyone with a heart that isn’t cold and dark has to admire such an inspirational man and the courage with which he lived out the end of his life. The touching way that his former players reunite and reminisce about the days of their unbelievable Cinderella run (which were apparently 30 years ago – excuse me, whaaaat?) brought me to tears. Don’t care who you pull for here in the ACC – you would give Jimmy V. a standing ovation if you could.

Cats or no Cats, of course I will still watch plenty of basketball in the coming weeks. No time like NCAA Tournament time is more rife with rivalry and excitement. Having lived in both Kentucky and North Carolina, we have certainly witnessed some intense rivalries. One thing I know for sure? Whether you love the Cats or the Cards, the Heels or the Pack, there is a single, common thread that binds all of us together. None of us likes this guy:

*Apologies to my three friends who actually do like this guy