Designing the Perfect Kentucky Derby Hat

The 140th Kentucky Derby is almost here, y'all.

I've already bought a commemorative Derby Glass and sipped a little something minty from it. And, like most Louisvillians, I've already given a lot of thought to my Derby Hat. So, I was thrilled when the folks from Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse asked me to participate in their Derby Hat Trunk Show and Fundraiser!

Off Broadway sent me a hat and asked me to decorate it however I liked and return it to their Shelbyville Road store to be auctioned off to benefit The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. Well, who could say no to the opportunity to create a beautiful hat while helping benefit the Derby City?

Of course, the first thing you need for the perfect Derby Hat is flowers. Striking, unique flowers are the key to any well-designed hat. So, I headed to Dee's, Louisville's beloved spot for Derby hat decorations.

Dee's was certainly ready for Derby, with flowers, feathers, and equestrian-themed merchandise everywhere!

It was hard to decide among all the gorgeous feathers and flowers! I wanted to use them all!

Finally, I decided on my favorite flowers -- an assortment of lilies -- and a fun aqua and white color scheme that looked so striking against the red hat. 

Please join Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse at 4600 Shelbyville Road, Suite 201 this Saturday, April 26, for their hat event. Local stylists and hat designer Carole Amper will be there to help you pick out the perfect hat for your Derby ensemble. You'll have the opportunity to bid on my hat, as well as those designed by other community members!

Thanks so much to Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse for letting me take part in this fabulous event! I hope to see y'all there!

Lexington Party and Sample Sale for sizes 10+

This Saturday in Lexington, I'm hosting a party and sample sale with fashion in sizes 10-32. Fashion above a size 10 can be so difficult to find, and this will be the first time items from designers like Kiyonna, IGIGI, Karen Kane, and more will be available on-site in Kentucky!

The clothing comes from Gwynnie Bee, which is a monthly subscription clothing service that I'm obsessed with. The sample items being sold are gently worn rental inventory but all have been thoroughly inspected and cleaned. Best of all, everything will be $20 or less!

You can find the invitation on Facebook, where I'll also be posting some sneak peeks of items that will be for sale. Please invite your friends and family. Did I mention we'll have snacks, sweets, and mimosas?!

Post by Authentically Emmie.

Will I see you on Saturday?

The 2014 HerKentucky Easter Basket Guide

I love the idea of giving thoughtful, unexpected little presents to the folks I love. These fun Easter basket picks are a great way to support local businesses with fun presents.

Southern Belle Glitz Kentucky State Love Necklace

I wear this fun, delicate chain necklace All. The. Time, and I get compliments every single time. It's a great way to show your Kentucky pride, and at only $16, it's perfect for the littlest Kentucky girl in your life. You should probably go ahead and pick one up for yourself as well. Available online from Georgetown-based Southern Belle Glitz.

Macarons from Ghyslain at Westport Village

Macarons are never a bad idea. Pick up these gorgeous spring shades at Ghyslain at Westport Village in Louisville.

Easter bonnets or bucket hats from The Beaufort Bonnet Company

How precious are these for Easter Sunday? Check out Lexington-based The Beaufort Bonnet Company for adorable hats for your Belle or Beau.

Country Rabbit Pottery from Hadley Pottery

Louisville's Hadley Pottery is known for their classic "Country" pattern. These bunnies will make a stunning Easter table.

The gift of service

Why not teach your kids that it's far better to give than to receive by getting involved with The Toy Chest, a Lexington-based charity that provides toys, books, and clothing to children who need them? Learn more here.  

{Southern Belle Glitz is a HerKentucky sponsor for April and May. All opinions are my own.}

A Beaufort Bonnet Easter

After a brief hiatus from social media a couple of months ago, I happened to look at my Instagram feed on the last day of The Beaufort Bonnet Company's Waterlogue photo contest. Although I missed the contest, I discovered a new App for my iPhone.  In case you've never heard of it, Waterlogue is a very simple to use App that transforms your photos into watercolor-like images.  (By the way, I am always looking for photo Apps, so please let me know some of your favorites.)

There is nothing more classic than a bonnet.  Every single picture of my daughter in her Beaufort Bonnet looks timeless, especially as a watercolor portrait.  Here are a few of my favorites:

I loved this last one so much that I ordered a standout from Mpix just to see how well it would print.  Turns out, not too bad.

As my daughter gets older, it saddens me to think that one day she will no longer wear a bonnet, especially at Easter.  This year, the Easter Bunny is giving her the Pippa Petal Hat with a pink seersucker bow.  I look forward to seeing her in this precious sun hat as she races around on her new walker we decorated for her upcoming egg hunt.  

Now, I just need to get a message to the Easter Bunny that an original watercolor portrait is on my wish list. Happy Easter!

(Psst)...There's still time for the Easter Bunny to find a Beaufort Bonnet at the following Kentucky stores:

Animal Crackers

3634 Brownsboro Road

Louisville, KY 40207

ph. 502-896-2339

Baby Bundles

161 Lexington Green Circle, Ste. B3

Lexington, KY 40503

ph. 859-309-0459

Blossoms

805 Frederica Street

Owensboro, KY 42301

ph. 270-689-2229

Choate's Gift Shop

1939 Kentucky Ave.

Paducah, KY 42003

ph. 270-442-1798

Hopscotch

120 Clay Avenue

Lexington, KY 40502

ph. 859-258-2923

Kid's Stuff

300 North Mayo Trail

Pikeville, KY 41501

ph. 606-432-8197

Lad n' Lassie Children's Boutique

188 West Court Street

Prestonsburg, KY 41653

ph. 606-886-3142

Lucy's Fine Gifts

1945 Scottsville Road

Bowling Green, KY 42104

ph. 270-781-2008

L.V. Harkness & Co.

531 West Short Street

Lexington, KY 40507

ph. 859-225-7474

The Plaid Rabbit

209 North 12th Street

Murray, KY 42071

ph. 270-753-7534

Nancy's Place

133 West Main Street

Springfield, KY 40069

ph. 859-336-0026

Wait's Hill Gifts

401 South Main Street

Somerset, KY 42501

ph. 606-678-0512

Bourbon Glazed Bacon

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 Yes, you read that right, delicious Bourbon. Glazed. Bacon. Should I even keep writing? I am sure all you can think is bacon, bacon, bacon, bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, MUST MAKE bourbon glazed bacon immediately, if not sooner.

And you should! Its sweet, smokey, salty bacon bourbon goodness makes it a delightful treat for any time of day. I would recommend that you make this when you are serving a crowd. A taste here and a taste there can turn into half a plate of bacon in the blink of an eye. That may or may not have happened to me today. All in the name of research...right?

The best part is that it is so simple to make and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry already! This would be the perfect addition to any Easter Brunch or Derby Party.

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Bourbon Glazed Bacon

• 1 Package of Thick Cut Bacon - Preferably from Kentucky. 
• 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup of Your Favorite Bourbon
• 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
• Pinch of Salt
• Dash of Chipotle Powder
• Dash of Cinnamon
• Dash of Cayenne
• Chopped Pecans (optional) 

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350. 
2. Line your jelly roll pans with aluminum foil. I used three layers (a piece on each side and then one down the middle) to ensure that it was an easy clean up. Top your aluminum foil with a cooling rack, this will allow the bacon to get extra crispy.
3. Combine light brown sugar, bourbon, maple syrup and spices in gallon size freezer bag. 
4. Cut bacon in half and add to freezer bag. 
5. Toss that beautiful bacon until it is fully coated.
6. Put bacon on tray, careful not to over lap. 
7. Place tray of bacon on the top rack of your oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drizzle the bacon with any remaining glaze left in your freezer bag.
8. Bake for an additional 15 minutes for chewy bacon or 20 for those who like it crispy. 
9. Sprinkle with salt and chopped pecans and let bacon rest for 5 minutes.
10. Try not to eat all of it before it gets to the table!

Tips

1. I have made this a few times and the freezer bag is the easiest and cleanest way to coat the bacon. 
2. Adjust the spice according to your taste. I wanted to add a little something extra, but did not want to take away from the stars of our show. I started with a teaspoon of each and it was much too strong. 
3. Bake bacon one pan at a time on the top rack of your oven. If placed on the bottom rack, the drippings will burn. We want our smokey flavor to come from the bacon...not the oven. 
4. I know it seems odd to sprinkle salty bacon with salt, but we added a lot of sugar to that bacon and we need the salt to counter it. I would taste your bacon first to make sure it's not too salty and then lightly sprinkle. It will make a world of difference and highlight all of the flavors. 
5. Spray your cooling racks with a non-stick cooking spray and the bacon will come right off. It helps for clean up too! 

The 2014 HerKentucky Guide to Keeneland Springtime Style

Every spring, we get a ton of questions from readers; they all send some variant of the question "What should I wear to Keeneland?"  Now, if there are two things I love, it's shopping at local Kentucky boutiques and taking in a day of horse racing. I asked a few of our favorite Lexington-based boutiques to help us sort out the Keeneland Dress Code.

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 often opt for khakis and polo shirts, and women can wear slacks. 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 ties and Lilly Pulitzer to be seen. The Peppermint Palm suggests the Richelle dress -- available in pink seersucker, as shown below, mint green seersucker, or fun Lilly prints to brighten up your day at the track.

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. This Lilly Pulitzer Pearl shift from the Peppermint Palm comes in a versatile white lace that allows you to pair with a sweater or blazer for the area of your choice.

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!

AJ's Casuals suggests this Hunter Bell lace dress, DVF clutch, and Carol Bader Designs fascinator for a fancy day on the upper levels.

To coordinate with your Keeneland ensemble, we're thrilled to offer one lucky HerKentucky reader a seersucker bow clutch purse designed by our own Italian-trained handbag maven, Elizabeth Elfen! I love this bag for a day at the track, a summer wedding, or any time you want to add a little Southern sass to your ensemble.

Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and tell us what you're wearing to Keeneland this spring, and check in Thursday when we answer a pressing question about Keeneland style!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So I'm a Derby Festival Princess. What Now?

Hey y’all! I’m Grace, the gal over at A Southern Drawl --my personal style blog of all things southern, stylish, and awkward.  I’d like to describe my style as preppy, classic, and feminine (yet very much unexpected at times).  My personality, on the other hand, is quite different.  Yes, I may say y’all and may be a George Strait fan, but I’m not the typical southern proper girl.  I come from a large Lebanese family that’s always in your business.  {There’s no such thing as privacy in my family.}  So, pretty much here’s the equation of my life: Lebanese + South = Comedy.  I’m sarcastic, loud, blunt, and despite “popular” belief, I’m not graceful, have no poise, and trip in public daily {if not more}.  Sounds tragic, right? Right.

…and then I became a Kentucky Derby Festival Princess.  Go ahead, gasp.  I was pretty shocked too, to be honest.  But, don’t worry, I’ll give you some background. 

Kentucky Derby Festival {KDF} kicks off with Thunder Over Louisville  {April 12} and consists of nearly 70 events leading up to the good ol’ Kentucky Derby {go baby go!}.  As for the KDF Royal Court {that’s me!}—we act as ambassadors for Louisville and represent the community at all of the functions and Derby Festival activities.  That means we attend nearly every event {and keep in mind that all the princesses are full-time students}.  The princesses are chosen out of more than 100 applicants with two interviews, the last being given by out-of-state judges. How are we selected? Knowledge of the Derby Festival, Poise, Intelligence, Personality, and Campus/Community Involvement.

All of the Princesses; Photo Taken by

Marvin Young

So, I’m a Derby Festival Princess.  What now?  First, I wear my crown and pray that I don’t trip and break its precious stones.  Chances are pretty high for that, y’all.  Second, the great sponsors, like Macy’s, Anthropologie,Dillard’s, Gretchen Scott , and many more dress us until we’re looking as fabulous as can be.  {I always love getting to do what I do best—try on clothes and shop}.  Third, we get to be ambassadors for the KDF events and functions and strut our stuff everywhere. A scholarship is also given to us by The Fillies, which is quite the perk too.  So here’s to me {and the other four gorgeous princesses} proceeding through these last couple of weeks without doing anything too traumatizing to the public and to us enjoying every fleeting second of this. Oh wait, and to always remembering that the soup spoon is scooped away from your body and not towards {etiquette lesson of the day}. 

Fairy tales never included princesses taking selfies with the Governor... Pretty cool, eh? {Photo Taken By Marvin Young.}

Feel free to stop on by over here to get your daily dose of sarcasm and style from yours truly.  I promise I don’t bite…well, sometimes.