The Hat Girls
Kentucky Derby hats are a tradition as old as the race itself. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. organized the race in 1875 based on the Epsom Derby, and Kentucky ladies looked to their British counterparts for fashion inspiration, including the formal hats of the day’s fashion. Over a century later, the tradition remains.
The Hat Girls, the Official Hat Designers of the Kentucky Derby Festival, put a hip couture spin on the traditional Kentucky Derby hat. The Hat Girls’ creations are stunning and unique and often unpredictable, but what can you expect from a duo who cite Lady GaGa as an inspiration and who debate the merits of the color pink? I caught up with the Hat Girls – Louisville natives Rachel Bell and Kate Welsh – to talk about their design inspirations and the best looks for Kentucky Derby 142.
Kate Welsh and Rachel Bell. Photo via The Hat Girls.
Heather C. Watson: How did The Hat Girls get started?
Rachel Bell: We started off making hats for ourselves, and people liked them. We incorporated as a business in 2013 and here we are.
Kate Welsh: 60% 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.
RB: And, then we have the customers who have an eye for design, and they want us to be their hands.
A customized Hat Girls creation.
HCW: So, it’s a lot of interaction with the customer, and a lot of customization?
KW: A lot of times, we get into a text chain with the customer, and we give them ideas. This year, we’ve gotten really good at reading the customers to see what they want and what will flatter them. When we don’t have to work around a strict vision, those hats usually turn out the best.
HCW: How long does it take to make a Hat Girls hat?
RB: It depends on the day and the hat. It can be anywhere from one hour to thirty hours, depending on the level of customization. If we’re sewing on individual beads or sequins, it can take a while. But, on a good day, each of us can make two to three hats.
HCW: I always feel so bad for those women you see at the track who chose a hat that’s too big and drooping in her eyes. You know they’re going to have Facebook profile pictures that completely block their faces.
KW: And they’re miserable at the Derby because they couldn’t see the race. 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.
RB: You go into a department store, and you only see the pretty hat, not how it’s going to work for you.
KW: 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.
RB: But, at the same time, the hat usually is the focal point of the outfit.
KW: And, a lot of people go for the goofy, big hat look!
Hat Girl Kate demonstrates a custom order
HCW: What trends are you seeing for the 2016 Kentucky Derby season?
KW: People ask us all the time “Are fascinators still in style?” Yes! Of course they are; look at the styles in Europe! We love fascinators for three reasons: your face isn’t shadowed when you wear one, you look great, and a fascinator is light and comfortable to wear.
RB: We always tell people who are scared to try a fascinator, “Put it on the side where your hair parts.” Fascinators don’t always sell as well in retail stores because people don’t always know how to wear them. We put photos of a lot of our fascinators on social media so that people know how to wear them.
KW: Also, about 90% of our fascinators are adjustable, to accommodate deeper partlines.
HCW: What colors do you predict for this Derby?
KW: Yellow
RB: People want a lot of navy.
KW: And light blue!
HCW: Right, fitting in with the Pantone Color of the Year, serenity?
RB: Absolutely. We overstocked rose quartz, the other Pantone Color of the Year for 2016, but we just aren’t seeing people choose it.
KW: We do always know to have a lot of pink; it’s like black and white. So classic, and so feminine. Plus, we need a lot of pink for Oaks hats.
RB: I’m the wrong one to ask; I hate pink. It’s just not my thing.
A wall of feathers at the Hat Girls' studio.
HCW: What makes a hat a Hat Girls hat?
KW: At first, we only wanted to do funky, Lady GaGa types of hats. We’ve had to tone that down over time, sticking to our aesthetic, but knowing what sells. We’re both such perfectionists. We know how we want things to be. For us, we work better with a higher-end, custom vibe.
RB: Each hat is a work of art!
Learn more about the Hat Girls’ custom works of art on their website, and visit their Facebook and Instagram pages for daily millinery inspiration.
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book Blog. Check out The Kentucky Derby Book for an interactive look at the Greatest 2 minutes in Sports!
Vineyard Vines Derby Collection
Derby is just around the corner, y'all, and the Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection is in stores now! Every year, Vineyard Vines comes up with some fun, preppy looks that embody the style of Derby.
If you follow HerKentucky on Instagram, you may have seen that the Mint Julep Baseball Cap made its way to my house last week. Let me tell you, it's even more adorable in person -- the bill is lined in blue and white gingham!
Some other favorites include the Whaleshoe Pocket Tee,
Check out my other casual and dressy picks from the Vineyard Vines Derby Collection below.
{Pro tip: If you order from Nordstrom.com, you'll get free shipping and handling (always) and triple rewards points on your Nordstrom card (today-Saturday)!}
{Women's History Month} Rosie the Riveter
Kentuckian Rose Will Monroe served as a model for feminist icon Rosie the Riveter.
Everyone knows that Rosie the Riveter is one of the most iconic images of the 20th Century. Rosie was first a symbol for women called to work in America's factories during World War II, and later the rallying cry of all women seeking equal rights.
But did you know that Rosie the Riveter is a Kentucky girl?
Norman Rockwell's allegorical take on Rosie.
Rose Will Monroe
Rose Will Monroe was born in the tiny Pulaski County community of Bobtown in 1920. By the 1940s, she was a young widow with two daughters, living in the Detroit area. Rose was called not only by her patriotic duty but also by the very real need to support her family. Soon, she was building B-29 bombers at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory, a former Ford Motor factory.
Rose was chosen as the "face" of Rosie the Riveter for a promotional film about the purchase of war bonds, following the popularity of a song of the same name.
After the War, Rose continued to work hard, defy stereotypes, and follow her dreams. She challenged gender stereotypes by continuing to work in traditionally male-dominated fields. Over the years, she drove a cab and founded her own construction company. Rose also fulfilled a lifelong dream of learning to fly, earning her pilot's license in her 50s.
Like many other women of her era, Rose Will Monroe found her calling through necessity. Her "Can Do" attitude made her Rosie the Riveter.
Louisville Stoneware Bachelor Button
The venerable blue and white Stoneware pattern has appointed homes for decades!
I think it's safe to say that I probably don't have a lot in common with Mamie Eisenhower.
Politics can be fun!
But, it turns out that Mamie and I share an everyday china pattern, Louisville Stoneware's Bachelor Button. Well, I use it now, and Mrs. Eisenhower used it in the White House in the 1950s, back when the Derby City's venerable pottery house was still known by the name of a previous owner -- John B Taylor -- and the pattern was called Cornflower. There's something pretty fascinating about a pattern that is as fun and timeless now as it was in the Eisenhower era.
The Bachelor Button pattern, created by artist Edith Ellis, is the quintessential Louisville Stoneware pattern. It's a favorite for Louisville brides, and always makes a perfect present. It's clean, simple, and elegant. And you never have to worry that your pattern will be discontinued.
Here's to the Louisville-based dish pattern that has appointed homes from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to my far more modest St Matthews address!
A Bachelor Button mug in production, Louisville Stoneware.
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Maker's Mark
Celebrate Pi Day with Louisville's signature pie!
Derby Pie is, of course, a trademark of Louisville's Kern's Kitchen bakery. Every other restaurant, bakery, and home cook in the Bluegrass State has a different name for it: Pegasus Pie, May Day Pie, Run for the Roses Pie, etc. The idea remains. Chocolate chips and nuts. It's pretty delicious, whatever you call it.
I always opt for pecans rather than the traditional walnuts, simply because I prefer the flavor. I added a good healthy swig of Maker's Mark because, well, why wouldn't you? For time's sake, I use a pre-made pie crust, but I don't cut corners with the homemade whipped cream. Nobody ever seems to complain about the tradeoff.
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Maker's Mark:
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup pecans or 3/4 cup walnuts
- 9 inch unbaked pie shell
Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir with fork and pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until browned.
2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pin
The 2016 Pegasus Pin goes on sale today at Louisville-area banks, stores, and PARC parking garages. The Pegasus Pin costs $5 and provides admission to several Kentucky Derby Festival events, including Thunder Over Louisville, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, U.S. Bank Kentucky Derby Festival Great BalloonFest, Great Balloon Glimmer, Great Balloon Glow, Great Balloon Race, Thorntons Great Bed Races, and Republic Bank Parade Preview Party. Each Pegasus Pin is eligible to win weekly prizes, as well!
This year's Pegasus Pin design commemorates the new Abraham Lincoln Bridge, and is sponsored by the new electronic RiverLink tolling system, which will operate on that Bridge connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana.
The Pegasus Pin program is such a great reminder that the Kentucky Derby is so much more than a horse race for those of us who live in Louisville. Everybody may not have the means or interest to attend Derby, but they may have the an opportunity to enjoy the fireworks of Thunder Over Louisville, the delicious food trucks of the Chow Wagon, or the beauty of the balloon glow. Derby Festival really does try to have something for everyone in Louisville, and the moderately-priced, highly collectable Pegasus Pin is the ticket to fun!
Talbots + O, The Oprah Magazine Collection for Dress for Success
Have you seen the O, the Oprah Magazine Collection for Talbots?
It's full of some of the cutest spring pieces I've seen all season, and it supports a great cause!
This exclusive capsule collection features 7 limited-edition pieces that will be available through April 3, with 30% of the net proceeds benefitting Dress for Success, the international not-for-profit organization which, since 1997, has expanded to almost 150 cities in 20 countries and has helped more than 850,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Dress for Success provides a network of professional attire, support, and development tools to help women thrive in the workplace. Dress for Success provides suiting, job training, and career skills for impoverished women. Think about how hard it can often be to land a job interview; just imagine if you couldn't afford the right clothing to ace the interview. Dress for Success is an amazing organization that empowers women to turn their lives around, and this Talbots collection can help!
I simply love this kelly green polka-dot cardigan; it's definitely on my spring wish list, along with the navy drawstring pants. My mom has her eye on the floral pencil skirt.
Tomorrow, Saturday, March 5, all Talbots stores across the country will hold “Spring Style Shopping Parties,” where women nationwide can shop at 25% off (excluding the capsule collection), enjoy refreshments, and make donations to Dress for Success. Nearly new office-appropriate attire will be accepted at any Talbots locations from March 3 to March 6, while monetary donations will be accepted at the register of each store through April 3. I hope to see y'all out and about at one of the Louisville events tomorrow!
Learn more about Local DFS Affiliates:
Shop Talbots stores in and near Kentucky:
- Louisville: The Forum Shops (194 N. Hurstborne) and The Paddock Shops (4200 Summit Plaza Drive)
- Lexington: Fayette Mall (3615 Nicholasville Rd)
- Bowling Green: 1770 Scottsville Rd
- Paducah: 2929 James Sanders Blvd.
- Evansville IN: 800 North Green River Road
- Cincinnati OH: Rookwood Commons (2669 Edmondson Road) and Kenwood Towne Centre (7875 Montgomery Road)
- Barboursville WV: Huntington Mall (1 Mall Road)
- Nashville TN: Village Green Shopping Center (4119 Hillsboro Road) and Opry Mills Mall (270 Opry Mills Drive)
- Johnson City TN: Peerless Center (2509 North Roan Street)
- Knoxville TN: Melrose Place (5614 Kingston Pike) and The Pinnacle at Turkey Creek (11315 Parkside Dr)