Kentucky Derby Glasses
Kentucky Derby Glasses are a favorite with collectors and racing fans!
Nearly every Kentucky home has a Kentucky Derby glass tucked away in a cabinet – or a full collection of the colorful glassware on display. Kentucky Derby glasses are a Derby tradition and a great souvenir of a day at the racetrack. Some are even highly desirable collectors’ items!
Kentucky Derby glasses date back to the 64th running of the Derby in 1938. The specially-produced water glasses, Churchill Downs management noticed, were so popular that they “disappeared” from the track dining rooms in large quantities. The following year, the track contracted the Libbey glass manufacturing company to produce a highball glass with color print, suitable for serving a mint julep. The rest, as they say, is history.
Many racing enthusiasts and Kentuckians have created a market for collectable Derby glasses, with the 1930s designs carrying price tags in the thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. Derby glass enthusiasts often divide collections into pre- and post- 1974. That year, the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby, was when Derby glasses were first available for off-track sale. These days, you can pick up a Derby glass well in advance of the race at Louisville-area retailers, but the real fun comes in bringing home a souvenir of the Big Race.
While collectors pore over the variations and misprints in Derby glass runs, others use Derby glasses as daily glassware, a fun reminder of the Big Race. Nevada District Court Judge Nancy Allf is a London, KY native who moved to Las Vegas in 1982. Judge Allf’s Derby glass collection is a fun reminder of her home in the Bluegrass State. She says, “We use Derby glasses every day. It is a fun reminder of home, and always a conversation piece when we have guests over. For dinner parties, especially when introducing new people, I make sure each guest has a different year. It is an unusual but effective conversation starter.”
Whether you’re storing your Derby glasses as part of a collection or using them for cocktail hour at home, they’re a lovely Kentucky tradition that serve as a reminder of Derby all year long!
Five Fun Facts about Kentucky Derby Glasses:
· Nearly 120,000 mint juleps will be served over the two-day period of Oaks and Derby. That’s a thousand pounds of freshly harvested mint and sixty thousand pounds of ice and, of course, enough Derby glasses to hold them all!
· Derby glasses sold at the Kentucky Derby hold Old Forester Mint Julep, a ready-to-serve cocktail made with Old Forester Straight Bourbon Whisky.
· In 1940 and 1941, Kentucky Derby glasses weren’t made of glass, due to concern about the broken glass found on racetrack grounds or possibly the World War II era shortage of glass. . Aluminum tumblers held the storied mint juleps, and a limited number of glasses were distributed for backside use only. Bakelite or Beetleware glasses were issued from 1941-44.
· Since 1949, all previous Derby winners have been listed on the Derby glass, with the exception of the 1950, 1952, 1958, and 1969 glasses.
· The 1946 and 1947 Derby glasses are not recognized by collectors because mint juleps were served at those runnings of the Kentucky Derby in blank undecorated glasses.
This post was brought to you by the Kentucky Derby Book, an interactive coffee table book about the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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?
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.
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!
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!
