Formé Millinery Company

All Derby hats are NOT created equal. Every Derby season, you see a selection of hats and fascinators in every corner of Louisville, even the grocery store! While you can find your Kentucky Derby hat at nearly any outlet or price point, only a few are real works of art. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit a true hat wonderland, Formé Millinery, which elevates hat-making to an art form!

The hat forms on which Jenny Pfanenstiel creates Formé hats.

Formé’s owner, Jenny Pfanenstiel, blocks all her hats by hand using vintage hat forms and a 19th century braiding machine. Every nook and cranny of her shop is simply delightful! And, oh my goodness, are Formé hats unique and gorgeous!!

Gorgeous hats at Formé. That pink one wound up at HerKentucky HQ…

Jenny majored in fashion design in college, and soon became fascinated with the art of millinery. After learning to hand-make hats by molding straw or wool over wool hat forms. Soon, Jenny found herself making an annual six-week trek from Chicago to Louisville every year to sell her creations for Derby season. Eventually, she moved here and became one of the premier designers for high-end Derby looks. In fact, Formé is now the official milliner of the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Handcrafted fascinator perfection…

Of course, the Derby-ready hats and fascinators were unbelievably beautiful, but I was simply captivated by the vintage-style wool hats as well. Jenny’s designs channel so many 1920s and ‘30s vibes, and I am here for it. (And did I mention that she carries a full line of men’s hats as well?)

I love this chic Formé creation so very much!!!

This incredible cloche gives me serious Babylon Berlin vibes.

swoon.

Jenny has partnered with one of my very favorite brands, Vineyard Vines, to create a lovely line of Kentucky Derby fascinators. There’s even a fascinator that benefits the Norton Cancer Institute! My friends at Vineyard Vines were kind enough to send me a piece from this limited-edition collection; I absolutely love it!!

Dress c/o Draper James; Fascinator c/o Vineyard Vines

Thanks so much to Vineyard Vines for working with me on this post, and to Jenny Pfanenstiel for taking the time to talk shop with me! Happy Derby, y’all!!

How I Shop Black Friday

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Black Friday — love it or hate it, it’s the biggest shopping day of the year. While I’m not one for braving crowds, there are definitely some online sales I like to check out, both for myself for Christmas presents. Here’s a roundup of the sales I like to check out, and a few of my favorite items!

Favorite Stores

Draper James

Y’all know Draper James is one of my very favorite lines and they’re offering a rare 25% off sitewide and in-store through Monday the 26th. It’s a great time to stock up on fun holiday pieces, and I may finally pull the trigger on the Dolly tote!

Vineyard Vines

Everything is 25% off in-store and online with code HOLIDAY18! It’s a great time to stock up on fun holiday pieces and my favorites, the Louisville Stoneware mug and Cookies for Santa set!

Kendra Scott

Kendra Scott is offering a tiered Yellow Friday special — 20% off everything; 25% off purchases of $100 or more; 30% off purchases of $300 or more.

LL Bean

Take 20% off everything, and get a $10 gift card back when you spend $50. I may have already pulled the trigger on my favorite pajamas! Even better, Bean Boots are 25% off with code Boot25!

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor is always a great spot for workwear and dressy event clothing! Everything is half price with code BLACKFRIDAY!

Talbots

Talbots always has great classic pieces that wear so well. They’re offering 50% off one item through noon Friday and 40% off everything until midnight Friday.

Macy’s

I LOVE the Charter Club cashmere sweaters from Macy’s! I wore a crewneck sweater and wrap set to Churchill Downs last week, and I swear, people couldn’t stop touching the wrap. It’s just so soft!! The long-sleeved crewneck sweater is my everyday go-to in the fall and winter. It’s so simple that you can pair it with anything from a fancy skirt to jeans. Best of all, it’s $39 right now. That’s not a typo. Stock up on these, give them a little care, and they’lll last for years!

Local Favorites

Two of my very favorite local stores have some GREAT Black Friday sales you can’t miss!

Logan’s of Lexington

Y’all know I love Logan’s of Lexington, and they have 25% off everything in store! My True Grit Pullover is down to $98!

Stoneware & Company

Stoneware is offering 10% off your entire purchase, with 15% off purchases of $250 or more. It’s a great time to stock up on serving pieces and place settings!

Happy Shopping, y’all!!!

The HerKentucky Guide to L.L. Bean Boots

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Autumn is my favorite time of year to stock up on L.L. Bean! I can't get enough of their  Bean Boots . They have such classic styling, quality construction, and a fun, preppy style. They're seriously items that never go out of style, and that I find myself reaching for over and over. And, now through Monday, Bean Boots are 20% off with code AUTUMN.

6” L.L. Bean Boots

I love my Bean Boots because they're so durable and waterproof. I use them for everyday errands like walking the dogs or walking through our often-leaky basement as well as to stay warm and dry in wet weather and blend in with the fall foliage.

Slip-on mocs

The slip-on mocs are even good for summertime errands like yard work, and since they're made of rubber, they clean up so easily!

A word about sizing: these boots are meant to be worn with serious socks, so size down significantly! Half sizes are advised to order one and a half down!  I wear an 8.5 in most shoes; I own a 7 in both of these pairs!

Here are a few of my favorite current LL Bean Bean Boot Styles!

Tips & Tricks for Shopping the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale

(This post contains affiliate links; I will receive a very small commission per click at no cost to the reader.)

I'm sure you've heard by now that the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale starts tomorrow morning, September 10th, at 8 a.m. I always at least browse (okay, I stock up...) this sale, and I've developed a few pro tips to help you navigate it quickly and efficiently.

1. Log on early... and prepare to wait. Have a browser window open to lillypulitzer.com by 7 am, and be prepared to be placed in a long online queue once the sale goes live around 8. 

2. Know what you want to shop. I usually formulate a list of the searches I'm going to conduct, based on my tried and true favorite styles. I usually search for the Skipper Popover, the Elsa Blouse, the Sophie Dress (my mom's favorite style!) and for "maxi", to get results for both maxi dresses and maxi skirts. This year, I'm adding the search for "luxletic", which is Lilly's amazing athleisure line. I hope to score a Skipper popover (Fingers crossed they add the popover dress to the sale!) and some Luxletic leggings.

Skipper Popover

Elsa Top

Luxletic

3. Place a couple of smaller orders rather than one large haul. This will ensure that you don't "lose" as many items in your cart to faster shoppers. 

Wish List

4. Run a filter for your size. See what's available to fit you. After I look for myself, I run quick searches for my mom's sizes and my little nieces. (We take Lilly pretty seriously in my family!)

Draper James Hold Your Horses Capsule Collection is Back!

Just a little heads up, y'all! The Draper James "Hold Your Horses" Capsule Collection is back in stock! I know y'all loved these items at Derby time, and the collection is back and improved for Fall Keeneland/ Breeders' Cup/ November Churchill Downs season! 

This tote is on my must-have list, and the tee gets so many compliments every time I wear it! The hat would be soooo perfect for the little autumn getaway I'm dreaming of lately!

Click here for $20 off your Draper James online order!! Happy Shopping, y'all!!

The HerKentucky Guide to L.L. Bean Boots

Autumn is my favorite time of year to stock up on L.L. Bean. I can't get enough of their  Bean Boots and Boat and Tote Bags. They have such classic styling, quality construction, and a fun, preppy style. They're seriously items that never go out of style, and that I find myself reaching for over and over.

I love my Bean Boots because they're so durable and waterproof. I use them for everyday errands like walking the dogs or walking through our often-leaky basement as well as to stay warm and dry in wet weather and blend in with the fall foliage.

L.L. Bean 6" Bean Boots

The slip-on mocs are even good for summertime errands like yard work, and since they're made of rubber, they clean up so easily!

L.L. Bean Boots Rubber Mocs

A word about sizing: these boots are meant to be worn with serious socks, so size down significantly! Half sizes are advised to order one and a half down!  I wear an 8.5 in most shoes; I own a 7 in both of these pairs!

Here are a few of my favorite current LL Bean Bean Boot Styles!