Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection 2021
A new, preppy collection celebrates the Run for the Roses in style!
Every year, I look forward to the Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection. I love that it includes pieces for any level of celebration, from dresses, fascinators and bowties, to t-shirts and baseball caps.
Vineyard Vines makes the absolute cutest ties and pocket squares for Derby Week! I especially love this pocket square and this bourbon and betting themed tie, which would be perfect for Thurby!
I also always love the annual Vineyard Vines fascinator, which is created by Louisville-based milliner Jenny Pfanenstiel (click here to read my interview with Jenny!) as well as the Derby-themed scarf (click here to read about a VV Derby scarf that held a very special meaning for me!)
Whether you’re headed to the track for Derby this year or watching at home, Vineyard Vines has some fun pieces to help you celebrate in style!
Jeff Ruby's Derby Meal Kit Pop-Up
Enjoy a Jeff Ruby’s Meal — from signature steaks to mint juleps— at home on Derby Day!
Derby is one of my very favorite holidays for entertaining. There’s nothing like a food and drink menu inspired by the best day of the Kentucky calendar year!
Of course, Derby looks quite different this year, and we’ll all be watching from home in small groups. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse has the perfect solution for your at-home Derby festivities! Here in Louisville, you can pick up a Meal Kit at the Jeff Ruby’s Pop-Up Shop at Independence Bank in St Matthews (3901 Shelbyville Road) from 10a-2p tomorrow, Friday Sept. 4th, and Saturday, Sept. 5th. This Meal Kit generously serves 4-6 Guests: Four 14 oz. USDA Prime Strip Steaks with Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse Seasoning; Benedictine & Pimento Cheese Dips with Crostini & Crudité; Freddie Salad; Mac & Cheese; Black Eyed Pea Salad with Country Ham & Heirloom Tomatoes; House-Made Biscuits with Salted Honey Butter; Whole Blackberry Bourbon Cream Pie; Mint Simple Syrup with Fresh Mint for your own Mint Juleps (recipe included). All of this for just $200!
Jeff Ruby’s Meal Kits are an incredible way to serve restaurant-quality meals at home. They include everything you need to make your meal perfect —even down to Jeff Ruby’s famous steakhouse seasoning — along with cooking instructions. It’s such a low-stress way to serve a fabulous meal at home. Just fire up the grill or a cast-iron skillet and prepare your steaks while the mac and cheese (my favorite!) heats in the oven. It couldn’t be easier!
Join me on Instagram Stories on Derby Day as I prepare a low-key, yet festive Derby meal at home with Jeff Ruby’s, and pick up a meal kit of your own this weekend in Saint Matthews. Happy Derby, y’all!!
Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Sale!
New Discounts on Derby Favorites!
We all know that Vineyard Vines knocks it out of the park every year with their Kentucky Derby collection. This year’s was absolutely fantastic, and I’ve especially worn this Shep Shirt so many times this Derby Season!
I’ve also worn this Vineyard Vines x Formé Millinery fascinator to a couple of Derby season events! (Click here for my interview with Louisville’s own Jenny Pfanenstiel of Formé!)
A fun little secret about Kentuckians that I’ve noticed recently is that a lot of us like to scoop up some Derby-themed decor and clothing after the big race. It makes sense; it’s a whole lot like finding Christmas decorations you love and putting them up for next year! I still wear last year’s Derby Shep Shirt all the time, and I’m thinking of snagging the Run for the Roses tote for next year’s Derby fun! Let me know if you save Derby items for next year’s use!!
Lilly Pulitzer and the Kentucky Derby
The famed Palm Beach clothing designer's ties to the Kentucky Derby
(Reposting this popular post, which was originally written in 2016. This post was brought to you by Shircliff Publishing. For more Kentucky Derby history, download The Kentucky Derby Book by Bill Doolittle for only $9.99; available in Kindle and iBooks editions.)
Here in Kentucky, a lot of us love to wear our Lilly Pulitzer prints to the racetrack. A flattering dress in a bright, preppy print is the perfect outfit for a day at Keeneland or Churchill Downs. Lots of us break out our favorite Lilly dresses for Kentucky Derby week activities. But did you know that Lilly Pulitzer herself had lots of ties to the Derby and thoroughbred horse racing?
Lilly's famous Derby-themed prints
Lilly's stepfather, Ogden Phipps took horses quite seriously. He used Paris, Kentucky's storied Claiborne Farms, for the breeding and training of his horses. He helped found the New York Racing Association and served as Chairman of the Jockey Club for over twenty year, and he lost the famous coin toss that awarded Secretariat to Penny Chenery. Mr. Phipps owned horses that won the Breeder's Cup and the Belmont, but a Kentucky Derby win eluded him. In fact, in the 2004 book Essentially Lilly, Lilly told her co-author, Jay Mulveny, "I don't race, but everyone in the family has had horses in the Derby. And no one has ever won."
While Lilly never saw a relative win the Kentucky Derby, her half-brother Dinny Phipps did win the Derby with Orb in 2013, only a month after Lilly's passing.
Of course, longtime HerKentucky readers know that Lilly's ties to Kentucky don't stop with her family's racing heritage. Lilly briefly lived in Eastern Kentucky, putting her love of horseback riding to good use as she volunteered as a courier for Mary Breckinridge's Frontier Nursing Service.
And, of course, the Lilly Pulitzer company has put out some lovely Derby- and racing- themed prints over the years; these prints are traditionally cherished by Kentucky Lilly-lovers!
My grandmother made me this quilt from a vintage, Kentucky Derby-themed Lilly print.
Shop my favorite Lilly Dresses for Kentucky Derby 145!
Formé Millinery Company
Louisville-based milliner Jenny Pfanenstiel creates one-of-a-kind masterpieces for Derby and dress-up occasions!
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!!
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
A tasting event for Woodford Reserve’s latest whiskey expression.
During Derby week, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Brown-Forman suite at Churchill Downs for a day of bourbon and horse racing. Seriously, who could turn down that combo?
The Woodford Reserve Suite at Churchill Downs. Shop the Draper James Throw here.
The tasting event was held on the Wednesday before Derby, a day which I hope never gains a nickname as "cute" as Thurby, and which still retains the charm of a locals' day at the track. As Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall poured cups for tasting, we learned that a group of bourbon media professionals had been assembled for the first tasting of Woodford's new Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey, a product which will be available for purchase in some markets as early as next month.
If you ever have the chance to attend a Woodford Reserve whiskey tasting, you owe it to yourself to participate. The Woodford team puts so much care into the details -- whether they're doing the signature flavor wheel food pairing exercise or a comparative whiskey tasting, as we experienced on this occasion. Mr. Morris took care to explain that all four expressions in the brand's whiskey portfolio -- Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Woodford Reserve Rye, and Woodford Reserve Malt -- were comprised of the same three grains: corn, rye, and malted barley and are bottled at 90.4 proof. Of course, the percentage of grains in the individual mash bills as well as the special finishing process in the case of Double Oaked are what produce such distinct flavors in the different distillates.
We started with the original WR expression, the bourbon as a baseline spirit for tasting. We followed with my favorite expression in Woodford's portfolio, Double Oaked. The Double Oaked is traditional Woodford juice that, upon maturation has been finished in a second charred oak barrel. This produces more of the sweet caramel notes for which the brand is famous. I love this one as a sipping whiskey or as an after-dinner "dessert" drink, as it has prominent brown sugar notes; it's sweet without ever becoming cloying.
Next on the tasting menu was Woodford Reserve Rye. This one is Bob's go-to cocktail whiskey; it makes a fine Manhattan, sour, or Old-Fashioned. It's peppery and earthy, but doesn't enter into the high-rye herbaceous "bite" that so many ryes often display. We consider it the "house whiskey" of HerKentucky Headquarters; I love the idea that this rye whiskey is made from Brown-Forman's pre-Prohibition recipe.
Elizabeth McCall leads a tasting of Woodford Reserve whiskeys
Then it was time for a sip of the new malt product. This one was fascinating, y'all. It had a lot of the characteristics of traditional Woodford bourbon, but was somehow lighter. The nose was strong with notes of cherry and almond. The mouthfeel was quite different from any of the other whiskeys we tasted that day; I felt a strong evaporation on the front of my tongue, somewhere between the sweet and salty tasting zones. I think that the Straight Malt expression will make a really interesting whiskey for mixologists; it will create some unique cocktails!
Mr. Morris made the very important distinction that this whiskey is not to be considered in the class of single malt Scotch whiskeys, but rather it is an experimental expression of American whiskey. Elizabeth led us through the tasting notes, as you can see in the video below.
Elizabeth and I also had a chance to chat about some of our favorite Draper James pieces. She was featured on the brand's Love, Reese blog as part of the Real Women, Real Clothes series, and partnered with Draper James on her Derby Week looks. How perfect is that partnership? We posed for a #draperjamesgirl photo as the event wrapped up.
Draper James Girls at the track. Shop Elizabeth's dress and my dress. (My fascinator is c/o Off Broadway Shoes and my necklace is from Elva Fields.)
Thanks so much to Woodford Reserve for an amazingly relaxing and educational Derby Week event! Cheers, y'all!
Vineyard Vines Run for the Roses Scarf
Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby accessories benefitting Louisville’s Norton Cancer Institute
Linen Popover: Ralph Lauren (old)/ similar here. Run for the Roses Scarf c/o Vineyard Vines
We all see A LOT of Derby attire this time of year. Some is cute, some not so much. And then there's some that has special meaning. Vineyard Vines sent me a couple of pieces from their Kentucky Derby 144 line that I'm so excited to share with y'all today because they're extremely special. You can find these pieces online, of course, but I especially love shopping the selection at the Lexington Vineyard Vines store at The Summit at Fritz Farm! It's so fun to actually see and try on your Derby week pieces before you buy them!
Linen Popover: Ralph Lauren (old)/ similar here. Run for the Roses Scarf c/o Vineyard Vines
The Run for the Roses Scarf is probably my favorite Derby-themed piece I've seen this year. 30% of the proceeds from this scarf will benefit the Norton Cancer Institute through Derby Divas, an organization that helps fund breast health screening services for women who otherwise lack access to these services.
Here's a story that nobody really knows other than Bob: Last year, I had my annual mammogram and a small inconsistency showed up on the image. Let me tell y'all, that's a frightening call to get. My doctor works in the Norton system, and I was referred on to the diagnostic imaging center at Norton Women & Children's Hospital, which bears the Derby Divas logo. The few days between my clinical mammogram and the diagnostic testing were terrifying, and I am fortunate enough to have health insurance, access to excellent health care, and medical professional friends who can answer any question I may think up. I can't imagine how scary it would feel if I found a lump or irregularity and didn't have the means for a screening or anywhere to turn for care and support. In 11 years, Derby Divas has raised $1.5 million to help provide screenings for women who can't afford them. That's not just a logo or a vague commitment to disease awareness; that's directly impacting women's lives.
Last week, I actually had a follow-up annual screening. The radiologist is certain that spot they found is nothing more than a calcification -an irregularity no bigger than a grain of salt that was easily identified through sophisticated imaging. I was once again reminded how fortunate I am to live in a city that has excellent healthcare access, and that there are avenues for less fortunate folks to also gain access to quality healthcare. Louisville is known for its horses and its bourbon, but the Derby City does an amazing job of giving back to members of its community that need it most.
Vineyard Vines has been the official style outfitter of the Kentucky Derby for 8 years now. They've done a wonderful job of creating some meaningful products in this year's Derby Line specifically focused on charitable giving. In addition to the rose-print scarf, there are also Oaks Lily neck ties (in pink and blue) and bow ties (pink and blue). These are the perfect pairing, as $1 for every Oaks Lily cocktail sold on Kentucky Oaks Day also benefits the Breast Health Program at Norton Cancer Institute!
I plan to wear my Run for the Roses scarf as often as possible this Derby season to help spread the word about Vineyard Vines' partnership with Norton Cancer Institute! Head over to the Vineyard Vines store in Lexington this weekend -- they're having a special anniversary party on Saturday, featuring giveaways and the whale mascot! -- to pick up these pieces that share your Derby weekend spirit while providing crucial health services. That's one guaranteed Derby win!!
Check out what other Bluegrass bloggers have to offer this Kentucky Derby season!
- Where to Celebrate the Derby in Lexington / Lex Eats
- Plus Size Derby & Oaks Style / Authentically Emmie
- The History of the Kentucky Derby + Kentucky Derby Facts / Fabulous in Fayette
- Oaks & Derby Looks from Amazon / Munchkins and the Military
- How to Throw the Best Derby Party / The Bliss Between
- Affordable Places to Experience Derby / Loud Girl Big World
- Derby Party Cocktail / Space, Place & Southern Grace
- Horse Cupcakes with Bourbon Icing / Kentucky Girl Ramblings
- Derby Cocktail / House Three Thirty Six
- Beers for Bourbon Lovers / Love Me Brew
- Advice to Survive Derby Week from a Multiple Derby Attendee / Dog Lady Horse Crazy
- Derby Party Appetizers / Fashion, Frappes & Felines
- Derby Recipe / Bourbon & Lipstick
- How to Dress for the Derby / Styled in Blue
- Affordable Derby Outfit / Same McKenna