Five Fun Facts About Seersucker
National Seersucker Day trivia
- The classic seersucker suit was created by the New Orleans-based clothier Haspel. Joseph Haspel founded his company in 1909, with the goal of producing clothing that stood up to the Louisiana heat. He made laborers' coveralls and, soon after, men's summer suits, out of the puckered fabric made popular in British India.
- The word "seersucker" derives from the Hindi word "sīrsakar"; that term was borrowed from the Persian compound "shīroshakar", meaning "milk and sugar" and describing the varied texture of the fabric.
- Senator Trent Lott started the U.S. Senate's tradition of Seersucker Thursday, in which Senate members wear the summer fabric, in 1996. It was discontinued in 2012, but officially resurfaced this year. National Seersucker Day arose to coincide with Seersucker Thursday.
- Gregory Peck wore a seersucker suit in To Kill a Mockingbird, as did Cary Grant in Charade. Both were custom-made by Haspel.
- In the Rolling Stones' song of the same name, the Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man wears a seersucker suit; he also drives a Corvette!
Happy Seersucker Day, y'all! How are you styling your seersucker today?
Shop The Look: National Seersucker Day
We've picked out some fun seersucker pieces to meet any style, shape, or budget. I'm DYING over those New Balance sneakers!!
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My Kentucky Tee
Review of My Kentucky Tee subscription service.
Have you heard of My Kentucky Tee?
It's a wonderful subscription service that, for $15 a month, sends a fun Kentucky-themed t-shirt straight to your mailbox. When you sign up, you get the 1792 Starter Shirt, a gorgeous, soft heathered charcoal shirt that commemorates the year of the Commonwealth's founding as well as our state motto.
Once you're signed up, you'll also start receiving each month's tee. I was so thrilled to get started in April, because the "Weep No More" shirt is simply stunning.
That's another great benefit of the My Kentucky Tee Service. If you are a subscriber and your friends or family just love a specific shirt, you can check to see if there's an additional shirt available! Just email 1792@mykentuckytee.com with your tee size & the OK to charge your card on file for $15. If you've not subscribed to Tee of the Month, go to www.mykentuckytee.com, sign up & then email them! {Today, April 20, is the last day to order a Weep No More shirt!}
Check out HerKentucky's Instagram later today -- we may just have a surprise for you!
Thanks so much to My Kentucky Tee for commemorating the Commonwealth in such a cool way, and for providing products for review!
The HerKentucky Guide to Lilly For Target
I love the bright, preppy prints of Lilly Pulitzer. So, when the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collaboration was announced, I was naturally pretty excited. Here's the plan of attack I've devised.
Step One: Plan your Favorites. I've scanned through the Lookbook a few times and decided which items I'm interested in. This is important because it cuts down on impulse buys. Know what you want, which prints you like, and what styles will flatter you. The collection will sell out quickly, so you don't want to waste valuable time. I suggest making a list so you don't forget anything.
My own wish list includes
Scarves -- I know I'll wear these. Lilly scarves are my favorites, and at $20, you can't beat them.
Palazzo Pants -- Love these prints; they just look so fun and festive for summertime. And, at only $28, they are great to wear anywhere!
Maxi Dress -- As a general rule, I don't go for strapless dresses. However, I find that Lilly shift dresses run a little short on me, and I figure this can be paired with a cardigan or shirt for a fun look that breaks up the head-to-toe Lilly look. Love the print, love the price.
Stackable Mugs -- these just look like something my Great-Aunt Marie would have bought in Florida in the 1960s. They'd be a fantastic hostess gift, if you could bear to part with them.
Step Two: Shop Online
Now that you know what you want to buy, log in to Target.com sometime in the wee hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning. All Target will say is that it goes live "sometime very early Sunday morning", which is being hit with guesses of everything from midnight to 4 a.m. If the most recent Lilly Pulitzer online sales are any indicator, expect slow sites, rapid sellouts, and crashed servers. For an optimal experience, make sure you have your Target account current with the appropriate credit/ debit card, and your shipping address. And don't forget that you get free shipping on a $25 minimum apparel order!
Step Three: Tackle the Stores. They'll be open on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. in your time zone. Expect a line and an event. I'm not going the "look for out-of-the-way stores" route; others swear by it. I have no idea who's right. In any event, here are all the stores in Kentucky and adjacent areas.
Target Store Guide for Kentucky
- Eastern Kentucky: It's kind of the bane of my mom and my existence that there isn't a Target in Pikeville or Hazard. This needs to happen ASAP. As it stands, we trek to Barboursville, WV or South Charleston, WV (I'm trying to convince someone in my family to head out there Sunday morning to scope out the selection!) A lot of my Southeastern KY friends and family go to Knoxville as well.
- Lexington: There are two stores in the LEX, the Nicholasville Road adjacent store at 131 West Reynolds Rd, and Hamburg at 1940 Pavillon Way.
- Northern Kentucky: If you're in the NKY, go to 1100 Hansel Drive in or 160 Pavilion Pkwy in Newport.
- Louisville: Here in the Derby City, there are plenty of Targets, which is good, because I know a lot of Lilly Lovers in town! Check out Bashford Manor at 3600 Mall Rd, Dixie Highway at 9070 Dixie Hwy, Jeffersontown at 4640 Taylorsville Rd, Jefferson Pavilion at 7311 Jefferson Blvd, Middletown at 12975 Shelbyville Rd, Springhurst at 4101 Towne Center Dr, and St Matthews at 4174 Westport Rd.
- Elizabethtown: E'town's Target is at 1631 Ring Rd.
- Owensboro: The Owensboro Target is at 5151 Frederica Street.
- Henderson: Head over the river to 4000 1st Ave in Evansville, IN
- Hopkinsville: Clarksville, TN is your closest Target
- Paducah: Paducah People in the Know tell me that Marion, IL is the place to go.
Happy Shopping, y'all! Can't wait to hear what you find and what you love!
The links in this post contain affiliate links and HerKentucky, LLC will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on the link.
What to Wear to Keeneland's Dining Rooms
Sooner or later, most Central Kentuckians get invited to an event in one of Keeneland's Dining Rooms. These make for some great days at the track -- you're inside, taking it all in. You're guaranteed to run into tons of people you know. And, of course, a bad day at Keeneland is better than a good day just about anywhere else. Like the lower levels, Keeneland's dining areas have a unique dress code.
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, or capri pants for ladies.
What this means is that you want a little more pulled-together, professional look than what you'd wear to the lower levels. Pair a colorful Lilly Pulitzer Elsa Top from The Peppermint Palm with neutral slacks or a skirt. A vivid dress from Monkees or omar + elsie is perfect with a solid cardigan and classic accessories. You're likely to run into a classmate or professional acquaintance in this area of the track, so keep your style classic!
Here's to a winning day at the track! Check back tomorrow morning for our picks for the Clubhouse!
What to Wear to Keeneland's Paddock
Keeneland is one of my very favorite things about the Bluegrass State, y'all. The races, the crowd, the fashion, the bread pudding... it's all pretty wonderful.
Some folks have told me, though, that the dress code is a little intimidating. So, the next few days' posts will focus on decoding the Keeneland dress code. First up, the lower levels.
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. You're actually dressing for a horse race in these sections. 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.
Keep it classic and preppy with a Lilly Pulitzer dress from the Peppermint Palm and Jack Rogers sandals from Monkees of Lexington. Your beau can't go wrong with a Vineyard Vines tie from Country Club Prep. Don't forget your sunglasses, a cup of water, and a good dose of sunscreen if you're hanging around the Paddock or a tailgate; it's really easy to wind up dehydrated or sunburned! Check in tomorrow for a guide to the dining rooms' dress code.
Stay comfortable, look cute, and enjoy your day at the races!
Nothing Compares to the Old Dawahares.
Remembering the quintessential Kentucky department store.
Last week, my beau and I were browsing around the men's suits section of a local mall-based chain store. Later that week, we went in one of those UK and U of L-themed fan stores. Both times, I left with the same sigh of resignation:
"None of this can compare to the old Dawahares."
As any long-time Kentuckian can tell you, Dawahares was the Kentucky-based department store. Founded in 1907 in the tiny Eastern Kentucky coal camp town of Neon by Syrian immigrant S.F. Dawahare, the company expanded to over 30 stores in its heyday, and was in business for over 105 years. Unfortunately, the family-owned retailer filed for bankruptcy and was forced to close its remaining outlets in order to liquidate assets.
Over the century that Dawahares was in business, the small, mid-price outlets simply were Kentucky's hometown stores. Dawahares was known for outfitting the entire family. The extensive selection of men's suits and sports jackets were the place to shop for holidays and celebrations, with a selection to please everyone from UK coaches to countless grandpas to young men purchasing their first suits. The store felt like family for many of us in small town Kentucky -- we often went in to say hello to the salespeople as much as to actually shop. And, as our friend Allison (the PinkLouLou!), reminds us, the folks at Dawahares often went out of their way to help friends and neighbors.
And then, there was the UK gear. Oh my goodness, the UK gear.
Dawahares had a special knack for stocking Kentucky Wildcats apparel that was over-the-top, yet not-quite tacky. They always had the most delightful UK sweaters that worked equally well for the grandmas who attended basketball games and their granddaughters, who wore the blue-and-white sequins and appliques with just a hint of irony.
I thought it would be fun to pick out a few pieces of UK gear that have a Dawahares vibe -- things that I think they'd carry if they were still in business today.
I can't get enough of this '47 Brand cardigan sweater. Like my very favorite pieces from Dawahares, this would work equally well for you, your mom, or your grandma. It would be so fun to style it with leggings and wellies, or as an alternative to a coat.
And how about this Dooney & Bourke UK-print Shopper Tote? This would be so much fun for game day!
The golf shirts, cowgirl boots, house shoes and, of course, sweaters, in the galleries below keep the Dawahares vibe alive. Something tells me I'll be buying more than a few of these!
Do you have fond memories of Dawahares?
The HerKentucky Guide to the Best New Kentucky Wildcats Swag
Get. Excited. Y'all.
Tonight is the first game of the Kentucky Wildcats' Basketball Season, and there's literally nothing I'd rather do than watch my 'Cats take on the Grand Canyon Antelopes tonight. It looks like it's going to be a seriously amazing season for basketball fans, and game time can't get here soon enough for me!
I'm sure y'all are like me -- you have plenty of team gear at home, but you're always on the lookout for something cute and new. I mean, you aren't really a Wildcats fan unless your weekly laundry includes one load of nothing but Kentucky blue, right?
Right. And, everybody knows there are three ways to watch the game: At home, at Rupp, or with friends. Here are some of my favorite items for repping the 'Cats in any setting.
At the Game
Of course, the best way to watch is at Rupp Arena. There are so many fun ways to wear team colors to the game -- from traditional sweatshirts to office attire for your beau. I'm just in love with those blue Hunter wellies; what a fun way to brave the elements!
At home
If you can't watch the game in person, it's always fun to watch from the couch. There's plenty of bourbon or hot chocolate, and you can wear your pajamas. And scream as loudly as you like. I NEED those fuzzy socks ASAP.
Out with friends
Stay warm and look pulled-together with on-trend boyfriend jeans and booties topped off with a signature blue coat. A fun UK logo accessory ties it all together.
Where do y'all watch the games?