Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse Kentucky Derby Trunk Show
2014 Off BroadwayPhoto via Full Circle PR
Derby is just around the corner, y'all! If you're like me, as soon as April rolls around, you start thinking a lot about the right hat for all of your Derby season events. I'd love to see all of you next Saturday, April 8, at Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse in Shelbyville Road Plaza from 1-4 p.m. for a Kentucky Derby Trunk Show. You'll have the opportunity to shop hats from C.K. Nobles Millinery and enjoy special discounts including 20% off the purchase of all accessories as well as a Buy One Get One 50% off discount on all footwear!
I participated in the Off Broadway Derby Trunk Show a few years ago, and it is such a fun event! I loved watching the ladies who attended the show find the perfect hat for Derby or Oaks, and I may have even fallen in love with a hat or two!
As a fun bonus, the Kentucky Derby Princesses will be at the event for photos from 1 -2 p.m. It's always so much fun to get to meet the latest round of Derby royalty!
I look forward to seeing y'all at Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse (4600 Shelbyville Rd Suite 201) on Saturday the 8th, and I can't wait to see the hat you pick out!
(This post was sponsored by Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse. All opinions are my own.)
Searching for Lilly Pulitzer x Starbucks S'well Bottles in the Louisville area
Searching for the latest Lilly Pulitzer Limited Edition.
Image via Lilly Pulitzer
A few days ago, my social media lit up with posts from two of my favorite bloggers (Carly from The College Prepster and Krista from Covering the Bases, who also happens to be a UK alumna!) that Lilly Pulitzer and Starbucks had teamed up for a water bottle collaboration with S'well Bottles. I was pretty pumped, since I'm basically obsessed with both Lilly Pulitzer and Starbucks, and because I could actually use a new water bottle.
So, I decided to devote a couple hours to the search. Now, in my very limited defense for wasting time on this project, I will say that I had to fast for a little medical test, so I knew I'd be way too hangry to actually work on my manuscript this morning. Plus, I had an hour or so to kill while waiting for the vet's office to fill Max's prescription. So, I decided to check out how Louisville Starbucks scored among the 4,000 Starbucks outlets that would receive a shipment. I figured that since Louisville is the 38th largest metro area in the nation, and is a city full of Lilly lovers, we stood a pretty good chance of getting this merchandise at at least a few stores.
Now the Starbucks website lists 38 stores for the area inside the Gene Snyder Freeway in the Louisville metro, including those in malls as well as Target and Kroger stores, on campus at U of L, and at the airport. I assumed that standalone stores in high-traffic areas that meet Lilly's demographics would be the most likely to receive a shipment. Here were my results for the Louisville market.
1. Starbucks at Frankfort & Lexington, St Matthews: They did not have the bottles when I visited in person last night; said that a new shipment will be in late today, so check back this evening.
2. Starbucks at 4400 Shelbyville Road, St Matthews: Didn't have them when I visited today, said a new shipment of items will be in on Sunday, so check then.
3. Starbucks at Hurstborne & Shelbyville: Did not have the bottles out on display; the store was way too busy to bother a barista or salesperson.
4. Starbucks at Holiday Manor: When I called, they said they didn't have them and didn't expect to get them.
5. Starbucks at Paddock Shops (formerly the Summit): When I arrived there around 10 this morning, I was told that bottles had been put out first thing this morning and had quickly sold out.
6. Starbucks at Target, Westport Rd and Hubbards Ln: I walked by the kiosk; no bottles were out. (I didn't think that Target ever wanted to hear the words "Lilly Pulitzer" again, but I thought it was worth a try.
7. Starbucks at Kroger, Westport Rd and Hubbards Ln: I walked by the kiosk; no bottles were out.
8. Starbucks at Baxter and Highland: Aren't answering the phone. At this point, I don't blame them.
9. Starbucks at Dixie Highway: I heard a rumor on Facebook that they sold out first thing this morning.
After all this, I decided that I may look for one on Starbucks.com later this spring. I'm certainly not paying the speculators on eBay, though. Let me know if you find one!
What to Wear to Keeneland: October 2105 Opening Day
In the four years that HerKentucky has been exploring the lives, traditions, and stories of Kentucky women, there's one question that we get asked more than any other. It pops up, time and again, in y'all's tweets, Facebook posts, and search engine queries:
What should I wear to Keeneland?
The answer I always give is, "Well, that depends on where you're sitting."
Image via Keeneland
All seats in Lexington's storied Keeneland Race Course are not created equal. Basically, the closer to the ground (and the horses themselves) you are, the more casually you should dress.
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.
Image via Keeneland.
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 for ladies.
The members-only Clubhouse similarly requires coat and tie for men and dressy pants/skirts for ladies. I find that a skirt suit or a dress paired with a pretty cardigan or wrap is always appropriate for the upper levels. In general, if you'd wear it to church or a business meeting, you're golden.
Image via Keeneland.
Of course, some days at the track are a little more dressy than others. Weekends are generally for more high profile races, and Opening Day tends to bring out dressier clothing.
With the forecast in Lexington calling for rainy days and temperatures in the 50s, I'd suggest some traditional autumn layers with a feminine twist. So bundle up, look nice, and have a great time at the track!
National Lipstick Day!
Kentucky bloggers discuss their signature lipstick shades and offer readers a chance to win a $20 Sephora gift card.
Today is National Lipstick Day, which got the HerKentucky girls talking about our own favorite shades. Most of us have, at some point, found that perfect shade. The one that makes us feel confident. The one that matches our skin tone just so. The one that makes us stand out.
As Peggy Olson said in the brilliant "Basket of Kisses" scene of Mad Men,
For most of us, that's true. There's THE ONE shade.
En route to this year's Final Four. At least I looked good for a miserable game.
For me, it's MAC's Dubonnet. It's a creamy matte burgundy red. It can be worn with casual ensembles and dressed up by mixing in some gloss. It doesn't overpower my fair skin like many reds do.
Glenda's signature shade is also a MAC red; she goes with Russian Red. Coincidentally, this classic shade was Madonna's go-to favorite in the 1980s and 90s.
Julie, our resident Beauty Addict, opts for BeautyCounter lip sheers because they look great and contain no lead. For Julie, there will always be some beautiful memories tied up in a classic lipstick tube:
“I still have a tube of my grandmother Alice’s Revlon Moon Drops lipstick. The name of the color has worn off (it’s pink), but it’s bright and vibrant and not to be ignored— just like she was.”
Wendy's go-to is Indian Rose, a stunning dusty pink shade, while Jennifer of A Girl Eats World likes to mix it up. She says, "I love Clinique Black Honey (dark purple close to my natural color), Nyx Chaos (bluish red for my fair skin), and Revlon Lollipop (fun bright pink)--I'm all about lipstick!"
Over on Bluegrass Redhead, Sarah included this sage piece of advice as among the 34 things she's learned in 34 years:
“Red lipstick is all the makeup you need.”
Jennifer R. has us all running to the beauty counter at Louisville's CirceSWAG, where in-house makeup genius Sloan Winters's brilliant recommendation has become her signature shade: "I have a shade of red, Aphrodite Red, that Sloan sold to me. It's sort of cheerleader red. People stop me to ask about the lipstick, and Sloan says they come in Circe to buy it. Friends give it to me on special occasions."
In a bar or restaurant, says Nikki of Coal Miner's Bride,
“It’s not hard to find a Kentucky woman in a bar. Look for a put-together lady with a lipstick stained glass of bourbon.”
We want to know your signature lipstick shade, and we want to give you a little gift to pick up a new favorite or an old reliable. HerKentucky is giving away two $20 gift cards to Sephora. You can enter to win the first one using our Rafflecopter widget below, and the second on our Instagram page!
(This post contains affiliate links. Prizes are provided by HerKentucky.com and are not affiliated with Sephora, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)
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!!
{This post contains affiliate links; HerKentucky LLC will receive a small commission from some links clicked.}
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.