Draper James Horseshoe Key Fob
If y'all are anything like me, you're loving all things equestrian and mint julep this spring. I mean, Derby is basically Louisville's own three-week carnival season; why shouldn't we dress like it?
A few of y'all asked about the Draper James Horseshoe Key Fob I posted on Instagram yesterday. I love to switch out fobs, or "charms," as I like to think of them, on my bag to keep it fresh with the season. The horseshoe is perfect for Derby time. You can find it here, and there are also some great new Lexington and Kentucky-themed products that have dropped on the Draper James site this morning. I seriously want them all! (Click here, and you'll receive $20 off your Draper James online order!)
If you want to celebrate The Horse Racing Capital of the World (and what I consider the prettiest town in America!), The Lexington Horseshoe Key Fob is now available to pre-order, celebrating the upcoming opening of the store at The Summit at Fritz Farm!
These Lexington Cocktail Napkins would be the perfect hostess gift for a Lexingtonian or a Lexington expatriate who misses home!
And how perfect are these mint julep paper coasters for a Derby party?
Happy week before Derby week, y'all!
(This post contains affiliate links.)
Kentucky Derby Book Giveaway!
Bill Doolittle's The Kentucky Derby: Derby Fever, Derby Day, and the Run for the Roses® captures the heritage and history of the Derby!
Derby is only two weeks away, y'all!
If you love the pageantry and history of The Kentucky Derby, or if you're looking for a gift for a Derby fanatic, you'll love The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle. This stunning coffee table book tells the story of the most exciting two minutes in sports from Meriwether Lewis Clark's original race based on the Epsom Derby up to American Pharoah's thrilling victory.
I love my copy of The Kentucky Derby because it features Digimarc Discover® technology, which allows me to use my iPhone to watch video footage pertaining to the story. You can actually watch some of the races that the author references, or watch a video to help you make a better mint julep. It's such a cool way to get more immersed into the story!
I also love that Shircliff Publishing is committed to giving back to the community. If you order a hardback copy directly through the book's website, you can choose among several Louisville-area charities to receive a donation of $10 your purchase price at no additional charge to you!
If coffee table books aren't your jam, The Kentucky Derby is now available as an ebook! You can choose from Amazon Kindle or iBooks for your tablet, Kindle, or smartphone. For only $9.99, the ebook format is a great way to learn the history of the Derby on the go!
HerKentucky has teamed up with Shircliff Publishing to give one reader a hardcover copy of The Kentucky Derby (a $50 value). You can enter using the rafflecopter raffle below. The contest ends Sunday, April 23rd at midnight; the winner will be contacted and announced on Monday morning.
Please let us know in the comments section: What is your favorite Kentucky Derby tradition?
In the spirit of disclosure and transparency, please note that I have an ongoing business relationship with Shircliff Publishing, the company that produced The Kentucky Derby book. All opinions are, as always, my own.
Draper James Kentucky Derby Capsule Collection
Y'all! Draper James dropped their 2017 Kentucky Derby Capsule Collection today and it is soooo good!
This envelope clutch is so cute for a day at the track.
And this tee is perfect for low-key Derby week festivities.
This hat would be so fun for Thurby.
I love the colors on this dress. It'll be so great for summer soirees.
And I may even love the skirt more!
Even better? Click this link for $20 off your next Draper James order. And look for Draper James opening soon at the Summit at Fritz Farm in Lexington!!
(This post contains affiliate links; HerKentucky receives a nominal commission on every product link you click in this post. All opinions are my own!)
Easy Derby Time Style with Off Broadway Shoes!
Off Broadway Shoes can help you find the perfect Kentucky Derby accessories!
It's Derby Season, y'all! The Kentucky Derby is only three weeks away and it seems like a new party or event pops up on the calendar every day! When last-minute Derby time events arise, I find that the right accessories can elevate a basic dress in a hurry. Of course, a great fascinator is in order, as are some comfortable, stylish pumps. Fortunately, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse has me covered for great accessories at a great price.
Last weekend, I attended Off Broadway's Kentucky Derby Hat Trunk Show, and I was able to pick up some great accessories for my own Derby needs. I found an absolutely perfect pair of Cole Haan pumps and a fun pink fascinator, all for around $100. I was so excited to play around with some dresses I already had; I feel like I'm ahead of the last-minute-invite curve!!
I love this combo paired with a bell-sleeved black and white striped dress. It's also a great pairing with solid navy!
It's also a great pairing with solid navy!
This time of year, you never know when a white party will pop up on your radar! And the shoes are the perfect pairing with a bright coral dress! Lace dresses are always great for Derby time events.
Thanks so much to Off Broadway Shoes for helping me find the perfect solution for Derby time parties!
{This post was sponsored by Off Broadway Shoes; all opinions are my own.}
Cat Studio Keeneland and Kentucky Derby Pillows
Yesterday, I attended an event at Keeneland, and simply fell in love with the new Keeneland embroidered pillow designed by Cat Studio and available exclusively at the Keeneland Gift Shop.
Photo via Keeneland Gift Shop.
Cat Studio pillows have always been a decor #goal of mine. There are so many great designs from which to choose!
If you're a Derby fan, the Kentucky Derby pillow is available at the Kentucky Derby Museum.
You can order the Kentucky state pillow here.
This UK Pillow is available locally at Two Chicks & Company!
Cat Studio has the Cards fans covered, too!
A Cat Studio pillow would be such a fantastic housewarming gift or a nice reminder of home for a Kentucky expatriate. Which design is your favorite?
Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses and the Fillies Ball
2017 Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses
Today, I had the opportunity to meet the 2017 Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses. The Derby Princesses are a group of 5 college-aged women selected annually to reign over the Derby and the Derby Festival proceedings.
Me with the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses
Tonight, one of the Derby Festival Princesses will be named Derby Festival Queen at the annual Fillies Ball. The Fillies, Inc., is a women's club founded in 1959 to further the mission of the Derby Festival Committee. All proceeds from the Fillies Ball will be donated to the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, which provides scholarships and grants throughout the community.
To read a first-hand account of a Derby Festival Princess's schedule, check out this post that fashion blogger Grace Wainwright of A Southern Drawl wrote for HerKentucky about her year on the Derby Festival Court.
My Old Kentucky Home
The history of Kentucky's state song
Image ©Glenda McCoy
"The Sun Shines Bright on My Old Kentucky Home…”
The lyrics of Kentucky’s state song bring a tear to the eye of even the most cynical track-goer. In fact, one of the most sentimental moments of Kentucky Derby Day is when the crowd – led bythe University of Louisville Marching Band—sings Stephen Foster’s nostalgic ballad, My Old Kentucky Home. But did you know that My Old Kentucky Home was once regarded as a powerful anti-slavery message?
My Old Kentucky Home Music Box, Louisville Stoneware
The story goes that songwriter Stephen Foster, whom many consider to be the father of American music, wrote My Old Kentucky Home in 1852, after reading Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous abolitionist novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. The original lyrics of the ballad told the story of enslaved servants who’d been sold from a peaceful and happy life in Kentucky into a harsh existence in the Deep South. The grief of the narrators as they recall better times with their families led famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass to note that the song engenders "the sympathies for the slave, in which antislavery principles take root, grow, and flourish."
U of L Marching Band plays My Old Kentucky Home, image via Kentucky Derby.
The lyrics of My Old Kentucky Home were later adapted to reflect a more generalized nostalgia for the Bluegrass State. The ballad was first played at the Kentucky Derby and was named Kentucky’s state song in 1928. Kentucky Governor A.B. “Happy” Chandler famously sang the song at University of Kentucky basketball games, and actor Johnny Depp led what could easily be characterized as the weirdest version at a memorial service for his fellow Kentuckian, writer Hunter S. Thompson. The Bardstown, Kentucky mansion that is said to be the setting for My Old Kentucky Home has been a beloved state park since the 1930s, and the song is now associated with the greatest aspects of Kentucky, especially The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.
On Derby Day, before you place your bets and sip your julep, please take a moment to sing along to My Old Kentucky Home and remember that the song has a history of both social justice and deep love for the Commonwealth of Kentucky!
“…For The Old Kentucky Home, Far Away…”
This post was brought to you by The Kentucky Derby Book, an interactive media experience that brings The Run for the Roses ® to your coffee table.