While DC may not have the Kentucky Derby, May is a great time of year for horseracing fans. On the first Saturday, Washingtonians have the opportunity to head south a short ways to Virginia for the Gold Cup. A couple weeks later, it’s just a little ways north for the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The Preakness is really a tale of three parties. The first is the Budweiser Infieldfest that is a music festival with many attendees totally oblivious to the fact that there is even horse racing going on. The second is for those who love horse racing and flock to the Pimlico to see the Preakness and the other races happening throughout the day. The third is where guest don their finest derby duds and enjoy a day of leisurely betting and nosh on delectable cuisine while sipping cocktails. I bet you can guess which party I hit!
As an invited guest of the Stronach Group, which owns and operates several racetracks throughout the world, I sported my best horse racing style for 2 days of festivities. First up was the Black Eyed Susan Stakes, the race held the Friday before the Preakness. Then back again the next day for another day of racing culminating in the 143 running of the Preakness.
Naturally, 2 days mean two different looks. Fortunately I turned to the guys of Stitched to help me coordinate two unique looks. Stitched located in MGM’s National Harbor is great for finding some fantastic styles that can make you stand out in a crowd. With it’s distinctive Las Vegas heritage you have the ability to as flashy as you like. While too flashy is a little over the top for me, I was able to create some derby looks for events that typically brings out the dandy in even the most staid DC men. Just look at my style last year.
For the Black Eyed Susan Stakes, I opted for something a bit more classic. Gray windowpane slacks and sharp blue blazer with a gray and blue bow tie putting the look together. Shoewise I went with spectators. While they were the perfect shoe for the look, they were not a wise choice because of the how muddy the field area was. Day 2 would definitely be different.
Even though I’m somewhat of a traditionalist sometimes, I do like to break from tradition and even add a bit of whimsy to my dressy. For most of my derby looks, I’ve always thought it was against the rules to sport shorts. But hey! Sometimes rules were meant to be broken and what better way to break the rules than in a floral short suit?
The suit was fun and perfect for the occasion. I chose a dark blue dress shirt and then added a pop of color with my red bow tie. I also had a red pocket square but somehow I forgot to put it back in my pocket. This time I also came prepared with my shoe game. Rubber loafers look great and most people would never know they were rubber. They were perfect for the muddy condition and when I got home a simple rinse and they were good as new!
Look Details
Look 1
Blue blazer | Gray windowpane slacks | Bow tie | Hat – Bailey’s Hat – All available at Stitched | Spectator shoes – Brooks Brothers
Look 2
Paisley suit with shorts – Paisley and Gray – Available at Stitched | Bow tie – Bull and Moose | Hat – Goorin Bros. | Rubber loafers – Gucci
1 comment
Awesome style!
Comments are closed.