Last updated on April 22nd, 2025
What to wear for Kentucky Derby 2025? If that question bothers you, no worries. We have got some fashionable outfit ideas ready for this annual horse riding event. Since the event gets all the buzz, make it memorable with custom sportswear for your teams or a custom outfit for yourself.
But before we share our Kentucky Derby 2025 outfit ideas, let’s understand the event first and explore why it is celebrated.
What is Kentucky Derby 2025?
The Kentucky Derby is an American Grade 1 stakes horse race that takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The race will be held on May 3, 2025. There are a total of 16 races held during the Kentucky Derby Championship Series.
This year, 18 horses will compete in the race, covering a distance of 1 ¼ miles in around two minutes. The race is also known for its excitement due to the active involvement of the spectators. That is why the race is often called ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.’ But what makes the race attractive and unique is its fashion culture.
A quick look at Derby’s fashion culture
The history of the Kentucky Derby goes back to 1875 and has been held annually since then.
The event is also known for its fashion culture. In the 1950s, the Kentucky Derby had women attending the event well-dressed in chic suits and body-hugging skirts.
Then, in the 1960s, women started wearing lauder hats. That was the beginning of the unique large hats that we see today.
During the 1970s and 1980s, women continued to wear casual dresses. Longer skirts returned to the fashion scenario.
From the 1990s onwards, younger women no longer wore suits and gloves. But hats continued to be the main attraction of the race fashion. Later, fashion trends started picking up, bringing custom clothing trends to the fore.
Why are custom outfits trending?
A major reason for custom outfits trending in 2025 is personalized fashion. People today love to buy custom clothing online. They can personalize clothes using online tools to suit their taste and personalities.
The Kentucky Derby event attenders can get many ideas to personalize their outfits. They can design and print custom t-shirts for teams to support their rider. Also, they get ample of choices in terms of design, fabric, and colors.
Dress Code Basics for Kentucky Derby
No strict dress code was imposed on people during the Kentucky Derby event. Still, many people like conventional outfits to honor the event’s tradition. Others find the event an opportunity to showcase their stylish side by wearing trendy clothes.
Wide-brimming hats have been traditional choices. Fascinators are also traditional wear that looks extravagant and whimsical on the day.
People wear pantsuits, jumpsuits, or dressy suits – all acceptable at the event.
There are some commonly accepted rules for wearing clothes for the day. For instance, if you wear an outfit with a bold and colorful print, it would be good to have one color from it for your hat. Avoid adding all the colors from your outfit to your hat in one-go. You can choose vibrant colors such as oranges and pinks, which are trending for the Kentucky Derby 2025.
The best tip is to wear what makes you look confident and not self-conscious during the event.
Custom Looks for Women for Kentucky Derby
Women look forward to making their dynamic personality felt while being part of the Kentucky Derby event. They wear attractive dresses with unique designs to make the onlookers awestruck. Here’s how to redefine the custom look for women.
Dresses
Women can dress themselves in many colorful ways to participate in the Kentucky Derby event. They can buy custom dresses for women based on their individual choices of colors, fabric, and design.
Alternatively, they can select simple dresses and complement it with a decorative hat.
Most women buy headpieces first and get a dress that matches the hat. Or, a designer can create a custom hat suiting the outfit.
They can also opt for a dress having bright colors or patterns.
Fit-and-flare dresses in solid colors with pockets will be ideal for holding the essentials. A low-key outfit with asymmetrical patterns will make an ideal outfit.
Bright colors and floral pattern look classy. A dress with botanical motifs in black and white colors oozes a subtle vibe. They can order custom dresses for women online these days to choose from a large variety of dresses.
Hats for Kentucky Derby event
Hats have been traditionally associated with luck. That is why the horse race event has people wearing hats that have larger brims for better luck
Many of them create custom hats for Kentucky Derby and other events. This adds a flair of personalization and allows the attendees to stand out. A cartwheel hat is the most-preferred accessory, however, other hats can also be seen over people’s heads during the event.
Hats for ladies feature smaller patterns and different varieties. From street-style hats to urban-style hats, there are many styles to choose from. Even head scarves and veils are common to spot. Custom hair accessories like hats can be shopped online.
Stand out accessories
Do not forget to give yourself a complete Kentucky Derby look with some stand-out accessories. There are plenty of accessories that go well with the dress and hat you choose for the occasion.
Accessories such as headbands, derby neckties, horse and jockey beads, rain ponchos, wooden jockey silk earrings, horseshow lapel pins, cotton canvas bags, etc., are attractive options.
Custom Looks for Men
Men also wish to make the Kentucky Derby memorable by wearing fashionable outfits. They, too, have multiple choices to make to create a customized look for the day.
Suits
Men have numerous choices when wearing suits to celebrate the Kentucky Derby You can wear a classic suit made of lightweight fabric such as linen.
Choose suits with traditional colors like grey, khaki, and navy. However, you can also experiment by adding pastel tones and bold patterns. Think of wearing a white shirt and a tie to give yourself a sophisticated look.
How about wearing a statement blazer instead of a traditional suit? A blazer with bold and bright colors and patterns in silk or velvet will add excitement to your personality and occasion. Then, pair the suit with a button-down shirt to balance comfort and style.
A double-breasted jacket is also trending, a great choice for the occasion.
Hats
Wear a stylish hat that will help add a new look to your personality. In fact, a hat is a must-wear for any horse rider or spectator during the Kentucky Derby.
You can choose to wear a Panama hat to give yourself a classy look. If that is not your choice, wear a statement bowler or fedora hat for a dashing appearance.
Don’t forget to accessorize with a polished pair of leather shoes, a sophisticated watch, and a coordinating pocket square for a refined finishing touch.
Remember that the Kentucky Derby is an occasion to wear a one-of-a-kind hat, not a basic hat. Buy a hat that helps you stand out from the crowd.
Choose a traditional Kentucky Derby hat with ribbons that looks appealing to the crowd. Or, wear an embellished derby hat. You can also choose to get a bowler hat with semi-formal attire.
When wearing a Kentucky Derby hat, ensure it sits comfortably and flat on your head. Avoid making it lean on one side.
Couple & Group Coordination
Most people enjoy showing their fashion side during the Kentucky Derby. But, some couples and groups showcase themselves as a coordinated unit.
They do not have to wear the same clothes to show they are a couple or belong to the same group.
All they need to do is to give some hint that they are a couple or a group. To do that, choose some colors or patterns that are the same across all the clothes they wear. But do not wear the same attire. That might not look impressive as your personality still should look distinctively different on the occasion.
Make sure that some fun elements of colors, animals, masks, etc, are incorporated into the clothes of the partners and all the group members.
Pick the same theme for the clothes so that onlookers identify you as a couple or group.
Where to Shop & When
There are numerous online sources to shop for clothes and accessories for the Kentucky Derby. These shops offer discounts and let you buy outfits at affordable prices. Here is a list of such best custom clothing sources.
PrintShop by Designhill
This is a leading print-on-demand site where they have lined up fashion clothes for every occasion. Just go to the site and choose your clothing. You can also customize your choice of clothes by adding colors and motifs using a design tool.
You can then order the site to print your Kentucky Derby outfit and get it delivered to your address per schedule.
Printful
Printful is a popular POD site where users can have their customized clothes delivered to their addresses. This site is known for its wide-ranging catalog of clothes. You can get your clothes designed easily and see them on mockups.
Printify
Printify is another POD site where your Kentucky Derby clothes are designed and delivered. It boasts of an excellent library of items. You can explore its printing partners to your advantage. It has a vast supplier network with various printing options.
Gooten
This is another site to source your Kentucky Derby outfits, which you can design yourself. It has a network of over 50 manufacturers in over 70 regions worldwide. It has the design tools to customize and see your clothes on mockups.
Besides these popular sites, you can also try out other POD sites such as Spreadconnect, CustomCat, and JetPrint.
Final Tips
You should be planning well ahead of the Kentucky Derby day with strategies. That is the way to ensure derby-day essentials and confidence boosters to enjoy the day and event.
Essentials
First, ensure that you wear comfortable outfits that are stylish as well. It would be good to look at the crowd and plan to be part of the event. To boost your confidence, wear stylish clothes that help you be one of the crowd and at the same time stand out.
Make plans to enjoy the day and event with your family and friends. Plan how you will have the transportation and tackle the traffic. Consider your parking options as well.
Ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day and eat healthy snacks to energize yourself.
Wear sunglasses and sunscreen to avoid harmful UV rays in case the event occurs outdoors.
Also, choose comfortable shoes since you might walk around the track during the day.
Confidence boosters
You should prepare for the day with some steps to boost your confidence. Ensure you are in peak physical condition, as the event may be exhausting. Your mental well-being is also a condition to fulfill for enjoying the day. So, take good care of yourself by sleeping soundly, exercising, and eating well.
Do not let negative thoughts invade your mind, and keep a positive outlook so you can enjoy the event thoroughly.
Dress up nicely for the event to boost your confidence. Dressing up is perhaps the biggest factor in boosting your confidence since it helps you to become involved with the event and its proceedings.
Try to come out of the comfort zone that you live in most of the time and think of experiencing something new on the day.
Also, do not be disheartened by the mistakes you make. Instead, learn from those mistakes to not repeat them. That will also boost your confidence while enjoying the event.
So, these are the outfit ideas you should try during the Kentucky Derby 2025. Make sure that you stand out in the crowd while enjoying the day. Try different combinations of colors and dresses to find out which will best suit your personality.
Wrapping Up
The Kentucky Derby 2025 will be held shortly, and you should be preparing for the event. Choose the right clothes with the right colors and motifs. Try to stand out from the crowd with your unique outfits to feel special and be one with the ongoing proceedings.
