Queen Elizabeth at the Derby, 2007
Photo credit: Huffington Post
The royal wedding in England is not the only occasion for dramatic formal headwear. On the first Saturday of May, Louisville, Kentucky will be a city where everybody's head turns for the Derby, and, for the fancy hats.
In the early days of the Derby, to find a lady without a hat on would have been considered a fashion faux pas. The Southern tradition of the hats with flamboyant embellishments including ribbons, feathers, and floral arrangements is not just a fashion statement. The traditional wide brim provides a relief from the sun in the hot days of Kentucky.
Make a mint julep by mixing fine Kentucky Bourbon with sugar, water and some fresh mint, served over crushed ice in a tall glass; wear a fancy, if not gaudy, headwear, you are officially the mad hatter of Run for the Roses.
