Handmade Just 4 You

For women the biggest and most important part of the Kentucky Derby is the hat. Preparations begins for the next year immediately following the running of the horse race the current year. For some it is a quest for the biggest hat, for some the most elegant hat and for some the most outrageous hat. The very foundation of the Derby Hat is, of course, the hat.

Purchased Derby hats can cost anywhere up to $1,100 or more. They are usually designer labels with lots of feathers, ribbons, netting and such. But an elegant Derby hat can be yours for far less, if you are willing to make it yourself. The foundation is a well-made hat. They are “finished” but undecorated, meaning that they have been sewn and shaped and are ready for embellishment.

On my website, handmadejust4you.com, I have many quality hats that can be used as the base for a very fine hat. In fact, many designers use these finished but undecorated hats as the base for their creations. You will find that my hats are but a fraction of the cost of a finished designer hat. By finishing it yourself you have the satisfaction of saving lots of money while creating a one-of-a-kind hat suited especially for you.

When you are thinking of fine millinery, think of the hats I offer. You can search the Web or in books and magazines for the style most flattering to you and how they can be decorated. A really fun event for you and your friends is a hat decorating party. I can supply the hats and you supply the ribbons, feathers, flowers, buttons and anything else you would like to put on your hat.

The hats are not just for Derby. Some refer to them as “Church hats”. While it is said “a woman’s hair is her crowning glory”, a fine hat can be just as important.

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The excitement here in Louisville is steadily building. Next Saturday, the First Saturday in May, is the running of the 134th Kentucky Derby at prestigious historic Churchill Downs. Billed as the “the most exciting two minutes in sports”, the Derby is the first jewel in the Triple Crown of horse racing. This is always a great time to be in Kentucky, and especially in Louisville. Derby Day at the Downs can be seen on ESPN. For the actual running of the Kentucky Derby, tune to your local NBC affiliate. The Red Carpet coverage begins at 4:30 EST. Derby coverage begins at 5:00 EST.

Two weeks prior, Derby Festival excitement starts with the “They’re Off” Luncheon , at which time a Derby Queen and her court are chosen. The following day is an all-day event known as “Thunder Over Louisville”, or locally, just “Thunder”. It is a 12 hour air show with amazing feats of aeronautical displays followed by the “World’s Biggest Fireworks Show”. Believe me, it lives up to its title. For the next two weeks there are daily events at the “ChowWagon”, a food and entertainment venue. Admission is gained by purchasing a “Derby Pin” sponsored by a local business.

Derby Week is the most fun time in Louisville. Some of the events are: “Run for the Rose”, an obstacle-course inspired races performed by food service employees of Louisville businesses; The Great Steamboat Race, a six-mile Ohio River run, between the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen regularly, and sometimes joined by the Mississippi Queen and the Spirit of Jefferson; The Pegasus Parade, with bands, floats and inflatables that extends about three miles down Broadway; Oaks Day, the running of the Kentucky Oaks- a fun and much more family-oriented day than Derby Day and not so crowded; finally the running of the Kentucky Derby. There are all sorts of traditions surrounding the Derby, most notably the drinking of Mint Juleps , the eating of Burgoo, and the wearing of the fanciest Derby Hats imaginable.

The hat wearing is not confined to ladies, either. Many a man has been sighted sporting a fabulous hat. Some have been sighted wearing ridiculous hats, too. If you tune into the Derby on your local station you will see what I mean. The Kentucky Derby IS fast horses, fantastic hats and plenty of Mint Juleps.

Of course, the Derby is all about the horses and their trainers, too. The best trainers in the world run horses in the Derby. The perennial favorites are;

• Steven M. Asmussen
• D.Wayne Lucas
• Bob Baffert
• Nick Zito
• Dale L. Romans
• Todd A. Pletcher
• Michael J. Maker
• William I. Mott
• Kenneth G. McPeek

And let’s not forget the jockeys;

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