What to Wear to Preakness

After the elaborate hat show at the Kentucky Derby, many of us wonder what the heck to wear to the Preakness. Even though the second leg of the Triple Crown is widely know as having a bigger party atmosphere than the Kentucky Derby, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dress the part.

Fashionistas agree that dressing for the Preakness is an even more extravagant affair than dressing for the Kentucky Derby. It’s all about the dress or suit for the second leg of the Tripe Crown, not the hat. It’s important to dress the part, be glamorous. The Preakness is a time to “dress up”. Ladies and gentlemen should dress like Ladies and Gentlemen. You can still wear a beautiful derby style hat to the Preakness as long as you remember the most important part of your outfit is your dress or suit.

Another thing to consider while dressing for the Preakness is the weather. Sometimes it can be almost 100 degrees, other days it can be rainy and 60 degrees. Your best option is to wear a fitted dress, nothing flowy that may blow up in windy conditions. Wear a dress that forms to your body and contours your curves. The suit is also nice to wear in unpredictable weather because you have the option to take your jacket off. Some Ladies and Gentlemen choose to wear the Preakness colors, which are black and yellow. If you choose to make a bold statement and wear those colors, you may want to keep your shoes and hat simple.

Overall, the Kentucky Derby is much more formal affair than the Preakness. The hats and suits are very formal at the Kentucky Derby but you’ll still see that 20’s and 30’s dress up style at the Preakness. You’ll also people wearing costume type outfits because the Preakness is such a party.

My advice on what to wear to Preakness; it’s always better to be over-dressed. You can still wear a fun derby style hat but may want to glam it up a bit and choose a fascinator instead. Ladies should definitely wear a vintage mod-inspired dress. You’ll find some inspiration and some of my personal favorites at Modcloth.com.