Style: A Weekend at The Preakness Stakes

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What to wear to a horse race? Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending The Preakness Stakes, the second horse race in the Triple Crown series this year, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. It was my first horse race and I must say, everyone was dressed to the nines! The must-haves of the day? Definitely HATS - floppy sun hats, ornate woven bonnets, fascinators, boater hats, and all that's in-between (the wilder, the better)!  A lot of the women were adorned in black, yellow, and white - the race's signature colors & the shades of Maryland's state flower, the Black-Eyed Susan (also the name of the race's signature cocktail). Men were decked out in their preppiest attire: seas of seersucker suits, Vineyard Vines ties and bowties, straw boater hats with colorful ribbons, and white buck shoes.

With such stylish fashions, you might wonder how to get the look on a recessonista budget! Never fear, yours truly found her perfect outfit for the races for just around $100:

The Essentials: 

1) A statement hat: Choose a large-brimmed sunhat to cover up or an ornate woven hat for a more formal look

2) A flowing maxi dress/sun dress: Check the weather - if it's gonna be a scorcher a loose fitting maxi dress might breathe a little better than a short cocktail dress! 

3) A colorful light-weight scarf: Great to cover up from the sun/keep warm/make a less conservative dress more dressy 

4) A pair of platform/espadrille sandals: Make sure they have spongey "aerosoles" or use Dr. Scholl's Ball of the Feet inserts - you're likely to be on your feet a lot!

...top off with your favorite sunglasses and a colorful clutch/straw bag!

My Look:

Hat - Laila Rowe $13 (locations in NYC, Baltimore, & more!), Dress - eci New York $40 at Nordstrom Rack in NYC Union Square, Shoes - Report $40 at Nordstrom Rack, Scarf - Old Navy $10. All of these items are still available in stores except for the Old Navy scarf purchased a couple months ago. I already had the tortoiseshell sunglasses (purchased in England) and the patent & straw detailed clutch (purchased at the Tory Burch - Woodbury Common Premium Outlets).

Like the look? 

Here's a list of some similar items available online as well as a list of items inspired by other outfits I saw at the Preakness. Use them as a guide for next year's Preakness, June 9th's Belmont Stakes in New York, or just to get that fantastic Triple Crown style & cheer on "I'll Have Another" wherever you're watching! Happy Shopping!