There three main events that have specific requirements … unless of course you are in the middle of the racetrack in cutoffs watching the races! This year we will definitely not be wearing cutoffs and mud wrestling!
Doublemint Twins
Our first event of the weekend is The Oaks at Churchill Downs on Friday April 30th (my birthday). That evening we will be attending the Barnstable Brown Gala. Which is hosted by the Doublemint Twins. Do you remember their commercials?
With the most eye-catching guest list of Derby week, the Barnstable Brown party has long been a coveted ticket on the Louisville social calendar. Proceeds go to support the Barnstable-Brown Diabetes and Obesity Center at the University of Kentucky.
Barnstable Twins
The Barnstable-Brown Foundation raises funds for diabetes research through its internationally known Kentucky Derby party, the Barnstable Brown Gala. The foundation is led by Patricia Barnstable Brown; her son, Christopher Barnstable Brown; her sister, Priscilla Lee Barnstable; and her mother, Wilma Haverly Barnstable. The late David E. Brown, husband of Patricia Barnstable Brown, was the inspiration behind the gala. He died July 2003, after a long battle with diabetes.
Our third event will be of course The Derby also known as the fastest 2 minutes in sports! These three events required specific outfits as you have gathered from my previous posts. So the search began. First with the hats and now to complete the ensemble.
THE OAKS - I did find a simple black dress to wear with my pink hat. The 
hardest part was trying to find pink shoes that matched/blended with the pink hat. Believe me I exhausted the web and beyond and finally determined that was not possible since it seems that all the shoes that I found had more of a blue base … like fushia. That just did not work. So black Classiques Entier suede heels it was to be.
So instead I decided to try and find a pink purse. On my trip to Austin, I was introduced to a store called Charming Charlie. OH MY WORD … what an experience. Every kind of accessory and color coordinated in the store. So if you needed pink… you went to the pink section. Seriously! I found a pink and black faux snakeskin clutch. I gambled on the color and brought it back to Florida. By this time I had a good idea what color of pink I was looking for. It worked! Now at least I have more pink that just the Louise Green hat. Maybe the dress police won’t fine me for wearing a black dress!
THE GALA – Well I thought I would pull a dress out of my closet for this black tie affair. That doesn’t work when you have gained weight and are a size larger that what the dress is. Looking like a sausage will not do! Since I wasn’t sure where to shop and FAST in Florida, I headed back to Austin where I knew where to go for power shopping in two days. I found a gorgeous dress with my
girlfriend Stacy at St. Thomas (sorry no picture) and then of course they added a necklace that totally MADE the dress. Simple yet contemporary. The dress is long, black silk, strapless, fitted with a flowing skirt. The necklace is black beveled stones with turquoise and can be worn 
with jeans too. (See the justification – lol and the turquoise is the green color that all the other turquoise that Vic has purchased for me … so I have added to my collection!) I will be wearing gorgeous heels from Elizabeth and James that have the same type black stone on them. Believe it or not I had those first, along with a black silk evening bag that looks like a flower from White House Black Market.
THE DERBY – To go with my Black and white hat will be my wedding diamond and pearl earrings. My dress is black and white and simple and classic and will be 
worn with the Elizabeth and James heels that I am wearing to the Gala. I am putting a splash of color with the purse. A Mary Frances bag that is black with red cloth roses. After all it is the race for the roses!
I really did let my fingers do the walking. Most were ordered on the web which felt like Christmas everytime Sam the UPS driver came.
My Derby attire DONE! – check!
Next up … Vic’s Derby attire!
(to read all the Derby posts click on The Kentucky Derby category)
Tags: Charming Charlie, Churchill Downs, Classiques Entier, Elizabeth and James, Living It With Lisa, Louise Green, Mary Frances, St. Thomas Austin, The Derby, The Oaks, White House Black Market
April 28th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Congratulations on your Derby attire. You will look fabulous. Sounds like you a great time shopping as well. Have Fun and Happy Birthday.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Thanks Sherry … it is going to be alot of fun! Still pinching myself that we are going!
April 29th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
We just got a Charming Charlie’s at Fashion Square Mall…I will now have to go check it out!
All of your outfits look great! I can’t wait to see pictures from your weekend! Have fun!