The world-famous Kentucky Derby is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May. Though this year the race has been postponed, this springtime event can still be recreated at home for our dolls. Sure, some think the focus is on the horses, but we know it's really all about the fashion! If you were going to the Derby, we would have two questions for you:
You’ll be dressing for warm weather, so easy to wear dresses and sundresses are a great choice. Pair them with the perfect hat to keep the sun off your face and to stand out in the crowd! Whatever look you choose we're sure you'll be looking fantastic on Derby Day!
Giveaway Alert! Be sure to scroll to the end to enter our doll-sized horse giveaway!
We've put together the ultimate Derby Day Pattern Collection for Dolls, which includes great spring dresses and stylish statement hats.
Amelia Dress from Love From Lola
Primrose Dress from Buzzin Bea
Winner's Circle from Karen Lorraine Designs
Jane Ruhl of Sweet Pea Fashions shares, "I hail from Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby! While you might think that the Kentucky Derby is just a horse race, those of us who live here know that what Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, the Derby is to Louisville. It’s a three-week-long festival that begins with one of the largest fireworks shows in North America and ends when the parties break up late on Derby Day. In between, there are parades, races of all kinds (involving people, rodents, steamboats, hot air balloons, and even beds), and PARTIES!"
Get your doll ready for summer with the Palmetto Swimsuit, and then use that pattern to get her ready for the Derby! In this pattern hack, Jane shows you how to convert the top of the swimsuit into a sundress that is perfect for al fresco dining, a barn wedding, or even the Kentucky Derby!
You can create the perfect straw hat for your doll with the Springtime Straw Hat crochet pattern from Sweet Pea Fashions! This wide brimmed hat can be crocheted in synthetic raffia to look like straw, in cotton for a casual look, or in any medium weight yarn. It is very easy, worked all in single crochet, a perfect beginner project. It can be left plain or decorated to the nines.
Check out the Fabric Flower Tutorial from Sweet Pea Fashions to add fun and flare to your hat!
Derby Day Hats
Derby Day Fedora from Rondeletia
Lady Sarah Rick Rack Hat from Genniewren Designs
1940s Pleated Felt Hat from Thimbles and Acorns
Derby Day Shoes and Bags
Espadrilles from Eden Ava Couture
Art Deco Bags Accessory Pattern from DKinley Designs
Flower Sandals from Dena's Doll Designs
Fun Accessories For Your Horse
If you need a horse for your Derby Day celebration, check out the Our Generation® Doll Sized Horse!
ENTER TO WIN An Our Generation® Doll-Sized Horse!
To enter this week's contest, simply click the link below and then enter through the giveaway widget at the bottom of the blog post, there are many things you can do to earn multiple entry points!
Contest Details: You enter through the entry form that is embedded on this page and appears just below this paragraph, if you don't see it, be sure to visit the page from your desktop or an alternate browser such as Google Chrome. It may not appear on all mobile devices. The complete rules and entry details appear on the entry form. This is not a comment contest - in other words, leaving a comment on the bottom of this page is not an official entry method. The only required entry method is to leave a comment under this post and then confirm that you did it in the contest widget. One person will receive the toy horse. You can enter once, or gain multiple entries by completing the other entry methods and increase your chances of winning. Please review all Terms and Conditions on the giveaway page before entering. While we wish we could run this contest everywhere, for legal reasons it is only open to eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada, not including Rhode Island. This contest is exclusively endorsed by Liberty Jane Clothing and Pixie Faire. This contest and article are not endorsed by or affiliated with Our Generation®.
We'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell us - what kind of Derby Day look would you like to make? Commenting below and confirming your entry in the widget above gives you one entry method, the other methods are listed in the widget above, be sure to enter in as many ways as you can to receive the maximum amount of entries to win one Our Generation® Horse!
Thanks, everyone!
The Pixie Faire Team
If I was going to the Derby, I would wear an elegant, classic fitted a-line dress. With a big brimmed hat with flowers and a smart train, maybe 6 to 12 inches long. The colors would be the same as the colors of my thoroughbred farm.
Winner circle dress and large hat is perfect
I love the Karen Lorraine Winners Club Circle look. The hat and dress is perfect together.
I would make a cute dress.
Making the 1940s Pleated Felt Hat from Thimbles and Acorns for sure!
Definitely a fancy hat!
I love the Winner’s Circle pattern from Karen Lorraine. That is what I would probably make. Thanks for the give away. I would love to have a horse for my dolls.
Dress with fitted bodice and gathered skirt, hidden pockets. The fabric is a white background printed with red poppies. Headwear would be a fascinator with red poppies. Red shoes and clutch purse complete the look.
I’d love to make a dress and hat combo for derby and tea
The winners circle outfit is perfect for the Derby!
The winners circle outfit is perfect for the Derby!
Hats are fun.
A dress with a full skirt and a big hat to match. I attended the derby one year and wore a dress with lots of petticoats. The fashions were as interesting as the race.
I think my grand daughters doll would be wearing your Amelia pattern ( as her moms name is Amelia and it’s so cute). In a nice spring yellow or orange I think and a wide brim hat to keep the sun off her head and face.
I think a beautiful cotton crochet sundress from a Little Abbee design would be really festive, along with a really big hat with flowers!
I think my grand daughters doll would be wearing your Amelia pattern ( as her moms name is Amelia and it’s so cute). In a nice spring yellow or orange I think and a wide brim hat to keep the sun off her head and face.
I would love the horse for my great niece. She loves horses. A Derby hat and dress would be lovely.
what a lovely addition to a doll
I would wear a big hat nd a sundress made in the colors of my favorite horse
For Derby Day, I love all the looks with a hat. Thanks for the giveaway!
The Horse would be a great gift for my Granddaughter
I love the horse. Beautiful. The derby day items are adorable. Reminds me of the scene in “Pretty Woman” at the derby with all the hats.
I would love a horse for my grand daughter, Liara. because she loves horses! She would also love me to make a fancy dress outfit with a big hat, too! Ta, Deb
I would wear a nice flow dress with a big floppy hat! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Love the derby dress and hat!
If I were attending the derby, I believe I would choose a wide-legged split-skirt/culotte that hangs like a dress — just so those breezes don’t reveal more than I choose, and also just in case I have a chance to play jockey, I can ride astride. And definitely, I had have a fancy hat…with a rodeo strap to keep it firmly on my head and not flying away.
I always think of dresses and big hats like the race scene in My Faire Lady. Don’t forget something for your hand. Either a parasol or a very special drink.
We will be wearing a cute simple summer dress with a fabulous hat that we made ourselves.
Thank you for the pretty Derby clothes. they are so pretty it’s hard to choose.
I’m so glad the Derby wasn’t cancelled this year, just postponed. It might still be nice enough in Sept to still wear all your Derby finery!
I’m not sure yet which pattern I’ll use, but it will be turquoise wth a lace overlay. The hat will match…with plenty of flowers and maybe a feather.
Derby Day! A winner would be wonderful!!
I grew up with horses and would love to share that love with my young granddaughter.
We could all use a winner about now!
The dresses and hats are adorable, but my granddaughter would love some western wear to go with a horse!
My granddaughter’s doll will be wearing a cute dress and a large straw hat.
My granddaughter would like this cute horse for her doll playing with friends whenever she gets to play with friends again. Really like your site and so appreciate the free patterns and all the others you have.
A horse would be just the treat I need about now!!
I’d make the culotte jumpsuit with the derby day fedora!
Winner’s Circle, White dress and white hat with lots of flowers
I would wear a dress with a full skirt, flats, and a wide brimmed hat with a wide ribbon around the brim
I would make the Derby Day hat with all of the flowers.
I love them all and the rich brown of the horse!
I do adore the turquoise dress and hat and maybe add another hat in coordinating colors that would be floral. I would make flowers to adorn the horse, I would also braid the horses tail and insert flowers down the length of the tail, so pretty. Looking forward to making mint juliep drinks and inviting all my girlfriends to celebrate. To celebrate with the Kentucky Derby…
I would definitely wear one of your guy’s diy outfits. They are so cute and trendy! They are so awesome that I still can’t choose which hat and dress pair I like best!!!😁😁😁
My granddaughter’s doll will be wearing a turquoise floral print dress with a matching brim hat with flowers. The horse would be an added bonus for the next Derby.
A very big hat
My Mother and I have always enjoyed the Derby,. She would love a horse for her AG doll.
I love the horses.
I would have Kit wearing a big hat with a flowing, patterned dress.
Winner’s Circle from Karen Lorraine Designs
white hat
Would love to find the perfect straw hat to fit an American Girl.
If I were going to the derby, I’d most definitely wear a big showy hat – very fun! And maybe try a mint julep ;).
Those dress patterns are beautiful. If I were to pick a favorite, I believe it would be Winner’s Circle. Hard to choose – all are exquisite!
I would wear a dress made with the Palmetto Swimsuit hack and the rucksack hat.
I never had a real horse as a child, even though I had plenty of pretend ones. For my little girl to have a horse to stand next to in the winner’s circle would be fabulous! (She already has an outfit to wear – her 1940s Pleated Felt Hat and her Lovely Lilacs summer wrap.
Love the idea of crocheting a hat from raffia to look like straw! A Derby Day hat will definitely need to be big and bold – tulle? flowers? feathers?
I would make the sundress using the swimsuit top, and make it in bright colors. Also add a fun hat to match.
I do not have any children or grandchildren but plan on making a whole wardrobe along with an American Girl doll to give to a child that is not so lucky at Christmas.
I would make a wide brim hat with pretty flowers and ribbons of many colors.
Marilyn
Love all the patterns. The hats are great. I think my favorite is the Winners Circle dress and hat.
Molly and Blair will wear dresses and fancy hats to the Derby
The Sweet Pea dress and hat are adorable. Who wouldn’t want to show up to the Derby in that?!
The horses look amazing – thanks for the contest.
Oh I love all the hats on derby day. I would make a derby hat.
I would make a hat.Crocheting one with the raffia sounds like fu.
Such cute patterns. I am going to check out some right now. I love the flower sandals.
The horses are adorable
Love horses and love the HATS! It is hard to choose one, I would like them all.
My doll would need a nice bright hat and the horse could have a matching blanket. My grand daughter loves horses and would love to have one like this. Thanks for the opportunity to win one.
My doll would need a nice bright hat and the horse could have a matching blanket. My grand daughter loves horses and would love to have one like this. Thanks for the opportunity to win one.
I would make the rick rack hat pattern
I like the Amelia Dress with the Lady Sarah Rick Rack Hat with Flower Sandals
I would like to make any look. I have never worked with any animals. Sounds so fun.
I would make a hat. Crocheting one with raffia sounds like fun.
A fascinator or a big brimmed hat with a floral print alone dress and comfy shoes!!!!
I would have a white dress with a soft pastel flower print on it. A pink belt, stand up collar and finished with a wide brimmed hat trimmed in pastel flowers.
The Sweet Pea wrap and the pink dress and hat is very cute!Thank you so much for the giveaways!
I am sewing the outfits, my granddaughter at age 4 is riding. would love a horse to go with the outfits.
I’d like our doll Mia to wear a crisp white linen dress with smocking and a white hat with white mary janes
Having a horse for my younger granddaughter would make an excellent escort for the derby winner to the winner’s circle. My granddaughter loves her Our Generation doll, Lilia, as they have the same name.
I would wear a bright colored dress with a matching hat.
My doll would need a fancy hat to match her dress
I like the Amelia Dress and the folded felt hat.
I would like to finish the Sweet Pea fashions hat! Thank you so much for all the giveaways Pixie faire team!
I would love to make a design from Winners’ Circle, both hat and dress.
I love the Genniwren Mackenzie Dress & would like to try the Genniwren Lady Sarah Rick Rack Hat. Such a hard choice!
I really like the Amelia dress! Thank you for the chance to win this!
I would wear something pretty to match with my horse
I would love for my doll to wear a Victorian style dress and hat, similar to Eliza in My Fair Lady. 🥰
I have AG Nicole. She loves horses. She would look great in the blue dress.
I think distressed faux jodhpurs in denim with a pink Oxford.
Love this cute little horse! Would be really fun to make the saddle and bridle for my granddaughters!
I can’t believe your Pixie Faire crew. You are so creative! A Derby Day outfit and horse makes me feel like I have horse in the race.
I LOVE THEM ALL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THEM FOR MYSELF AND MOLLY!!!!
1. I would wear a dress.
2. Yes would wear a hat. A must.
I would make a Derby Day hat and also a new pretty Horse Blanket
The Winner’s Circle, but maybe a cute western. I grew up with horses and used to ride in the wash when I was in junior high. One day the daughter of the friend of my Dad was attacked and killed in that same wash. Dad said that is was best to sell my horse.
I’m so glad I found your site! I’m a beginning seamstress and my granddaughters want clothes for their AG dolls. I think I might succeed!
Loving the Amelia dress! It looks so springy!!
Cathy
April 21, 2020
I’ve been looking for new hat patterns