Dolling it up….Kentucky Derby Style

The Kentucky Derby is a time honored tradition and there will no doubt be an abundance of viewing parties this weekend.  Whether you are attending a party or one of the lucky ones who will be at the actual derby, you must be outfitted accordingly.   

The San Francisco Guardmen are throwing a fabulous derby inspired soiree called “Run for the Roses” on May 4th from 1:00pm-6:00pm at 1 Fort Mason in San Francisco. Guests of this private soirée will enjoy a delectable spread of appetizers and traditional southern food, while all proceeds will go to benefit at-risk Bay Area youth.

There are a several routes you can take apparel wise, but we all know that it’s all about the hat. Wide brimmed solid hats, adorned hats, fascinators, and fedoras are all solid choices.  Choose the one that compliments your personality best. We suggest picking the hat first and building your outfit around it.

We found two great collections of Kentucky Derby hats, one from JenniferDawn84 (pictured above) on Polyvore and another on PatterPulp.

A wide brimmed floral adorned hat with a solid color dress and spectator heels is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 

If you opt for a floral dress, we recommend keeping the hat simple and solid. For a gender bender twist (and our favorite!), try a seersucker shorts suit paired back to a panama straw hat.  

Need some derby day inspiration for your guy, we love this photo from the art of manliness.

If you don’t feel like heading to the Guardsmen party, throw your own last minute festive soiree in your backyard or apartment complex pool-side. Southern Living has some great Derby inspired ideas and delicious recipes to play with. 

Call  your best girls over for either a girlie day with hats, heels, and mint julep drinks or get consider getting creative having each of them bring a single guy as their guest. Dolly as they say….let the races begin! 

Written by Camilla, celebrity stylist for Tog + Porter with creative dating ideas from Amy Andersen of Linx Dating.

 

Meet The Parents | What To Wear

The time has come to meet your honey’s parents.  You’re both thrilled and petrified. Although we’re sure they’ll love you as much as he does, you want to put your best fashion foot forward on this momentous occasion.  We teamed up with style experts Tog + Porter to show Linx readers how to look fabulous for this huge occasion.

The first step in deciding what to wear is to find out what the setting is. Are you gathering for a casual brunch?  Drinks?  Dinner?  One thing is certain, no matter the setting: keep your look polished and demure.

Tog + Porter stylist Camilla Basse says a floral dress with strappy sandals and a solid cardi or white skinnies with a silky top in a soft tone are winning combos for a brunch date. 

For him:  jeans with a casual button up and blazer.

For cocktails or a more formal dinner date, we suggest a lace dress with neon heels or classic black heels if you get the feeling they’re a little more on the conservative side. A flirty floral dress with long sleeves is another option for a more covered up approach. Pair back to striking strappy metallic heels to add some wow factor.

For him: a pair of slim cut trousers, a button up and blazer OR a killer suit, which like Clooney never goes out of style. (Yeah, we totally stole that line from Sex and the City)For killer suit inspiration, have your man borrow a page from Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s GQ spread.If you need help prepping an outfit to meet your beaux’s parents or friends, you know where to turn. You can now book your face-to-face skype session with a Tog + Porter stylist online here.