Kentucky Derby Dress Code | What to Wear

The Kentucky Derby at the famous Churchill Downs is rapidly approaching, and what’s dubbed as “The most exciting two minutes in sports” is one of the most hyped-up annual sporting events. People from all over the world travel to Louisville to take part in the weekend’s festivities, which always prove to be a great time.

Still, one thing that may be as synonymous with the race as the Mint Julips or the horses themselves is the carefully-crafted outfits that fans don, which generally include a great deal of pastel colors, seersucker patterns, and fancy hats (the bigger, the better).

If you’re still looking for cheaper Kentucky Derby tickets, be sure to find them on TickPick, where you’ll never pay any service fees!

Now, one lingering question for horse racing fans who plan on attending this event is: How do I dress so as not to stand out like a sore thumb (or be denied access to certain areas because I’m underdressed)?  We’ve compiled some information below that should answer any questions you may have going into the Kentucky Derby if you’re not planning on going all out in a three-piece suit.

Please note that there is no dress code for those who purchased general admission tickets for the Derby. Still, the event staff can, of course, deny entry to anybody who has attire deemed “inappropriate” (i.e., cover up enough so as not to cause a stir, and no offensive graphics and/or language to play it safe).

Dress Codes (Infield Excluded)

There are three (3) separate “categories” that the venue itself specifies for attendees. They are as follows:

Business Casual

This is a style of dress where jackets are preferred, and clothing items such as shirts with collars, vests, blazers, sweaters, dresses, capri pants, slacks, and pantsuits are suitable. Items not permitted in these areas include athletic wear, tennis shoes, shorts, jeans or any type of denim, halter tops, and T-shirts. Please note that while encouraged, this dress code doesn’t apply to children under 12 years old.

Smart Casual

For what’s deemed “smart casual,” blazers and jackets are optional, while items such as shirts with collars, vests, sweaters, dresses, slacks, dressy jeans, and pantsuits are suitable. Items not permitted in these areas include athletic wear, tennis shoes, shorts, jeans or any type of denim, halter tops, and T-shirts. Just like “business casual,” while encouraged, this dress code doesn’t apply to kids under 12 years old.

Track Casual

“Track casual” deems jackets and blazers optional, while dress jeans, sweaters, slacks, dresses, pantsuits, vests, capris, and shirts with collars are appropriate. Things considered “inappropriate attire” are halter tops, athletic wear, torn or frayed garments, or denim, and midriff tops.

Take a look below at this chart provided by the official track website that clearly outlines what sections of the venue consider what sort of dress is appropriate or acceptable. 

Dress Codes for The Infield

If you’ve purchased tickets to hang out in the infield all day, you’re in for an excellent time. All of the above dress code information can essentially be thrown out the window, as you’ll notice there’s a significant disparity between those Derby-goers dressed in their finest blazers and fancy hats and those dealing with the elements in the infield (though that’s not to say there won’t be fans still dressing nice among their friends).

In short, we advise against nudity and anything else that should not be played. We’d recommend bringing a pair of flip flops – especially if the forecast calls for rain – to handle muddy elements, and at the end of the day, you’ll want to be comfortable (and hydrated) if you’re hanging out in the sun all day.

We hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions regarding the cheapest tickets for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or leave a comment below.