Photos show the biggest and best hats from the 2023 Kentucky Derby

Majestic horses are just one of the main attractions of the annual Kentucky Derby. The well-known horse race is also known for the unique, over-the-top hats worn by fashionable attendees. According to theKentucky Derby website, hats are the "focus of Derby fashion" and are believed to bring good luck to racegoers. Hats are such an

  • May 6, 2023, marked the 149th Annual Kentucky Derby. 
  • The annual event held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, is a big day for hat-lovers.
  • Take a look at some of the most extravagant hats attendees wore to this year's race.

Majestic horses are just one of the main attractions of the annual Kentucky Derby. The well-known horse race is also known for the unique, over-the-top hats worn by fashionable attendees.

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According to the Kentucky Derby website, hats are the "focus of Derby fashion" and are believed to bring good luck to racegoers. Hats are such an important part of the event's dress code that the Derby website advises that guests to "keep it simple" with the rest of their outfits "so it doesn't take away from your hat."

Kim Kardashian West, Sarah Hyland, and Jessica Simpson are just a few of the many celebrities who have shown up to the event wearing extravagant headpieces over the years. Even the late Queen Elizabeth II has previously participated in the custom.

Here's some of the most glamorous headwear attendees sported at the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

This attendee wore an eccentric red hat with feathers springing out of its center.

A red, feathery hat at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

This guest chose a broad, white hat covered in leaf and flower appliqués.

A floral hat at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Sofia Pernas posed with Justin Hartley while wearing a simple red hat decorated with roses.

Actors Sofia Pernas and Justin Hartley at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Another guest wore a black hat full of interesting details, including feathers, mesh, and a large red rose as its centerpiece.

A black hat featuring feathers and a red rose at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

This guest went for a simple, sheer hat with a thin, black outline. Its floral details gave it some flair.

A white hat with a black outline at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

This attendee's headpiece gave the illusion of a swarm of blue butterflies.

A butterfly headpiece at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. LEANDRO LOZADA/Getty Images

This attendee's white hat appeared to have a plant growing out of its center.

A white hat with leaves at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

This racegoer wore a headpiece of light-pink flowers decorated with stems of blooming buds.

A floral headpiece at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. LEANDRO LOZADA/Getty Images

Brittany Mahomes posed with her husband, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in a simple pink hat decorated with a tall, purple feather.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Brittany Mahomes at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Rob Carr/Getty Images

This Derby fan's whimsical, floral helmet was topped with roses and toy horses.

A hat with a toy horse at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. LEANDRO LOZADA/Getty Images

This attendee's black hat was surrounded by a ring of oversized feathers.

A black, feathery hat at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Model Maria Montgomery paired her hat — which stood out with an oversized flower — with a purple dress of a similar hue.

Maria Montgomery at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

The popular rose motif was taken to the next level with this bright-red, feather-lined hat topped with a gigantic flower.

A red floral hat with feathers at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Singer Carly Pearce kept it relatively simple with a blue headband that matched the skirt of her dress. Still, the floral details on her headwear made it stand out.

Carly Pearce at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Floppy, feathery, and floral, this guest's voluminous hat made a statement.

A guest wears a statement hat at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Intricate swirls of sequins decorated this flat headpiece that strayed from the typical aesthetic of Derby hats.

A guest wears a silver-and-black, sequin hat at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

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