Nicole Scherzinger guides 2026 Derby fashion toward big brims
nicole scherzinger is not part of the 2026 Kentucky Derby fashion guide, but the style brief is clear: bold self-expression, big hats and what experts called “main character energy.” Zanna Roberts Rassi and Gigi Burris are steering attendees toward oversized brims, celebrity references and looks built to command attention.
Zanna Roberts Rassi and Zendaya
“The Derby is a different kind of spectator sport,” Zanna Roberts Rassi said in an interview about Kentucky Derby fashion. She added, “It’s an explosion and a celebration of self-expression, an optical feast. Your Derby outfit is a quick cut to your character and your personality.”
Rassi, a fashion journalist and guest style editor for the 2026 Kentucky Derby Style Guide, pointed readers toward Zendaya for hat inspiration. “Ask yourself, ‘How does Zendaya wear a hat?'” she said. “It’s burned in my brain the Met Gala outfit Zendaya wore last year,” she added, describing it as “a simple three-piece Louis Vuitton suit with a wide-brimmed hat, with 70’s swagger.”
Gigi Burris Millinery
“We are pretty consistently seeing an appetite for BIG,” Gigi Burris said when discussing Derby fashion trends. Burris, the designer and owner of Gigi Burris Millinery, has designed hats for Alix Earle and Britainy Beshear, the wife of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
“People want something that is going to turn heads, make them the center of attention,” Burris said. She put the hat standard plainly: “Big brims are the standard.” She also urged watch-party guests, “Don’t bring a less-than to a watch party,” and, “Bring your Churchill Downs best.”
Five-Inch Brims
Rassi said shoppers should look for “five-inch-plus brims with full coverage,” and she pointed to Louis Vuitton as a place to start. Feathers are another way to hit that main character energy, giving the Derby look a sharper silhouette without losing the event’s dress-up logic.
The practical takeaway for attendees is simple: this year’s Derby style language favors width, height and personality over restraint. With Saturday’s race approaching and Rassi set to jet from the Derby to the Met Gala two days later, the wardrobe cues are already set for anyone deciding what counts as Churchill Downs best.
