Summer fashion kicks off with the Derby

The calendar may say that summer begins on June 21, but fashionistas know that the summer kicks off the weekend of the Kentucky Derby. This fine tradition draws people from all over the country to Churchill Downs to watch the most well-known horse race of the season. A few years ago, the Derby was the American answer to the Royal Wedding in a crazy hat face off (which was easily won by the Brits).

Used with permission from flickr user Brood_wich Creative Commons for Flickr.

This year’s Derby, along with the host of Derby themed parties around the country, offered an occasion at which to debut new summer ensembles. While more daring trends like mesh and iridescence were not present at this more conservative event, others were on full display. Many ladies showed up in full skirts, which is a coming trend. Derby goers were also decked in bright colors, namely pink and red which are back in a major way this season.

Of course there was no shortage of giant hats, which is a summer staple (they’re perfect for keeping harmful UV rays off your face, so make it cute. You’ll need it all summer). Another trend that was well represented was black and white – which is back this summer.

If you missed out on the crazy head gear and mint juleps, never fear! Memorial Day is still 3 weeks away, and there will be plenty of opportunities for you to show off your new summer threads.

As seen on TV: Where to find your TV faves

Tim Gunn and Mondo Guerra present new designers.

My Sunday morning routine typically consists of two things – coffee and fashion magazines. But like much of the American population, I struggle to justify spending $1,000 on a skirt, no matter how cute it may be. As such, I also draw fashion inspiration from television (although when Gossip Girl went off the air, I lost one of my main sources of inspiration…).

These days, I count Elementary, The Originals, Covert Affairs and Hart of Dixie as some of my main sources of ideas, and I have found a few blogs dedicated to outfit matching. These sites are great for finding pieces that you love. Although many of the pieces shown on TV are still a bit much for the budget conscious fan, they are a great way to discern which brands you like. This can help you narrow down where to find dupes or similar styles that more closely match your budget.

Shop Your TV.com is a well organized site that includes pretty much every show that’s been on the air in recent years. Organized by network, this site makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. It’s also updated on a regular basis, so check in every week to find out what your fictional faves are wearing.

WornonTV.net is another great site with a lot of comprehensive information including where you can find your favorite pieces of clothing. It’s also very well organized, allowing you to find the specifics of your favorite characters. This site is not as comprehensive, but it does give ideas for dupes in the event that they can’t find an exact match.

TVFashionGuide.com contains a list of popular shows and movies, with a good backlog, so you can find your favorites from older movies like The Devil Wears Prada. This site is pretty easy to navigate too, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time looking for your favorite outfits. It’s good for finding tricky outfits, as the guess work is done.

If you’re into TV fashion, give one of these sites a try and dress like your favorite characters (or mix and match so you don’t look like a clone). You’ll be shocked at how many TV fashion finds are actually affordable.