Preakness Fashion on a Budget

It’s time to get your Preak on! If you’re planning on attending the second jewel of the Triple Crown (or hitting up a viewing party to watch the race on TV) you want to be dressed for success without blowing all of your betting money on clothes. Never fear: I am here to help you out with three fun Preakness ensembles (and two bonus InfieldFest looks) that won’t break your bankroll.

Our first look incorporates the red of the Maryland state flag without getting too costumey:

Here, I’ve selected a red dress for $25 from Body Central and paired it with a fantastic statement necklace from Kristin Perry for $28. The shoes ($45, Mojo Moxy) mimic the blue in the necklace and lend the look a fun retro air. That watch, from NastyGal, is deceptive: it has a total Cartier vibe to it without the terrifying price tag; this one rings up at $35, which is more than reasonable. I added a $40 fascinator from Amazon.com and $9.99 tortoise-shell-and-gold-tone shades from Tilly’s; pair it all with a $20 bag from Forever21 and some killer red nail polish for $15 from Butter and you have a ready-made Preakness outfit for just $217.99.

This next look is pretty close to what I’ll be wearing on Preakness day:

I love maxi dresses: they’re so comfortable, but still perfectly stylish for a day at the track. This graphic version is $20 from American Eagle Outfitters, and I put a wide belt with it ($7.80, Forever21) to define the waist a little bit. The look is relaxed, and the bag ($21, Sole Society) conveys that aesthetic. To accessorize, I chose a pair of white braided flat sandals ($13, Wet Seal) as well as a $19 cuff bracelet from Asos and $33 earrings from JC Penny. Top it all off with a $25 Tncuk.Com packable (packable!) hat  and a pair of $5.99 aviator sunnies from Charlotte Russe and you have a Preakness-ready ensemble for just $144.79.

I love a pencil skirt and blazer combo: 

The jewel tone of this $19 Xclusive skirt is mimicked by the $6.59 fascinator from Amazon.com. I love the crazy Aztec pattern of this $27 Body Central blazer, and I decided to go simple on the rest of the accessories since there’s already a lot going in this look. Here we have a classic pair of Hollywood-glam $7.50 Wet Seal sunglasses, a rad vintage-inspired pair of two-tone Mary Janes for $40 from ModCloth, a white satchel from Katie and Kelly for $30 and a fitted white tee from Target for $9. Add a pair of black pearl earrings from Givenchy Glass for $26 and a pop of pink lipstick ($4, NYX) and you’re race day ready for just $169.09.

BONUS: InfieldFest! 

One of the huge draws (aside from a great day of racing) of the Preakness Stakes is InfieldFest – the interior of Pimlico Race Course becomes a massive music festival on Preakness and Black Eyed Susan day, and here are two looks that can take you from the stage to the starting gate. 

I may order this amazing graphic floral skater skirt, which is $28 from Prinkko.com. I paired it with a canary yellow crop top ($44, Miss Selfridge) and added a very rockstar pair of hoop earrings for $7 from JC Penny as well as a $10 bangle set from Bebe. Take care of your feet with $45 green Chucks and sass up your nails with some navy polish from OPI for $7.48 and you’re good to go for just $141.48. 

I’m obsessed with the print of this $25 dress from Delia’s – it’s so delightfully funky and eye-catching. I added a pair of $40 turquoise Steve Madden shoes, a fantastic fringed $27 Mossimo bag and fun $9.99 Tilly’s tangerine sunglasses. Top it all off with a spikey Sparkling Sage necklace for $30 and a gold-tone cuff for $35 from Sole Society and you have a full infield outfit for $166.99. Fabulous!