24-04-2025
Oaks Day pink meaning goes beyond the fashion
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — Anyone who comes to Kentucky Oaks Day is bound to see a sea of pink outfits. For years, there's been a purpose behind the pink.
The Kentucky Derby puts Kentucky in the worldwide spotlight, but before that, Oaks Day rolls in, turning Churchill Downs into a fashion show of pink. Whether it's dresses, blazers, or hats, pink is the name of the game. Jessica Whitehead is the curator of collections at the Kentucky Derby Museum, and the tradition of Oaks Day pink is something she's ready to celebrate with everyone who comes this year.
'Oaks Day has become a major celebration in Kentucky racing, and Oaks Day has its own special traditions. Those special traditions have to do with pink, and they call it the pink out,' Whitehead said.
The purpose for the pink is twofold. One is to celebrate the stargazer lily, which is the garland of lilies given to the winner of the Kentucky Oaks, and the other is to highlight breast cancer and ovarian cancer awareness.
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'The Oaks survivor parade that's been happening for several decades now at Churchill Downs, that experience has sort of promoted this idea of having everyone show their support,' Whitehead said.
This event spotlights Kentucky, but it's so big that people across the globe know about it. Riley Meckley is a fashion positivity advocate from New York. She goes by the name 'alwaysdressbest' (Riley Meckley (@alwaysdressbest) • Instagram photos and videos) on Instagram and gravitates toward using fashion to show passion and support for things like this.
'I do think fashion is meant to start conversation, and it makes me really happy when people actually use it for that,' Meckley said.
Meckley said she's always pushing to use fashion as a way for people to spread positivity, and using Oaks Day fashion to do that is something that really appealed to her.
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'I also think it shows how much that we've progressed as a society. The Kentucky Oaks and Derby was created and established in 1875. Back then, women were not seen as equal to men, and I don't think we would have seen a bunch of men wearing a certain color to support what's normally a women's health issue. The fact that nowadays it's not just women who are wearing pink; it's everyone. No matter your race, background, gender, or whatever, everyone is wearing pink to support this issue that primarily affects women; I think that's amazing,' Meckley said.
Wearing pink to Kentucky Oaks Day has its deep meanings, but on top of that, Whitehead said it's a way to have fun doing it.
'It's just that awareness of wearing that pink to show your support, and then also, it's fun to wear pink,' Whitehead said.
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