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Having lived in Baltimore for five years, I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been to the Preakness Stakes (or watched The Wire, but that’s another hill to climb). So when Reed and I we were invited to attend the International Gold Cup by our friends at luxury wine purveyor The Lady Pearly, I was thrilled for my first horse racing event!
The Race
Held every fall at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia, an hour west from Washington D.C., the International Gold Cup is one of the country’s largest steeplechase events and is the fall season partner to spring’s Virginia Gold Cup. While I took the time to admire some of the sleek thoroughbreds and colorful jockeys as they flew by Member’s Hill, I’ll be up front in saying I was more interested in the people-watching, fashion, and socializing!
The Wine
We were lucky to attend the event as guests of Kevin and Pearly Brown, certified oenophiles and owners of The Lady Pearly, a D.C.-based online wine retailer that specializes in fine Bordeaux and other high-end French wines, as well as select local, minority and woman-owned wines.
As sponsors of the event, the Lady Pearly box on Member’s Hill was well-supplied with fine charcuterie and cheeses, macarons and petits fours, and of course – fine wine! I started the afternoon with a glass of Trianon 1966 champagne which was a fabulous pre-lunch aperitif – dry and citrusy with a yummy pastry finish. I moved on to a demi-sec Veuve Clicquot and then took a sip of Reed’s glass of delightfully full-bodied, plummy, and peppery Clos la Rose, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.
My last glass was a splash of the luscious Le Tertre du Lys D’or Sauternes that tasted of honey, apricot, and dried fruits. I’ve never been a fan of sweet wines, but the Sauternes I keep having with Kevin and Pearly (I drank my first glass at dinner with them over the summer) have totally changed my mind.
The Fashion
With bright colors trending right now, I knew I wanted to showcase rich fall jewel tones at the Gold Cup – plus you know how much I love pairing shades of pink and red! I bought this fuchsia blazer dress back in the spring (last spotted here at our Maryland Live! staycation) and paired it with classic nude patent Lustro pumps from M. Gemi (reviewed here) with a slim block heel that navigated the grassy lumps of Member’s Hill quite well.
Of course, the pièce de résistance was always going to be my hat. As soon as I received the invitation to the International Gold Cup, I reached out to the amazing Ashley Clark, owner of Soigné Hats. Each one of her pieces is designed and made by hand with the goal of commanding an audience. I love Ashley’s work because of how passionate she is about continuing classic millinery traditions while reinventing headwear styles for the modern woman. This sculptural work of art is part of Soigné Hats’ Sexual Aristocracy Collection, with elegant curling loops that create a different view from every angle.
But my styling responsibilities didn’t end with my look – I still had Reed to dress! Luckily he already had this navy blazer shot through with hot pink that we found at a little boutique in Le Marais, Paris last year. I found this classic navy check shirt at Bonobos (Reed says it’s the most comfortable he’s owned in years) and picked up his magenta silk faille bow tie at The Tie Bar. He finished off the look with classic Cole Haan monk strap dress shoes.
It’s all in the details – I styled my look with an heirloom cabochon and diamond jewelry set, while Reed pulled everything together with his very first bow tie.
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I had such a fabulous time at the Gold Cup – from delightful company and delicious wine to a drop-dead gorgeous hat – I’m already looking forward to the spring races. Do you attend horse-racing events each year? Let me know which ones you love in the comments!
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