Blogging for the past 9+ years has been a blessing like I’ve rarely known.  It’s brought me some of my best friends, a career that I never would have anticipated, and fun experiences in Denver and beyond.

One such experience occurred earlier this month when I was honored to judge the fashion contests at the Denver Mini Derby and (thankfully) didn’t have to worry about driving back and forth thanks to DCAcar.

Our Ride

First, let’s talk about our ride because this group is probably my favorite new find in Denver.  For those that aren’t familiar, DCAcar is relatively new to the Denver scene, having been in the Washington D.C. area for years and finally expanding out west – we needed this service in the city.

Essentially, DCAcar is a luxury car service that offers rides to all of the major areas of town, including car service to DIA – I’ve been using them constantly when I have clients that come to town. They pick up and drop off promptly, typically offer nice amenities like water bottles and mints to their guests, and their cars are as clean as can be.  They’re probably my favorite option to use if I’m looking to class up an event and they’ve become my top choice when I need to make sure my ride is on time.  In my experience, they’re a team and service that I would highly recommend, even if you just need a ride somewhere around town!

But now, let’s get down to the juicy details of this party…

Denver Mini Derby

While Denver has a surprisingly large number of Derby-related social functions, my favorite one that I’ve attended is the Denver Mini Derby.

In its second year, this fiesta full of big hats and flair benefits Minds Matter of Denver and Next Step Horse Rescue.  While the corgi race and mini horse races are probably the biggest draws to the event (because they should be… they’re awesome), my best friend Natasha from Polished Avenue, my new friend Chelsea (daytime DJ on Denver’s radio station 106.7 The Bull), and I were asked to judge the fashion portion of the event.

From best hat to best dressed man/woman to best dressed couple, the fashion that the guests came up with was so creative and fun.  I was in love with the guy that won Best Dressed Man… check him out in the featured photo.  I can’t be the only one that gets some Bruno Mars vibes from him, right?

Getting back to the races, they were a blast to watch.  After the trumpeter played “My Old Kentucky Home” and kicked off the races, the racers lined up on the starting line.

First, the little corgis were ready to go with an owner standing on each side of the “track,” some holding their favorite toy, others just crossing their fingers for a miracle.  In the few rounds of racing I witnessed, those little corgis can cruise!  They got some serious air and were a ton of fun to watch.

Afterwards, the scene was set for the mini horse race to begin.  Each horse had a lead rope and they ran with their owner in two circles around the “track.”  While it’s a tough call, my two favorite horses were named “Crescent Moon” and “Glitter,” with Glitter being the favorite due to winning last year’s race.  Though, sadly, another horse became victorious, the race was still a very enjoyable event.

Overall, I’ll definitely be back to join this event in the future, because it was a BLAST.  The weather could not have been better, the party planners thought of every detail, and it was the perfect way to relax in the sunshine while watching the Derby.  I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

What I Wore

While this is far from being a fashion blog, we all know that Derby fashion is of paramount importance.  Plus, my favorite sports commentators (Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, obviously) are so focused on fashion that they make me believe that the fashion is a game-changer.

For this event, as I do for many events, I simplified my look through a steady mixture of borrowing and re-using.  (Honestly I used to purchase new to every major event until Princess Kate started re-using fashion pieces regularly. If it’s good enough for a Princess, than it’s definitely good enough for me, ha.)

My dress and shoes were from two separate weddings that I was in, with the light pink dress being from David’s Bridal and the shoes being from Target.  My hat was borrowed from my good friend Brittany at The Cashmere Gypsy.

Everything was light pink and black and felt like Spring.  And that, my friends, is how a thrifty/fancy Derby is done!

Follow along on Instagram where we share all of our favorite new finds in Denver on a regular basis!

This post was sponsored by the wonderful folks at DCAcar, who I honestly do recommend, especially as a Denver airport limo. Thank you for supporting Semi-Sweet Tooth and our sponsors!!