Texas Hat Maker Custom-Makes Perfect Toppers for Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby isn’t always about horses, as you may have recently seen online or in the news. Hats which are worn at the event often take center stage and have been doing so for quite some time now – who’s wearing what, in what colors, and how did their overall look came together? The answers to these questions place a lucky few in the upper echelon of horse racing fashion. Although it all takes place in Kentucky, you might be surprised to learn that a Texas hat maker has a hand in ensuring the finest in hat wear makes its way to the event!

A hat shop based in Oak Cliff, here in the Lone Star State, has been working in high-gear to ready their clientele for the weekend’s event, ensuring that all those Texans in attendance are dressed to the nines. The prestigious Kentucky Derby means big business to milliners. Cassie MacGregor, owner of the House of MacGregor in Oak Cliff has been busy since the beginning of the year, making approximately 150 hats for the occasion. “My hands definitely need a manicure after all of this,” MacGregor explained to local media. Each hat was made by hand and tailored to the client’s wishes.

Photo: Facebook/House of MacGregor

“I feel like I have brides in some way. For a lot of people it’s a bucket list thing. They’ve always wanted to do it, and a lot of emotion goes into it,” she explained. Based on a client’s wishes, MacGregor can often invest close to eight hours hand-in-hand with them ensuring the creation of the perfect topper, including size, shape, and materials, bearing in mind what their outfit will be for the Kentucky Derby. “It definitely becomes an intimate process,” she noted.

Photo: Facebook/House of MacGregor

MacGregor produces not only hats but fascinators as well. The prices can vary from $200 to $500. After completing every order for their big debut in Kentucky, the hat maker is choosing to take vacation time for the following week to catch up on her rest. She explained, “This is like my tax season…everything is due on the same date.” Throughout the business year, House of MacGregor makes day-to-day hats for customers, including straw hats and fedoras.