What’s new in fashion for Preakness 150

Fashion designers are going all out as Baltimore celebrates the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes.As part of the big celebration, the inaugural Preakness Festival features several events leading up to race day, including the governor’s golf tournament on May 12 in Timonium. While fashion is typically reserved on the green, this is the opportunity to be a little more fashion forward.Angelique Michelle and Maria Williams, the co-owners of Style X Showroom, told 11 News you can dare to be more colorful than normal in light it of being a Preakness Festival event.For a totally different vibe, DJ D-Nice will bring Club Quarantine to the Preakness Festival on May 14 at Pier Six Pavilion.”We can bring it all! Let’s bring a little bit of the Preakness — the hats, a little bit of the flowers, the colorful — and we can also do this whole club attire. Let’s do a little bit of leather. Let’s do some pleather. Let’s do some feathers. Let’s bring it all in — leather, pants, skirts, shorts, denim,” Williams told 11 News. “You can also add a little fascinator because it’s Preakness Festival, so let’s throw those flowers in there.”Black-Eyed Susan Day is typically the day when people wear Maryland colors, so Williams suggests keeping with the theme, but it’s OK to step slightly outside.”Think about the Maryland flag, bring those colors out — the burgundy, the blacks, the yellows — and also, have fun, play with a little bit of the yellow, the flowers, print, solids, however you like,” Williams said.The Preakness Stakes on May 18 is the main event, and Michelle said the trends this year are bold and bright. So, when considering what to wear, envision blossoming into a new season.”You definitely want to dive into color because we’re talking about an outdoor event. You’re outdoors most of the time, so you want to reflect off of the sun. I’m thinking bold colors, soft florals, even deep dark florals are perfect, as well. But I just say, bringing out the color will bring out the best in you,” Michelle told 11 News.Photo Gallery below: See the latest fashion trends for PreaknessFor the men, the designers said to ditch the formal suits.”Guys, this is a time where you can step outside of the box, where you can wear the pastels, the peach, you can wear the pink, you can wear the baby blue. This is the time to say, OK, I don’t have to wear my typical black, gray, navy blue suit. I can step outside of the box and wear fun colors. I can match my partner,'” Michelle told 11 News.Hats are not required to attend Preakness, but it’s a tradition in horse racing — and it’s spring.”You can go flowers, you can go butterflies, you can go rhinestones. I mean, (there are) so many things to do with it,” Michelle told 11 News. “You can never go wrong with a fascinator. I say, for Preakness, let’s stay away from the baseball caps. Let’s go with the hats that really say, ‘I’m a dapper gentleman.'”The weather varies from year to year, and the outdoor event can be rough on shoes. Williams recommends men ditch the sneakers.”I’m against tennis shoes for Preakness. Let’s step it up a notch,” Williams told 11 News.For the women, Michelle suggests foregoing traditional stilettoes.”I always say wedges, platforms or flats,” Michelle told 11 News.Whatever you wear, the designers encourage you to shop local.Michelle and Williams can be reached at Style X Showroom by email at team@stylexshowroom or on Instagram, @stylexshowroom.A number of Baltimore-based designers are creating different looks, including DIFFERENTREGARD by Steven White and Dominick Davis at 825 N. Charles St., in Baltimore.Jill Andrews Gowns at 3355 Keswick Road, No. 101, in Baltimore, offers couture gowns for brides, red carpets and special occasions.Ella Pritsker Couture at 20 E. Timonium Road, Suite 312, in Timonium is a custom design house that specializes in centuries-old master techniques.