Dannielynn Birkhead is entering into the highlight and doing it entirely on her own terms. The 19-year-old daughter of Anna Nicole Smith made a striking appearance during Kentucky Derby weekend, showing off a dramatic recent style on the annual Barnstable Brown Derby Eve party. Accompanied by her father, Larry Birkhead, Dannielynn turned heads with a fresh pixie haircut featuring black suggestions and a gothic-inspired ensemble that marked a transparent departure from her past looks.
In accordance with Larry, the moment was all about his daughter embracing her individuality. “People [are] all the time searching for her to wear something of her mom. And he or she’s done that a pair times, but that is type of Dannielynn showing off her own sense of fashion, and she or he said it’s a goth rock theme,” he told PEOPLE.
The look featured a Punk Rave Gothic-inspired strapless corset gown paired with a flowing sheer skirt, a daring evolution from the brighter styles she’s worn to the event in previous years.
Dannielynn Birkhead Debuts Edgy Hair Makeover As Dad Admits He Was ‘A Little Anxious’
Dannielynn’s edgy recent hairstyle was also a significant talking point. “She wanted something edgy and funky,” Larry shared, revealing that a hairstylist who had been a friend of her late mother helped bring the vision to life. “She chopped all of it off and put some wild colours in it. I used to be type of bracing myself on the hair salon,” he added with fun. “I suppose she’s on the age to do what she desires to do.”
While the transformation surprised him at first, Larry admitted he ultimately supports his daughter’s decisions. He said he was “slightly frightened about it” initially, but acknowledged that she’s “obviously sufficiently old” to make her own decisions. “This 12 months is a special style for Dannielynn, and that is type of, I feel, her coming into her own, doing her own thing and type of exuding her own style and her decisions that she made.”
Dannielynn Birkhead Juggles Finals While Styling Dad For Derby Night ‘Fashion Upgrade’
The look didn’t come together without slightly stress. Larry revealed that Dannielynn was juggling school finals while planning her outfit, forcing them to coordinate remotely. “Even though it was tough because she was at school taking finals, so I had to assist type of send these pictures backwards and forwards, after which she type of eliminated one after the other, after which I feel she got to the top and said, ‘Quit bothering me. I’m in finals,’ ” he said.
The style moment didn’t stop together with her own outfit. Dannielynn also helped upgrade her dad’s search for the night. “She said I needed to up my fashion game,” Larry joked. “That I had no sense of fashion. And so she was determined to choose my outfit out.”
He ended up wearing a black blazer adorned with rhinestones and lightning bolt detailing, calling the finished look “very wild” for him.
Dannielynn Birkhead Honors Anna Nicole Smith While Stepping Into Her Own Highlight
Though this 12 months’s look was all about carving her own identity, Dannielynn has often honored her late mother through fashion. After Anna Nicole Smith’s death in 2007, when Dannielynn was just 5 months old, the Kentucky Derby has turn out to be a meaningful tradition for the pair.
Over time, she’s worn pieces that when belonged to her mother, keeping that connection alive while growing into her own highlight. Now, with this latest appearance, it’s clear Dannielynn is balancing each, honoring the past while confidently entering into her own future.
Kentucky Derby 2026 Set To Bring High Stakes Racing And High Fashion
Because the highlight shifts from red carpets to the racetrack, the Kentucky Derby is ready to happen on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with post time scheduled for 7:02 p.m. ET. This 12 months’s race is already generating buzz, with contenders like Commandment, So Joyful, Renegade, and Further Ado among the many early favorites based on morning line odds. But beyond the competition, the Kentucky Derby stays just as much about fashion because it is about racing.
Often dubbed the “Run for the Roses,” the event is understood for its over-the-top style moments, from daring, wide-brimmed hats and fascinators to vibrant dresses and tailored suits that rival any red carpet. With standout looks already turning heads during Derby weekend events, the major race is predicted to deliver each thrilling finishes on the track and unforgettable fashion moments off it.