Part of what makes the Kentucky Derby so special is the parade of hats you'll see women wearing at the event - not just simple, practical hats, but the types of over-the-top hats that evoke a grander, more glorious era. Any television crowd shot from "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" will inevitably feature scenes of elegant women wearing these spectacular hat creations, ranging from the whimsical to the truly extravagant.

For women planning their own Kentucky Derby celebration, having the right hat is a must. For people in the surrounding North Carolina area, Mad Hatter, located at 107 S. Main Street in downtown Fuquay-Varina, is the popular place to go for ladies' Kentucky Derby hats. The store, known for its bold hat selections, turns it up a notch ahead of Derby Day, when the hats become bolder, funkier and more extravagant - a real attraction for out-of-town visitors looking for the right Kentucky Derby hat to make a bold fashion statement.

In fact, says Bobbie Asad, owner of the Mad Hatter, "Lot of ladies in our town purchase these hats for Derby parties, but we also have customers drive to our shop from several hours away to purchase hats to wear to the actual Kentucky Derby." In previous years, women have stopped in from as far away as Charleston, South Carolina and Washington, DC to pick up a new hat on the way to the Kentucky Derby.

At the Mad Hatter, these Kentucky Derby hats come from Manhattan's Fashion District, where they are created to make a bold fashion statement - much as the original creator of the Derby hat tradition - Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. - intended when the tradition started back in 1875. Back then, of course, the hats were about creating a uniquely American tradition that could rival the tradition found at European-style racing events like the Royal Ascot.

As much as these Derby Day hats are now a Southern tradition, they are also part of a fashion spectacle that was imported from Europe. Thanks to this European influence, the Kentucky Derby has become a fashion event as much as a racing event. However, the truly extravagant hats that have become a hallmark of the Kentucky Derby did not become popular until the 1960s, when the arrival of television gave women a new reason to buy hats that were bolder and even more over-the-top.

In fact, the hats at the Churchill Downs racetrack have become so popular that the website for the Kentucky Derby maintains a separate web page dedicated to the tradition of ladies' hats at the event - as well as a glamorous slideshow of women wearing these hats at Churchill Downs.

According to many who enjoy watching and attending the Kentucky Derby each year, these hats are just as important a tradition as sipping a mint julep or singing "My Old Kentucky Home."

Today's hats are just as much about history and tradition, though, as they are about having fun. According to Bobbie Asad, the Mad Hatter store is always looking for new creations to add each year. To make that possible, the store boasts an assortment of hats in colors and sizes, from a range of different eras and fashion aesthetics. There are whimsical creations with bows and flowers, as well as more muted choices that evoke the grand Victorian era.

For an idea of what hats are available each year at this North Carolina store, it's a good idea to check out the store's official website (http://www.madhatternc.com) or the Mad Hatter Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/madhatter9251), where photos of some of the more extravagant creations are posted. One of the over-the-top creations currently on view is a pink fascinator of the type worn by Kate Middleton. If you've ever wanted to look like a princess attending a royal racing event in England, picking up a hat ahead of Derby Day is a once-a-year opportunity.

The spirit of fun that accompanies Derby Day is something that the Mad Hatter specializes in. On any given weekend, there's something fun and unique happening in the store. Asad notes that the Mad Hatter makes a real effort to become part of the local community, where it hosts events such as book signings, free tea tastings, and even a Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea.

While hats are the main attraction at the Mad Hatter, there's still plenty to offer for women planning to make a full day of it before Derby Day. The store now offers a selection of loose leaf teas, specialty food items and gifts, many of them from local vendors based in North Carolina.

In a recent interview, Asad highlighted the full assortment of products and offerings at Mad Hatter that makes the store a draw for out-of-town visitors, "The store is whimsical and fun. Visitors will discover teapots, teacups, teas, tea accessories, specialty food products made in North Carolina, hand lotions, sprays, and soaps made locally."

"Hats are just the beginning at Mad Hatter," she says. Some women, in fact, will pick up a specialty tea at the store for an afternoon tea party where ladies can wear their hats and have fun being a Southern Belle for a day.

There's still time to plan that perfect Kentucky Derby celebration, whether you plan to watch in North Carolina or in Kentucky. To top it all off, you'll need a hat, and there are no better options than those found at Mad Hatter.