So it's that moment when you realize today is the day your friend is hosting a Kentucky Derby Party and you have NOTHING TO WEAR. Despite your efforts to find a ridiculous floppy hat at H&M, you're left feeling hopeless. So instead... just make one! The steps are simple and you'll be finished with your fabulous hat in less than an hour. You will need:

1. a plain hat (we bought one for $15 at Forever 21!)

2. fresh, beautiful flowers (we chose peonies, because they're big enough that we only needed 3)

3. various ribbons to match your flower choice

4. scissors

5. hot glue

Start off by gluing a thick ribbon and an accent ribbon around the center. Glue it down in multiple places to make sure the edges don't come up.

Next, take your biggest ribbon to make a backdrop for your flowers. We used a colored burlap with wire edges, because it helps to keep a good shape.

We cut ours into 5 different pieces, twisting and folding each before gluing the ends to the hat. Below, you can see where 3 pieces were finished and attached.

We tried to keep the edges in the same general area so we can concentrate the attention in one spot where the flowers will go.

Next, have a little fun with extra ribbon! We used the gold ribbon to weave in between the big pieces of pink burlap, occasionally using the hot glue to anchor it down.

We also folded delicate pink ribbon all along the brim to create a bottom layer for the flowers to rest on top. Again, use the hot glue to anchor the edges down.

And finally... FLOWERS! Cut the stems down so you have about .5" to work with for placement. You might need to go even shorter depending on the type of flowers you're using to make them lay flat against the hat. Add hot glue to the edges of the first stem, place in front of the big ribbon, facing outward. Use your fingers to squeeze the hat around the stem from the inside. Hold until the glue is cooled and hardened.

Place the rest of your flowers until the space around your large ribbons feels full!

YAY!!!! Amazing Day-of-Derby hat is complete! And your friends will be majorly impressed that the flowers are real and gorgeous.

Enjoy Derby Day, darlings!