Dannielynn Birkhead discovered an “emotional” approach to honor her late mom, Anna Nicole Smith, on the 2025 Barnstable Brown Gala on Friday.
The 18-year-old attended the annual occasion, which is held on the eve of the Kentucky Derby, sporting the identical costume her mom did when she attended the gala 21 years in the past.
Dannielynn seemed the spitting picture of Anna Nicole within the backless, black robe that boasted a plunging neckline and crystal-embellished straps throughout the bodice.
Her dad, Larry Birkhead, shared a carousel of photographs on Instagram, calling Dannielynn’s costume alternative a “full circle” second.
© Instagram“Kicking off @kentuckyderby weekend with Dannielynn. First up, The Barnstable-Brown Gala. Dannielynn is sporting Anna Nicole’s costume, which she wore 21 years in the past to this similar occasion. Life full circle.”
He added: “She stated she selected the costume as a result of it was her Mother’s and ‘tremendous cool.'”
© InstagramTalking to reporters on the occasion, Dannielynn shared one other heartbreaking cause behind her outfit alternative, saying: “That is the closest to a hug I can get from her.”
Larry has saved all of Anna Nicole’s garments for Dannielynn, and he stated seeing her in her mother’s costume was an “emotional” expertise for him.
© FilmMagic“It was emotional as a result of the final time I noticed that costume was on Anna,” he instructed Folks, recalling that when Dannielynn “was somewhat woman, she walked over, and she or he put her hand on the costume.”
He continued: “And now that she’s really sufficiently old to put on it, it simply appears surreal that we’re at this second.”
Larry stated that the costume is “somewhat edgier for her than most attire she wears”, however he is glad that Dannielynn is beginning to put on a few of her mom’s garments.
© Instagram“I believe she’s doing a vogue experiment for herself,” he stated. “Additionally, I believe it is actually significant for her to put on. I am simply glad she’s going by means of and beginning to put on a few of [Anna Nicole’s clothes] as a result of she may actually pick an outfit a day for the remainder of her life and by no means put on the identical factor twice with every little thing.”
Household custom
The Kentucky Derby holds a particular which means to each Dannielynn and Larry, they usually attend the occasion yearly after beginning the custom when Dannielynn was simply three years outdated.
Larry met Anna Nicole on the Barnstable Brown Gala in 2003 when he was a photographer despatched to cowl the annual occasion, which advantages the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Middle on the College of Kentucky.
© Getty PicturesLarry beforehand revealed that he takes his daughter yearly to each honor the previous in addition to create new reminiscences together with her.
Speaking to Fox Information Digital in regards to the annual affair, he defined: “It is sort of been a practice that we might go yearly.
© Instagram“Since I did meet her mother there, it began off simply sort of me taking her again and displaying her round and sort of letting her know the tales that, you already know, that is sort of the place I met your mother and issues.”
Larry added: “After which it got here to sort of folks search for my daughter there as a result of I actually do not let her do any public occasions. And so, in all honesty, the Kentucky Derby is sort of the expansion chart for Dannielynn.”
