At the 2025 Barnstable Brown Gala, 18-year-old Dannielynn Birkhead honored her late mother, Anna Nicole Smith, in a deeply personal way: by wearing the same gown Smith wore to the gala in 2004.
The Gala is one of the Derby weekend's most anticipated events, and Dannielyn and dad, Larry Birkhead, have made it a tradition to attend for the last 15 years.
The elegant black dress featured a plunging neckline, sparkling crystal straps and a dramatic open back.
Larry Birkhead shares fun moment with daughter Dannielynn on Disney rideDannielynn even styled her hair in a tousled updo reminiscent of the look her mother wore more than two decades earlier, making the tribute all the more striking.
On Instagram, Larry shared photos of the emotional fashion moment, writing, "She's wearing Anna Nicole's dress from this very same event, 21 years ago. Life full circle."
He added that Dannielynn chose it simply because it was her mom's, and "super cool."
The post drew comparisons between mother and daughter, with one commenter writing, "You both look amazing!!! At first glance, I saw Anna and thought it was a very old pic. Wow, does Dannielynn look like her Mother."
At last year's event, Dannielynn wore a black ensemble once owned by Janet Jackson, sourced from a charity auction.
