Dannielynn Birkhead honors late mom Anna Nicole Smith with unique fashion statement at Kentucky Derby Gala

Anna Nicole Smith‘s daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, paid tribute to her late mother and showed off her flair for fashion at the Kentucky Derby Eve Gala.

Dannielynn, 16, was accompanied by her father, Larry Birkhead, who is Anna Nicole’s ex.

The teenager looked stunning as she posed in some photos alongside her dad on Instagram for the Barnstable Brown Gala on Friday, May 5.

The first photo Larry shared to his Instagram featured himself and Dannielynn posing next to a huge bouquet of roses.

Dannielynn showcased her fashion sense in a black tulle skirt paired with a top from Guess, emblazoned with black-and-white photographs of her mom, Anna Nicole. The photos featured Anna Nicole during her modeling days for some of Guess’s iconic campaigns.

Dannielynn added an oversized silver bow as a belt and wore silver strappy heels.

Dannielynn wore her hair in an elegant updo with voluminous curls cascading down the sides. She smiled big next to Larry, who donned a black suit with a tie that matched his daughter’s shirt, also showing off Anna Nicole’s photos.

Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, is a stunner like her mom as she pays tribute to the late bombshell

“Heading to the annual Barnstable-Brown Derby Eve Gala. Tonight is the 20th anniversary where I met Dannielynn’s Mom at the same event.
Kick off to Derby weekend 🐎,” Larry wrote in the caption. “Dannielynn is wearing a shirt with her Mom’s @guess pics on them.”

In a subsequent post, the father-daughter duo posed for another snap, this time close-up. Dannielynn looked like a spitting image of her mom in the photo, with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and photographic nature.

“More Barnstable-Gala pre-party pics. Can’t believe Dannielynn is almost 17. Time for a great Derby weekend,” Larry wrote in the accompanying caption.

In the comments section of the post, Larry was met with compliments from his fans, who gushed over Dannielynn’s beauty as well as his success as a father.

Fans can’t get over how much Dannielynn resembles her mom Anna Nicole Smith

“Wow- this took my breath away for a second!” read one of the comments. “I really had to do a double take. She is a spitting image of her momma, rest her soul. What a beautiful young lady you have. You are an amazing dad and have done an incredible job raising her.”

Another fan penned, “First, I can’t believe she’s 17! Second, she is so beautiful! Looks just like her mother in her heyday. I hope she has a happy life. Her dad really seems to have done right.”

“Thank God you fought for your rights as a father and got custody of her! She’s one lucky little lady💝” wrote another follower.

Ahead of the gala, Larry spoke with PEOPLE about the significance of Dannielynn’s attire for the event.

“She’s showing off her fashion sense but at the same time paying tribute to her mom,” Larry told the outlet. “It came from a Guess collection that sold out, and she [Dannielynn] saved it for a special occasion.”

Larry Birkhead met Anna Nicole Smith at the Barnstable Brown Gala in 2003

“We’re both paying tribute because it’s the 20th anniversary of our first meeting,” Larry added.

Larry met Anna Nicole in 2003 when he was working as a photographer, where he was covering the annual soiree.

Admittedly, it feels like “yesterday” since Larry met Anna Nicole, although it’s been two decades.

“… I was walking up with my camera bags and just hoping for a decent picture,” Larry shared. “I wound up with so much more. It’s funny how one event can change your life.”