Want, Need, Love

So you’ve heard a lot about what I don’t consider to be ‘equestrian fashion’, however there are some select items that I do, and they come from some incredible equestrian-based companies. Here is one company with items I want, need, or love:

(links to Dubarry)

Dubarry, an Irish-based company was founded in 1937 in the small town of Ballinasloe, in the heart of Galway. Their current wares include jackets, boots, sweaters, purses, and shoes.

Want:

It also comes in ‘Acorn’ and ‘Smoke’, but ‘Galway Blue’ is the showstopper.

Their elegant Blackthorn Jacket. Its made of Teflon coated wool, comes in an elegant ‘Galway Blue’ and feels like a classy street-smart extended blazer.

Need:

Comes in the classic tan and canvas look, but let’s be honest, get the denim.

I need a new pair of shoes at horse shows, because my Converse sneakers are beginning to shred apart. The Dubarry Barbados Ladies Deck Shoe in Denim is light, supportive, and has quickly drying leather (perfect for washing horses in…or walking on boats in).

Love:

Also comes in black if you’re boring.

The Dubarry Dalkey Handbag is understated, classic, simple, and has plenty of interior organization pockets for less-organized folks like me.

The classic space tat Dubarry sets up for horse shows even feels as homey and warm as any tack room in most barns. Image courtesy of Rural Intelligence.

Dubarry isn’t some elite designer in a chic studio throwing around the words ‘equestrian’ and ‘vintage’ haphazardly: they are the same tradition-driven company they were 75 years ago (with some modern innovations to boot). They take was is classic and traditional and seek to elevate it, not ‘become inspired’ by it. Put bluntly, Dubarry knows you are going to wear their stuff into a bar, walk in poop, get slobbered, and want to look great doing it.

Old School vs. New School

The more classic look. Image courtesy of Equine Now.

As the sport of riding has evolved, so has its apparel. Once, riders wore helmets that were thin and offered little protection. At another time, they added clear plastic or elastic head straps to keep the helmets on their heads. Now, technology has enabled more advanced equipment that offers more protection and comfort. However, as these classics have evolved, are we losing some of the formal notes that made the sport so dignified?

Oh, now those are a tad bit loud. The hi-tech knee…ribbons…don’t really help..Image courtesy of Horse Zone.

This is Not Equestrian: Fashion Faux Pas

I normally try to avoid sounding like a jerk, but there are a few things that annoy me from time to time. One is when I ride badly, another is when I wreck a perfectly manicure trying to take out braids with a seam ripper, but the largest annoyance I have is when people label clothing ‘equestrian’. I’ve mentioned it before, however I’m revisiting the topic, and here’s why:

Apart from the red blazer (reminiscent of an olympic show jumping blazer worn by the USET) we’re not buying it. Image courtesy of Fashion Gone Rogue.

Miranda Kerr recently appeared on the cover of Bazaar, which titled its “equestrian inspired” photo shoot Riding High (possibly the mental state of the person that designed these clothes?). As an equestrian, I expected to see tailoring reminiscent of hunt coats, a monogrammed collar, or at the very least a helmet included. Instead what I was presented with was unusual fringed bras, a token blazer, and dominatrix boots. Ok, granted in the last shot, there was an actual horse, to Bazaar’s credit, but still….if by ‘inspired’ you mean “there’s a horse in one of the photos”…well then bravo. This equestrian would venture to say that this look is more inspired by Lord of the Rings, Underworld, and possibly an upper-crust strip club.

Ah, apologies we spoke too soon: apparently the ‘helmet’ was the bizarre leather cabby-hat that seems to be offering no protection what so ever. Also, there was the typical gimmicky crop posing technique. Image courtesy of CoCo’s Tea Party

Givenchy ‘Tisci’: A ‘Sexy Take’, But Not On Horseback Riding

As Givenchy launches its new line ‘Tisci’, equestrians like myself struggle to understand how this new collection could possibly claim to be ‘equestrian’. In a recent article, the collection claimed to reference ‘sporting polos’, ‘horse blinders’, and ‘jodphurs’. In my previous article about equestrian fashion, I laid out my opinions regarding the mindless ‘equestrian fashion’ parade of unrealistic and dysfunctional fashion being produced as ‘equestrian’ garments.This new ‘Tisci’ line is no exception. Here are some ‘looks’ from Tisci’s latest runway show.

The only reference I can see in this 'Tisci' line garment are the dizzingly obvious 'riding boot' riff that seems to be abysmally popular for brands that wish to wave the 'equestrian flag' and distinguish themselves from other fashion brands. A boot, is a boot, is a boot...is not uniquely 'equestrian'. Image courtesy of Idaho Statesman.

Equestrian Fashion: What It Is And What It Isn’t.

As an equestrian, and a very stylish one at that, I would like to preface this entire post by saying that this article is not aimed at any of my close friends, colleagues, peers, or anyone I know well enough that could be offended by this posting. That being said, here is my most humble opinion of ‘equestrian fashion’.

Equestrian fashion is at its core a fashion perpetuated by mainstream equestrian culture. This encompasses everything from cowboy-looking apparel to equitation stylings, and every musing in between. Major brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, and Antonio Melani have become successful marketing the equitation-based styling as ‘equestrian fashion’, leading major magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vogue to dub this look as ‘equestrian’. But what is equestrian clothing? What makes an article of clothing ‘equestrian’? At this point in the conversation, it is only fair for me to say that society’s fashion gurus and I begin to disagree.

Because clearly, sticking a giant horse next to a random chick in heels, automatically makes those heels 'equestrian'. Image courtesy of The Equinest