I recently bought a brown Samshield and I am wondering how I am going to work this into my black tack. Is it considered a fashion faux pas to have a brown helmet and tall dress boots but black tack? Asking because I sometimes have … interesting choices in style lol :lol:
So long as your fashion choice fits within the rules (which brown helmet, black tack do), then you be you.
I just don’t want to look like an idiot
I guess technically it’s no different from black helmet and boots with brown tack, which is traditional pretty much everywhere except dressage! 
I myself would do all brown or all black, but since I prefer black helmet and boots with brown tack, I guess brown helmet and boots with black tack is fine too.
You do know we need pics, right? 
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I think it would look fabulous. My leasor doesn’t have much money and came to a show. She has an old brown coat from the thrift store that looks snazzy and a brown helmet. The tack was black and the pad, It looked very trendy. I think brown boots on top if it would be very cool. I think if you hit the thrift store and find a snazzy brown coat you will be a trend setter.
I second a nice brown coat. You can still have black tack and black boots.
what colour is your horse?
Please don’t say your horse is grey!!!
Just make yourself happy and wear it all with confidence…that’s the essence of style. You’ll look great
I have a brown helmet and brown boots and wear it with a purple jacket. And black tack. Technically, the boots are suppose to match the coat if you deviate from black boots above 4th level. Below 4th level, the requirement is simply boots or jod boots - color is not restricted. Helmet color is never mentioned.
You are fine. I probably wouldn’t do it with a black jacket - but many colors look good with brown, including a sharp brown jacket! Plus - if you wear cream colored breeches - looks so pretty with brown!
So much about riding depends on rider confidence - so wear what makes you feel happy and confident. I suspect that any dressage judge is far too busy watching the horse to particularly notice details of the colour scheme.
This is exactly why my “colors” are black, tan/brown, and white. Think Burberry or Baker plaid. I used to be very rigid in my notion the tack and garb must be all one color, but no longer. I regularly mix brown and black in my daily wardrobe and think it looks very chic, so why not in my riding gear/wardrobe? I think as long as it looks deliberate and polished, go for it. Your style will whisper rather than scream, and you’ll look very sophisticated.
Thank you everyone for your replies !
I have a bay and a chestnut currently. I saw someone with a very beautiful brown Romfh jacket recently that I might try to track down. I love brown dressage saddles but I currently ride in custom Saddlery Laguna that I love and am not ready to sell.
I am thinking maybe wrap everything together with hints of brown in my black tack- like a subtle brown jewel brow band and a white dressage pad with black and brown piping ?
I wear a brown jacket with cream breeches and brown helmet and boots with my black tack, and always get lots of compliments. The brown looks very nice on my dark chestnut horse. Brown saddle and bridle are on my wish list, but definitely not necessary for the look.
Honestly, I think the brown helmet, boots and jacket might even look better with black tack. Browns can be hard to match, and having so many potentially different browns could get busy. I really like the idea of a subtle brown jeweled browband to tie into the black tack, but I think you will be fine either way.
