Anyone ever see true dressage coats (single vent) in - say - chocolate brown? One of the things I hate about showing is that we all look the same from a distance. I think it would be faaabulous to dress in chocolate and cream, instead of black and white or navy and cream. Do such coats exist, or would I have to make one?
Also, has anyone ever used the coat patterns from Dressage Extensions to make a show coat? If so, was it hard?
I recently saw one that was olive, I think it was made by Pikeur. Really nice but they didn’t have one in my size :sigh:
My girlfriend thought it was too “unconventional” but I loffed it :yes:
One of my students (she was born in Germany and grew up there) tells me that Americans are too stodgy with their show-clothing. She says in Germany, there are many colors available in show coats and show pads, too.
I assume she’s talking about the lower levels of competition, since all I see in the magazines are photos of people at the FEI level – and they’re wearing black or deep blue consistently.
If the patterns are too challenging, maybe find a good tailor or seamstress to help? I don’t have the experience to tackle something like a show coat!!!
I’m wearing “celadon” this summer. It is double vented, but I don’t mind a bit–it’s more flattering. It is a dark grey with a greenish tinge, and very subtle lavender and melon pinstripes.
I’ll wear my black frock (once it’s tailored) in the cooler weather, or once we put on the double bridle… until then, the above meets the criteria set by the rulebook 
Two years ago at Dressage @ Devon, on Grand Prix Musical night, I saw a rider with a charcoal gray dressage jacket and I LOVED IT. Truth be told, I’m scared to bring attention to myself. But I would love to buy one.
I know a gal who shows in an absolutely gorgeous dark forest green coat she made herself. The fabric has a lovely herringbone pattern and looks spectacular.
You were horsey clothes shopping and didn’t take me? You bitch! :lol:
In Aachen in 2005, I saw some of the quadrille riders in gorgeous ones; one team in gray and one in dark green. Gorgeous.
you may wish to look at www.divoza.com or www.calivo.com
popular euro tack sites, Colors are more common in Europe. Dark conservative color is the rule here and I would not be at all surprised to see hunter green dark charcoal , brown and plum in the near future.
I told my trainer that when I get to PSG I want a very ultra dark green coat.
I just bought a chocolate coat, didn’t opt to have one made, so I went double vented, but did get it altered so it hangs a bit longer. Anyways, I got it to go with my…chocolate brown top hat!!! My first show in it is Saturday. I haven’t told my trainer 'cause I think she’ll flip. It really looks classy, but it ain’t black!! (I should also mention that I probably shouldn’t be wearing a top hat, but then again, I shouldn’t be wearing brown or riding a draft X either…OOHH aunt esther)
Aunt Esther loves it!
[QUOTE=kahjul;3089085]
I just bought a chocolate coat, didn’t opt to have one made, so I went double vented, but did get it altered so it hangs a bit longer. Anyways, I got it to go with my…chocolate brown top hat!!! My first show in it is Saturday. I haven’t told my trainer 'cause I think she’ll flip. It really looks classy, but it ain’t black!! (I should also mention that I probably shouldn’t be wearing a top hat, but then again, I shouldn’t be wearing brown or riding a draft X either…OOHH aunt estere)[/QUOTE]Aunt Esther, national and international Purse Champion, loves the brown and the topper, and wishes kahjul a wonderful show this weekend. Aunt Esther’s favorite cheer is YOU GO GIRL, and she shouts that for kahjul and asks to see photos of this gorgeous outfit. :yes:
Yours truly,
Aunt Esther
National and International Purse Champion
Her Purses Are Better Than Yours 
[QUOTE=kahjul;3089085]
I just bought a chocolate coat, didn’t opt to have one made, so I went double vented, but did get it altered so it hangs a bit longer. Anyways, I got it to go with my…chocolate brown top hat!!! My first show in it is Saturday. I haven’t told my trainer 'cause I think she’ll flip. It really looks classy, but it ain’t black!! (I should also mention that I probably shouldn’t be wearing a top hat, but then again, I shouldn’t be wearing brown or riding a draft X either…OOHH aunt esther)[/QUOTE]
Oh I hope you post pictures! It sounds gorgeous.
Whole big article in DT on turnout.
However, I’ll still turn out in my same old black jacket, white breeches, too economy minded to go withthe passing fads. Besides, its expensive to keep tailoring in the seat belts, and air bags.
Flame suit on!!!
[QUOTE=FancyFree;3089284]
Oh I hope you post pictures! It sounds gorgeous.[/QUOTE]
Me too!!! Pictures, please!
[QUOTE=merrygoround;3089299]
Whole big article in DT on turnout.
However, I’ll still turn out in my same old black jacket, white breeches, too economy minded to go withthe passing fads. Besides, its expensive to keep tailoring in the seat belts, and air bags.
Flame suit on!!![/QUOTE]
No flaming here. Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved my brown dressage saddles, and now that I’m a grownup, I want show attire to match. If I am able to find brown show clothes, I can’t imagine going back to black, even as fashion changes. Blue, possibly. I do like blue and cream. But I am quite excited about brown and cream. And, since I’ve personally never seen anyone wear brown in the dressage ring, I’d hardly call it a fad.
[QUOTE=kahjul;3089085]
I just bought a chocolate coat[/QUOTE]
Where did you get it???
Fabulous brown pinstripe show jackets!
http://www.calevo.com/cgi-bin/calevo/process/locale/en_US/page/2060226.html
http://www.calevo.com/cgi-bin/calevo/process/locale/en_US/page/2060217.html
http://www.calevo.com/cgi-bin/calevo/process/locale/en_US/page/2060209.html
wow! Thats a beautiful coat. Since I’m currently dieting I didn’t want to spend much $-the hat cost a bit, but my head won’t lose weight! I bought the ovation coat from equestrian collections (brown plaid) It is last years color. I really liked the ovation coat in Dovers, but the brown was a hair too light for the hat (brown stripe) this years color. It isn’t a bad coat, especially for the $. It fit about like the ariat, and actually seemed to be about the same quality (for 1/3 the $). It’s certainly not in the ranks of a tailored sportsman, but that coat is 15# away!
Hmmm. Plum would be rather nice…
I saw a dark plum top hat in my searching!!!
Somewhere I saw a pair of burgundy Konigs (I think that was the brand anyway, it was either konigs or petries) a few years ago. I don’t know how well it’d go over to wear those around, but a black coat with burgundy lining/piping/collar and either a burgundy or black cap would look sharp.
I inherited a medium brown coat. I replaced the leather buttons with brass ones. I think it’d look really good with dark brown helmet & boots, and white or cream breeches. The coat is over 60 years old & the store it came from has been out of business forever, but if you keep an eye on ebay brown boots show up all the time.
Last fall I started a dress coat using the SuitAbility pattern. It’s going to be a medium/olive green with brass buttons and light green lining (I originally wanted to make a dark green pinstripe or plaid coat with pale gold lining, brass buttons and some gold piping on the collar & pockets… but I saw the olive fabric & had to get it). Unfortunately the pattern was a little to difficult to finish in a weekend, so it’ll just sit around unfinishished until summer break.
Even sticking with blues, there’s so many options what with the pinstripes, plaids, houndstooths & herringbones, solids, in french, navy, and every other shade of blue. Someone’ll probably post a link to the dressagedaily(?) article with the photo of the lady wearing a light blue coat on the bay horse. If you find a hunt coat that really works & fits, you could always have it altered to hang longer. Plus, a lot of people prefer double vents because of how it fits over the saddle.
I think I’ll keep by black & white outfit, and just add bling with the stock pin, hair clip & browband. Otherwise I’ll have to buy a new horse to match each show outfit.
ETA: I think it’s RJ Classics that has a gray plaid coat with pink lining & piping at a local tack shop. That with white breeches, black boots & either a dark gray or black helmet … mmh hmm
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