Just some food for thought here- recently i feel like there have been a lot of styles/trends going around the show ring. For example, I see a lot of people wearing Equiline breeches, and is that just going to go out of style in a few months? Traditional hunter styles(no bling/sparkles) are being slowly changed, the other day I saw people showing in hunters in rose gold helmets or flashy belts.
Another thing that surprised me was what a tack store employee told me a few months ago. She said that if a judge sees two riders that they find as equal, the judge will pin the rider with less flashy clothes on top. Is this true?
What are your favorite/least favorite styles or trends?
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I saw almost exclusively Tailored Sportsman in the equitation ring at Devon.
I’m an amateur now and wear what I want. If my rose gold helmet is the thing that bumps me down then that means I rode pretty dang well, so so be it.
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This x1000. Seriously.
I can’t afford to keep up with every trend even if I wanted to. I like my midrise (SIDEZIP!!) TS and plain black matte helmet and solid white schooling pads, because I like them. But also because classic colors never go out of style and I don’t HAVE to wonder if the black tag on my thigh is “in” or “out”.
That said, I was at Tryon recently and I saw a LOT of tan TS and plain black Samshield and OneK, tons of navy and hunter coats, and a smattering of the Equiline and brighter colors/bling. The jumper ring was a whole different ball game, lots of purple/eggplant.
Trends in the hunter ring move slow - meaning understated and well fitting clothing and gear will always be in style. Even if (god forbid) puke green comes back 
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To be fair, Equiline breeches have been in style for several years. I loooove mine. They hold it all in 
I did cave and purchase a shiny miss shield and I love it. My friend likes to match her horse’s bonnets to her coats (I’m not rich enough for this, but I would if I could!).
There are so many trends, it’s exhausting. Ogilvy, equifit, dyon, etc etc. it’s exhausting to keep up, so I have my brands that I love and invest in those.
I’m also an amateur, I’ve paid my dues, and now I want to have a little fun!
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The folks appalled by blingy belts must not have been around for the bedazzled GPA trend of the early 00s or the Kippy belts, which IIRC were around the same time.
I’m not sure riding around you can even see my belt, or tell that the trim on my helmet is rose gold vs silver. Like Tha_Ridge, I’m an (older!) AA, and I buy and wear what I like. If that little bit of croc trim at the top of my boots knocks me down, so be it, I like them.
Honestly, I also think two trips being “equal” is rare enough that unless you’re wearing something that smacks of being blatantly out of place, like riding into the ring in a square pad and stock tie, the judges are busy enough that they probably don’t even notice.
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Exactly, although I do think that sometimes something a little bit different or unique might make them sit up and pay extra attention—but then you better be darn good to back it up!
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There are so many different styles and I love it! Riders shouldn’t have to fit into one mold. I think if you wear what makes you feel good about yourself, then you will project that feeling outwards, as long as you stay within in the lines. I myself am somewhat conservative but I’ll put a little bling on my spurs. I can’t afford the Equiline breeches or the WON breeches but I love my Ariats and RJ Classics. And I wouldn’t expect the more expensive breeches to help me find all my distances but I may walk with a little more swagger 
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Didn’t we have a discussion here once where a judge weighed in and said neither she nor any of the judges she knew cared what anybody wore as long as they followed the rules?
I think all of those silly “you must have this brand/color/style” unwritten rules come from tack stores that want to sell more stuff and trainers who want their students to all look the same. LOL, if I was a trainer taking a gaggle of kids to horse shows, I would probably give them all a very specific shopping list with colors and brands just to ensure I didn’t get dozens of texts from parents at tack shops with photos of various items of clothing asking “Is this one OK?”
I have seen one time when a judge did make an issue of a rider’s clothing. The girl was wearing a shirt with no collar and a lower cut neckline. As far as I could tell, he didn’t penalize her round, but he did tell the show employee working the gate to tell that rider to go put on a proper shirt before she came back in the ring for her next round.
And now I’m reminded of my very first horse show back in the '60s as a child. My instructor suggested that my Mom borrow a suit jacket or sport coat from a boy relative or friend if we didn’t want to buy a show coat. We were not a horsey family at all. My Mom was thrilled to discover that the boy across the street had a red sport coat that would fit me. After all, the show was at the Hunt Club and she had seen pictures of those people wearing red jackets. So there I was, showing in Walk-Trot Equitation in my red coat. I got 3rd place, so I guess the judge didn’t hold it against me.
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Yeah it’s been a while now, and you will pry mine out of my cold dead hands. 200% the most flattering, best-fitting breeches out there, and their 4 season fabric is a literal miracle for holding in, smoothing, stretching and also somehow still retaining it’s shape.
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I agree. IMO, breeches go in the same category as swimsuits or jeans. Once you finally find “The One” for your body you don’t go messing with it! lol
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