At every hunter show, I always see at least a few girls sporting bling belts in the ring and to be honest, I don’t hate them as long as they’re not over the top, like this in black: http://www.ariat.com/Western/Women/Accessories/Belts/Cheyenne.html.
Anyway, just wanted to see what everyone else’s opinion is on this fad! I think it has faded out a bit over the last few year - I want to love it but the super traditional hunter in me says no way! :winkgrin:
Thoughts and opinions?
So 2009. 
I think G Morris would say no way
Hahaha I think so too but I still think I like them!
I have a very shiny belt that I was not going to wear at Harrisburg in the ring. I wore it in the morning and had more people than I can count stop me to compliment it. I thought it was a little over the top, but I went with popular opinion. FWIW, 2009 was a great year for me, so I wore the belt.
I’m not a fan of a ton of bling, but I like a little spice. My nameplate belt that I’ve had since…1997?? 1998?? has finally decided it’s too small (all on it’s on. I swear it’s not b/c I’ve gained weight )
I’ve been using this belt. Plain black belt w/ a fleur de lys buckle that is half plain, half bling. Being that I normally ride w/ a coat, it’s not seen but here’s a picture w/ it on display (please no comments on me or my horse’s less than stellar style). This was at a schooling show and it was HOT.
http://s687.photobucket.com/user/BBMcGee31/media/SeptLagniappe_zps3f7a7cb9.jpg.html
Bling belts are still my number one sellers at our home store and in the mobile unit!
I think the one you posted was pretty conservative in comparison to what they used to wear, if you like it wear it. I am very conservative and yet I still have a blingy belt I wore in lessons and got lots of compliments on. Most of the time your belt is not really visible when you’re in the ring anyway, your jacket covers it. I would not wear it with a shad though.
YES!!! But I’m klassy like that.
In all honesty, 100% what BAC said.
ETA - My current favorite belt which I wear All. The. Time. http://www.cavenders.com/western/women/womens-clearance/ladies-clearance/N3471201
I love my kippy knock offs and blingy belts, and I like to wear what I like, not what the next fashion fad says I should wear, so when they came along (2009? I think I bought my first ones in 2000!) I embraced them, and when the fashion gods decreed we had spent enough money on that and decided we should now buy something else, I just declined. I like my blingy belts. In fact one of my greatest sorrows is my old Zest belt is too small, it’s from the high waisted breeches era (a style I happily gave up when I figured out how comfortable the mid/low-but-not-too-low rise was).
So if you like the style, it’s under your freakin’ jacket. At most a flash of it is going to show and nobody really cares (and this sport is too expensive and too rigind in 90% of the requirements to not take advantage of the few variable things that make you happy).
Nobody is more old school than me - but I like the belt. If you find it becomes outdated for the ring, you can always wear it with a Stetson,
or to the pub at night. It cannot be seen enough from under a jacket anyaay.
Oh, I like them. :). And when it is under your coat, it’s sort of like wearing pretty underwear…no one really sees, but you KNOW they are on. (Not necessarily riding in said underwear, but you know what I mean.)
So if you like it, wear it.
I’m a belt freak, I’ve worn my bling belt (I actaully have 3) in the jumpers and hunters at HITS and almost wore it a capital challenge this year but switched for a more conservitive black belt with a bling roller. I’m currently thinking of getting a wide tooled black belt and wearing it with a biggish western belt buckle (I have two, one with a bucking bronco on it that’s blue and silver and one that is mother of pearl and silver)
I have sat with judges in the last year that have asked for riders not to return with their blingy belts on…just food for thought
I agree with a few others that if worn under your jacket, then what does it matter if its blingy?..
I have shown in my silver bling belt and plan on getting a new bling belt as my old one is too big now! (yeah for me, I have lost weight and need new everything)!!!
[QUOTE=mroades;7234226]
I have sat with judges in the last year that have asked for riders not to return with their blingy belts on…just food for thought[/QUOTE]
Was there a specific reason or was it just a request made in between thumping a cane and yelling, “git off mah lawn!”?
I personally love the bling belts but saying that; I don’t wear them for a few reasons.
I have a mental rule - I don’t wear bright, blingy anything unless I rode like nobody’s business. I often wear navy and black shirts to follow my rule. Kind of like you must earn your stripes 
The other reason is I have a short torso so bling brings attention to that fact.
I mostly see the jumper riders wearing them and they rock it. I haven’t seen too many in the hunter show ring.
When I rode Dressage I wore a light pink sparkly belt, my horse had a light pink brow band and a white pad with a soft light pink piping. When I took my jacket off I did get a lot of complements.
way out of date. Especially in a Classic or hunter derby!!- Especially for anyone over the age of 18.
Never cared for them, especially with a shadbelly. Now they just look out of fashion.
[QUOTE=mroades;7234226]
I have sat with judges in the last year that have asked for riders not to return with their blingy belts on…just food for thought[/QUOTE]
I’m wondering how this worked too. Did the judge leave his or her seat after the offending rider’s round and deliver the message in person, or did he/she send a messenger? Maybe the message was sent to the announcer, and it was a site-wide notification?
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