Unlimited access >

Tips for Staying "put together"

Also, if your hair is long enough, try two braids instead of one. You don’t see many women in two braids any more - or, at least, I don’t. I wear two braids alot in my life and I often receive “cute hair!” comments from people.

Two braids keeps my hair looking pretty put together, but if I’m going to some outing where I have to make a smidge extra effort to impress, I’ll braid and then do a quick pssscht pssscht of hair spray. Two little pumps helps keep flyaways tamed all day.

1 Like

Try Free Ride. They flatter nearly everyone, are well-priced, and they have sales all the time. I am tall, long legs, and have some extra pounds around the middle and I wouldn’t be without them. I also like Romph Seraphinas. For shirts, I like Bit & Bloom. I am also going to try the Free Ride tops when they next have a sale.

2 Likes

Funny reading this thread and thinking that I must look like a shlub even thought I didn’t think so!
For everyday riding, most of the time I wear well-fitting, dark-colored breeches, well-fitting tops, reasonably clean paddock boots and half chaps, but…
Sometimes I ride in my jeans.
When it’s really hot, I ride in tank tops, and I never tuck anything in as it makes me even hotter. I do wear an elastic belt under my t-shirt just to keep the pants where they belong hehehe.
I cram my short hair under my (well-fitting,Tipperary) helmet, then put on a visor under my bangs when I take the helmet off.
Water from the tap or the hose is my friend, both to refresh and clean up!
Towels are always on-hand, both for me and the horse.
Make-up, I dislike wearing it when I am not riding, so there is no way I’d wear it to ride!
SPF 30 hydrating cream and I’m good to go.

2 Likes

I don’t try that hard. I figure, I’m 58, I’m not trying to or going to impress anyone with my looks, so as long as I’m not covered in dirt or manure, that’s enough in most settings.

I tend to be a Kerrits fan, and what I wear from them basically looks like exercise clothes - tights and sun shirts. I tend to go for the horsey prints in sun shirts; they are fairly subtle and I’m always tickled when someone does a doubletake and says, “hey, horses!” Extra points when they’re a cute kid.

I wear Ariat terrains, which look like hiking shoes. If I’m going anywhere post-barn, I’m careful to wipe my feet.

I wear a ballcap to the barn and after. ATM I need a haircut but I usually keep it pretty short. If it gets long enough, I’ll do a nib of a ponytail and pull it through the loop at the back of the cap.

Tucked in shirts bother me. It’s something sensory.

4 Likes
  • Nothing like a cute pair of sunglasses to give you that effortless “I’m so cool and fashionable” vibe.

Unless you give them to me, I put them on, they fog up, does not give off cool and fashionable vibes. When I had my cataracts done I thought that I would be cool in sunglasses, turns out I’m just not cool.

BUT

I do love my shades, keeping them in my hat, hanging then on my quarter zip top, most anything apart from wearing them :rofl:

@quietann, @sophie. SO glad to hear about the untucked thing. I HATE stuff tucked in, particularly when its 90+ degrees. I own one belt which I haven’t worn in years.

8 Likes

Patterned ltops are your friend. They hide all kinds of horse goobers and disguise the fluffy midsection.

Vests are the bomb for winter.

Baby wipes and a hairbrush can solve many problems. Deal with your hair as soon as you take your helmet off. You can wipe down most modern breech fabrics with a baby wipe, too.
Stick to a narrow base color palette. You can’t go wrong with navy breeches.

Keep your boots polished, wear gloves.

Either stick with white pads or at least attempt to somehow match your pad to your shirt.

I board with a bunch of immaculately turned out dressage ladies who can all ride beautifully. I’ve had to up my game in many ways in the last year! I’m playing somewhat above my pay grade, so I tend to buy good quality used items online, (and sell, too.)

5 Likes

Sweat wicking fabrics (not cotton) will help you look and feel dry in the summer.

I’ve also found that some breeches stretch very badly throughout the day so they look a full size too big by the end of the day. Definitely avoid those!

I think looking put together at the barn is so much easier than looking out together out in the real world! I find an item I like and buy it in a bunch of colors, then I just mix and match.

3 Likes

I agree about the importance of well-fitted clothing.

Day to day, I wear a sun shirt with medium to dark breeches (sometimes riding tights). The shirt is usually a non-neutral color, often in color-block or a print or contrast piping (some kind of something going on) - red, blue, turquoise, etc., so that there is color near my face, and it’s worn untucked. I’m small, and don’t need to visually cut myself in two by wearing a tucked-in shirt plus a belt.

I always use physical (mineral) sunscreen on my face, usually tinted if I’m out and about, and like Elta MD 41 and the Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50. I find that L-Oreal Double Extend mascara (around $10) stays in place great in the heat and humidity and doesn’t smear (it forms tubes around lashes), yet comes off easily with warm water when necessary. Back when there was never a need for masks, I would also wear a pair of small post-type (non-dangling) earrings that coordinated with my shirt top.

I’ve got long, fine wavy hair (right now close to waist-length). For daily rides, I pull it back, twist the length until it twists back on itself to form a “rose,” and use a scrunchy to hold it in place. I own a bunch of scrunchies, and choose one that coordinates with my shirt. This is secure, and comfortable on the back of my neck under a helmet.

When at something that lasts all day or even longer, I do the two-braid thing (that’s “horse camping hair” to me, lol). Keeping my hair covered by a scrunchy or in braids helps it stay clean and non-sweaty. My hair doesn’t take kindly to daily shampooing and requires forever to dry, so it being relatively dust-free is important. When I do take my hair down, it won’t be that damp, and I can use side tuck combs as it dries and the waviness is accentuated.

Post-ride, after removing my helmet, I put on a wide-brimmed sun hat when outside, and sunglasses because of my light-sensitive eyes. I’m normally in paddock boots and half-chaps; may not look as sharp as my tall boots, but way more comfortable in most situations.

It can depend on the sunglasses. I run and ride in Maui Jims because they stay put. I tried a knock off brand in the same design and they fogged like crazy. Right now I’m wearing Costas and only have fogging issues if I put them on while already sweating, and then sit very still. Of course it’s the $$$ glasses that work best.

WRT shirts - look for golf sun shirts on eBay. I’ve found lots of San Soleil shirts for cheap, and different patterns than the few they market for riding. IBKUL is another good brand. I’ve also picked up sleeveless golf/tennis shirts that look nice. A wider shoulder and some type of collar looks much more put together than a tank top with thinner straps.

1 Like

I actually do have a pair of the Free Ride Lux breeches and they are really lovely, although I dunno how flattering they are on me. I do really like them though! Thanks for the suggestion! :blush:

1 Like

WHERE do you live that 3 layers of SHIRTS are warm enough in winter?

3 Likes

Great info everyone, thank you! Keep it coming!

Two questions:

  1. My bangs get mangled basically as soon as i get out of my car. Is this best dealt with by clipping them back with a barrette or headband, or by wetting/brushing/drying after the fact? Or both?
  2. How often do you replace your clothes? Things tend to look worn long before they wear out. I tend to use things i have until they fall apart. I am trying to do better with laundry to keep things from looking worn too quickly.

I subscribe to the color-coordination school of thought. have a collection of well-fitting sunshirts and breeches in black, gray, navy, or dark green. Doesn’t show much dirt and everything more or less matches without effort. My saddle pads are all white, black, gray or navy so those also coordinate easily. When in doubt, white pad.

I always wear a belt, a hairnet and gloves. I wear boots that fit and keep them reasonably clean. I have a bunch of black and navy baseball hats and stash them around for before/after riding. Massive sunglasses are a major help in both hiding my red face and making me look cool. Since my clothes are always kind of boring I buy more fun barn sneakers… lately I have buying Adidas Ultraboost on sale.

Today I wore a navy sunshirt, gray breeches, a brown belt, and brown gloves and pulled out a navy saddle pad to match the shirt. Coordinating the belt and gloves is easy and makes such a difference in how pulled-together you look. Navy baseball hat with white trim was already in my car for when I took off my helmet after my ride. For me, being thoughtful about the colors I buy is really the key.

I don’t do makeup… just a boatload of sunscreen (I swear by Supergoop Play and I am a sweaty, sweaty redhead in California - it really works) and then a little concealer on zits. And hair I just hide under a helmet or hat.

1 Like

What articles of clothing are looking worn?

I wear boots until they’re dead. It’s not unprofessional to have holes in your tall boots, it just happens if you ride enough. As long as they are staying in and they’re polished they are acceptable. Breeches I consider dead when knee patches are falling off, zippers don’t stay up, torn belt loops, etc. although you could fix any of those things pretty cheaply I would imagine. Breeches will typically fade and that’s fine.

I find that tech fabric shirts are indestructible and only need to be thrown out when badly stained.

I wash everything on cold and hang to dry just about everything other than t-shirts. NOTHING white goes in the dryer no matter the fabric, I don’t want to set stains. Oxyclean and/or Dawn dish soap is great for stains.

3 Likes

What a great thread. Currently I wear lands end polo shirts and free ride or kerritts breeches.

Am I committing a fashion faux pas with not tucking in my shirt and wearing a belt? I’m always terrified of scratching my saddle with a belt buckle.

1 Like

Wonderful topic! Anyone have suggestions on a collared summer shirt that has a natural-blend fabric? I find even the lightest blend polyesters (cool-whatever’s) actually leave me chilled; I sweat so much they’re just soggy rags clinging to me. As much as I despise committing to showing sweat, fabrics like a light-spun wool blend or a bamboo will dry out more quickly once I actually stop sweating… thoughts??

My helmet looks pretty bad. It is a trauma void. Not that old, but the fake leather on the harness started peeling off within the first year. I think i will replace it in the spring.

I was mostly thinking about jeans when i wrote the comment though! Not for riding, just in general. They sag and get knee pockets and become unflattering before they wear through.

Edit: pads and belts can also wear and look old before they wear out

I have dealt with fading helmets but never peeling like you describe. I may replace that if it’s quite noticeable but not if it’s subtle.

I never wear jeans so I can’t comment on that! But yes you are right about saddle pads and belts, I have replaced both before they are technically unusable. Belts like hunt club belts or the elastic type hold up much better than leather. But I will say the elastic ones aren’t great at actually holding your pants up.

A polo short is neat and has a collar. Dark breeches, jodhpurs or tights go with any colour. A wig net can be used for months and only takes a minute to put on and makes your hair look neat without pressing the helmet onto your nose. Black riding gloves keep your hands clean.