I love the sock bottoms. I was wearing pair at Devon 2 or 3 years ago and an acquaintance made a snotty remark about them. Guess who I saw wearing some a few weekends ago when I was home? 
(ETA- I did not start wearing them to trend or being fashion forward. I still have pull up boots - gasp) and am too lazy to change socks around. )
I love sock bottoms and can’t stand velcro. I have smallish ankles and calves given the size of my thighs and waist, so the sock bottoms are often too loose on me, but I much prefer that to velcro.
Love velcro and can’t stand stand sock bottoms. The velcro I can adjust to suit my personal preference – the sock bottoms are always too tight or too loose and there is nothing I can do to fix that problem.
I wanted to chime in here with a new perspective on the sock bottom trend. I only own one pair of Ovations with the sock bottom which I have been wearing for maybe two years. I don’t really care for the style because I find them bulkier than the Velcro, but also more of a PIA to take off. The way they are made is with the regular breech fabric down the back of the leg, but a smooth mesh fabric from under the knee down to the elastic at the bottom.
Then I bought a new pair of the same style of breeches. First off, the medium rise is now lower. No biggie, I’m in better shape now anyway. But the sock bottom, instead of being breech fabric, is now the smooth mesh fabric all the way around. Consequently, my socks fall down. :mad:
To me it just seems like a cost saving measure. But grrrrrrr…
I still love the cut and fit, though.
I personally like velcro–even on my older breeches, I don’t have trouble with it rolling or being uncomfortable, and I (like others have said) like to unhook it and fold the bottoms of my pants up when I take my boots off (classy, I know, but way more comfortable! (: )
The reason Tailored doesn’t do the sock bottom is we don’t think that they have the adjustability that Velcro has. It has to fit your calf and ankle perfectly as it may be just right, too tight, or too loose and bunchy. At least with the velcro you can make some adjustments. If the bottom is too long, you probably need a short, and we make them. If the bottom is too short, you need a long, and we make those too. Many of our stores tell us that some of the brands that have sock bottoms have a hit or miss fit, so we did not proceed with offering that option. If you can not find your size in a store, they can special order it for you. Many of the stores don’t offer the shorts, even though we make them.
[QUOTE=Bugsey;8259874]
The reason Tailored doesn’t do the sock bottom is we don’t think that they have the adjustability that Velcro has. It has to fit your calf and ankle perfectly as it may be just right, too tight, or too loose and bunchy. At least with the velcro you can make some adjustments. If the bottom is too long, you probably need a short, and we make them. If the bottom is too short, you need a long, and we make those too. Many of our stores tell us that some of the brands that have sock bottoms have a hit or miss fit, so we did not proceed with offering that option. If you can not find your size in a store, they can special order it for you. Many of the stores don’t offer the shorts, even though we make them.[/QUOTE]
And, thank you for sticking with Velcro! Some of us really need it. For me, TS Trophy Hunters are by far the best fitting breeches of all and the thought that goes into making them so is obvious. Wish I could get street clothes like them 
Sock please! I have never known them to not be stretchy enough for adustability. I have Ovation and Kingsland with the sock bottom. I hate washing the ones with velcro; they all get stuck together (even when I make sure they are closed up).
Personally, I don’t really like either one. They should come up with another alternative!
I’m team SOCKS
(having flashbacks to the whole fangirl Team Edward/Team Jacob Twilight thing 
)
Sock bottoms FTW
I still prefer pull-on boots (I know) and have a high arch, so the amount of gymnastic activity that goes into getting my boots on means that any lumps and bumps under my socks are likely to be pushed around in a way that leaves me uncomfortable. Add to this the fact that so many brands that use velcro closures sew the scratchy side inward–facing the skin–and I’m sock-bottom all the way.
[QUOTE=Bugsey;8259874]
The reason Tailored doesn’t do the sock bottom is we don’t think that they have the adjustability that Velcro has. It has to fit your calf and ankle perfectly as it may be just right, too tight, or too loose and bunchy. At least with the velcro you can make some adjustments. If the bottom is too long, you probably need a short, and we make them. If the bottom is too short, you need a long, and we make those too. Many of our stores tell us that some of the brands that have sock bottoms have a hit or miss fit, so we did not proceed with offering that option. If you can not find your size in a store, they can special order it for you. Many of the stores don’t offer the shorts, even though we make them.[/QUOTE]
I prefer a sock bottom. But if you won’t do those, it would be great if the velcro was sewn so that it doesn’t cut the rider’s leg. My Trophy Hunters make my legs bleed. Otherwise, they are my favorite breeches ever, and I’m a dressage rider.
[QUOTE=Bristol Bay;8253852]
The way they are made is with the regular breech fabric down the back of the leg, but a smooth mesh fabric from under the knee down to the elastic at the bottom.
Then I bought a new pair of the same style of breeches. First off, the medium rise is now lower. No biggie, I’m in better shape now anyway. But the sock bottom, instead of being breech fabric, is now the smooth mesh fabric all the way around. Consequently, my socks fall down. :mad:
.[/QUOTE]
This. I have to wear my socks underneath sock-bottom breeches to keep them from falling down (also the mesh material irritates my skin when I have a long day, especially when it’s hot).
And with socks underneath, my half chaps tend to slip down against the mesh.
That said, the Velcro never lies flat and leaves me with an uncomfortable lump inside boots.
So I guess I’m not taking sides yet; just hoping the next big thing is better than either of these.
I wonder if there would be any way to make them with a slit that goes further up the calf and with a wider area of Velcro on both sides (soft side against the rider’s leg) to allow riders of all shapes and sizes to close them securely without lumps or shifting.
[QUOTE=goldenrow;8226295]
I just want the velcro put on the right way - so the SOFT side of the velcro faces your leg if they don’t fully over lap.[/QUOTE]
I agree except that if put on with hook side up, then if they don’t overlap fully, you get snags in your socks.
I’m a guy with pretty big calf muscles from all the hiking and biking I do, but my ankles are relatively small. I absolutely love the sock bottoms. It’s great too if I go to the barn wearing shorts and the low rise socks because the sock bottoms cover up what the short socks don’t
I’m still Team Velcro - the only thing at all that I would change about the TS Trophy Hunters (other than the price 
) is PLEASE cover the hooks on the inside of the waistband so they don’t pinch my ahem muffin top when I bend over…all I ask for is a 2" square piece of fabric over the back of those things!!!
[QUOTE=Bugsey;8259874]
The reason Tailored doesn’t do the sock bottom is we don’t think that they have the adjustability that Velcro has. [/QUOTE]
I’m still Team Velcro - the only thing at all that I would change about the TS Trophy Hunters (other than the price ) is PLEASE cover the hooks on the inside of the waistband so they don’t pinch my ahem muffin top when I bend over…all I ask for is a 2" square piece of fabric over the back of those things!!!
Dear Tailored Sportsman:
You do not need to stop making your breeches with Velcro. I know many people do not like change and will continue to wear the scratchy, leg rubbing, laundry snagging, PIA Velcro until the day they die. However, this is the perfect opportunity to create a brand new line of breeches (aka make them the exact same as your trophy hunters only without the Velcro… seriously don’t change anything else). Every hunter princess worth her salt will immediately have to have the ‘new’ Tailored Sportsman breeches!
You’re Welcome,
WannabeDQ
Seriously, has anyone tried the breeches that have the stretchy material built in to the calves and ankle? Pikeur and even the Smartpak Pipers are doing this. It’s like a gift from god for those with muscular legs.
[QUOTE=WannabeDQ;8267244]
Dear Tailored Sportsman:
Seriously, has anyone tried the breeches that have the stretchy material built in to the calves and ankle? Pikeur and even the Smartpak Pipers are doing this. It’s like a gift from god for those with muscular legs.[/QUOTE]
Different strokes for different folks. I have sold ALL my sock bottom breeches because I hate them. I have relatively small/normal sized calves (13" around), and the seams on the Pipers dug into my legs after a couple of hours and left marks.
Please TS, for the love of all that is holy, do not change the Trophy Hunters - they are everything a pair of breeches is meant to be!
