Womanly-sized riders, unite!

[Coreene]

Thank you!

Magnolia, you are 100% right. The RJ Classics coats are great, and fortunately very hourglass. I always like the idea of buying a size bigger and having the coat tailored - had to do it with a coat years ago and was hooked (provided the off the rack coat in my size didn’t hang the way I liked).

I got an 18/24 dressage coat, tags still on, on eBay a few years back for next to nothing. Wool, well made. Love it. Classic lines, nothing will go out of style.

And there is always much to be said for a hunt coat pattern and a good tailor. Am seriously tempted to go to the fabric district in downtown LA, grab a few navy windowpanes and have some coats made. The seamstress we use LOVES making coats and the entire cost, inc the gas to LA and parking, is less than a new coat.

Velvet collars are nice on a Pikeur coat. On some of the UK coats, you think “Oh look, a 70s leftover.”

[PaintPony]

I highly recommend the Wellington collection hunt coats.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-40472

They go up to a size 24 and are very well fitted. I have an awesome one that is a navy windowpane with a teal lining.

[HenryisBlaisin]

The Wellington Collection coats are very nice. Be careful of sizing-the one I got (from Tack of the Day and cannot be returned) is HUGE. I checked the measurements carefully with the size chart before I ordered, but it’s WAY big. As in, too big to be altered without spending more than the cost of a new coat.

If anyone is interested in a charcoal coat, either a 20 or 22 (can’t remember off the top of my head), PM me.

[VCT]

Hey folks, being that I have found these:

http://www.bitofbritain.com/Oak_Ladies_Waterproof_Country_Boots_p/3455.htm

and the calf is 17 7/8ths inch on the “oak” model for size 9.5… I am returning my wheezing/squelching/squishing FF country boots to SmartPak for a full refund and getting the ones from BoB. Thankfully Smartpak is awesome, and I will still be shopping there a lot, unfortunately they just don’t have any other boots that will fit my calves.

[VCT]

And Suz, the ratcatchers are not selling because they are not comparable to other brands… they are just not very attractive. The fabric, the stripes, the cut, the belt loops on the collar. Especially the stripes. Just not attractive.

[magnolia73]

The other thing I think… for the American consumer, you must make the clothing look more attractive on the models. It probably means using “plus size” models that are like a size 12. The old 1824 Catalog catered to plus sized women, but for some reason the clothes looked more attractive- I don’t know if they photoshopped or used shape wear, but for whatever reason, the ads for Fuller Fillies just do not look styled. If it makes the model look schleppy, why would I buy it?

It just adds to the frumpy image of the line.

Lane Bryant really gets it right. I will still pop into a Lane Bryant though I can wear normal sizes, because their clothes look sexy on the models.

But you know, I have a lumpy, large ass… I know it. But I’d rather not be reminded of it when I purchase clothes- oh great - breeches in my size that look like shit on a model with a lumpy ass.

[Coreene]

Yeah, I agree, at least have someone who is gorgeous, tall and wearing your smallest size model them. There is no polite way to say it: the English FF models are not doing your clothes justice.

[magnolia73]

http://www.fuller-fillies.co.uk/collections/new-in.html

Yes- this woman is not aspirational. I don’t aspire to look like her, I want to avoid looking like her- her pose is awful, expression is dour, the pant shows cellulite.

This woman is also close to my size, but very sexy and attractive:
http://www.lanebryant.com/plus-size-dresses-skirts/dressy-dresses/surplice-cummerbund-dress/4031c1043p98106/index.pro?Mcatn=dressy+dresses&Mcatpn=dresses+%26+skirts&Mcatg=category_root&Mcatp=cat_4031%406000&Mcat=1043%406000

I’m not saying you need to be sexy, but step away from frumpy and dour looking. I think American women really always at least aspire to look sexy and attractive, no matter what they are doing. Look at running wear- flirty skirts, cute colors.

I do think it is hard to market plus size only lines to crossover sizes, because as soon as a normal manufacturer expands their sizing a bit, you’ll lose the gals who can suddenly find TS in a 38 or a Grand Prix coat that fits 36DD’s. Unless you can make yourself just like those brands, it’s an uphill battle.

[Coreene]

[QUOTE=VCT;5770323]
And Suz, the ratcatchers are not selling because they are not comparable to other brands… they are just not very attractive. The fabric, the stripes, the cut, the belt loops on the collar. Especially the stripes. Just not attractive.[/QUOTE]

Clothes for the American show market have to look like clothes for the American show market, not “almost” and “kinda” and “sort of.” No funky, no shiny, and certainly no collar loops.

[HenryisBlaisin]

[QUOTE=Coreene;5772248]
Clothes for the American show market have to look like clothes for the American show market, not “almost” and “kinda” and “sort of.” No funky, no shiny, and certainly no collar loops.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! I completely agree that I would guess that LOTS of riders buy the current FF line because it’s what’s available, NOT because it’s what they want. If there were more choices available in a similar price range, I would certainly go with something else!

I think that I will be ordering the Wellington Collection jacket now that it’s been located-its nicer-looking AND less expensive then the FF jackets!

[Coreene]

That Wellington Collection jacket in navy sounds snazzy. It may have to take a trip to The OC.

[Coreene]

PS: Google these Wellington Collection coats, you can find other retailers that don’t gouge on shipping like Dover does.

[Coreene]

Dee, I saw her response absolutely putting words into your mouth on the FF Facebook page.

Big unlike.

[VCT]

Yeah, I saw that too. And it was the last straw for me. I responded and then ‘unliked’ the page.

[Coreene]

Nice shiny example of “no good deed goes unpunished.”

[magnolia73]

I think the definition of low rise is confusing. I have a pair of old navy very low rise cords. I got them for $5 and wear them with a very long sweater that covers my ass. They would/could show crack if I wore with a normal shirt. They do not have an appropriate cut for breeches. I think this is what some people think of when they think of low rise.

I also have many pants called modern or low rise that hit just below my waist. They make my butt look great and are very slimming and modern looking. My crack is in no danger of showing. I think this is the rise people want.

The regular waist can really… make an ass look huge. It can also emphasize a belly. Lower rise is really good for pear shapes.

[poltroon]

I think people get confused about rise because where it is intended to hit by the designer is not always where it hits on real people.

I happen to have a long waist, so low rise is awful for me… it hits much lower than the designer intends. But for people with short waists, the low rise fits them more like a normal cut.

[Coreene]

There are actually lots of brands that do plus in low rise. A few I can think of off the top of my head are JPC, TuffRider and On Course, and IIRC Ariat goes to 36 or 38.

[KrazyTBMare]

[QUOTE=Coreene;5777113]
Dee, I saw her response absolutely putting words into your mouth on the FF Facebook page.

Big unlike.[/QUOTE]

@VCT;5777912

Yeah, I saw that too. And it was the last straw for me. I responded and then ‘unliked’ the page.

Confused. What is this about?

[Coreene]

Dear Enabling Fellow Shoppers,

Dark tan and puke green breeches on their way, along with an olive hunt coat. Wellington coat I’ll grab too before spring shows. Thank you for the links. There is a small HJ series at our barn each year, 3 or 4 shows total, so why not?