Show Clothes and Bling: Does it Matter?

Before I delve into this issue, I wanted to make a point about confidence. The most important thing to wear when you compete is a smile. You are going to genuinely smile if you are confident and enjoy what you're doing. You will become confident when you develop trust in your horse and your abilities. Bling doesn't matter when you are confident.

 

My Opinion on Bling Attire

I have been showing for 2 years at breed shows. In this amount of time, I have seen many show outfits and met many consignment owners and show designers. These are the opinions I have formed on show apparel. 

The best and cheapest tip I can give you is to keep your show clothes clean. Clean the dirt that your outfit will acquire during the show season.

Gaudy Outfits-  These outfits can be defined as tasteless.
 I personally don't like the trend of show apparel where it looks like the designer took all the scraps on their table and threw it up on a show jacket. I want to see outfits with an apparent pattern that was thought through and flatters the rider.

Most designers understand the "line-concept." The "line-concept" guides the viewer's eyes. It hides imperfections and showcases the positives. I believe the "line-concept" should always be taken into account, especially when designing horsemanship tops. The class is judging your body position so your clothing should highlight your good qualities and not draw attention to the negatives.

For example- I have trouble keeping my elbows in. Some days are better than others, but usually, those "suckers" want to do the chicken dance. I know this about myself, so I'm going to choose a top that draws attention to my shoulders and neck instead of my arms.

I personally like horsemanship tops that have a black base and jewel designs. They stay in style longer and make a classy appearance.

Chap Adornments- I don't like to see bling or embellishments on chaps. I think they draw unnecessary attention to your legs.  I LOVE black chaps because they match a ton of outfits and make for a more "seamless" picture.

Showmanship Pants- I  can't stand when people forget about fit. You should consider the fit for all your outfits. Your jackets should not be baggy and neither should your pants. I see so many people with showmanship pants that are too long and too short. I would recommend seeing a seamstress so your pants will fit your leg in a flattering way. You should be able to see your boots but not the actual top or shaft of the boot. Your pants should not be baggy or have a "bell-bottom pants" appearance. If you notice any of these flaws, you should send your outfit to get altered.

Boots: No matter what, make sure your boots match your outfit! I prefer square-toed boots, and I like to see a 1- 1.5-inch heel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that I've gone through most of the basic attire, I will address the issue at hand.

You should invest in good fabric for show clothes before you focus on bling.

I think bling does matter depending on the class and show.

I think you should wear bling at big shows because it can help form a great first impression. I don't think you need a lot of bling, but some well-placed stones with varying size can make a huge difference. I recommend investing in higher quality stones. When you use more top quality stones, you don't need many to sparkle, and they sparkle better under the lights.

At the weekend shows you can wear plain button down tops because bling doesn't matter as much.

I think wearing a horsemanship top can be more flattering than a button down because it is made to mold to your body. That fit tends to give you an advantage in horsemanship. Your jackets don't have to be entirely stones!
  I included pictures of two of my jackets. The first jacket only has stones which provide a ton of sparkles but can be expensive. Lucky for me, I paid to have the jacket altered and only had to add the bigger stones on the collar and bodice that you see. Re-vamping old jackets will save you tons of money because they already have the fabric and stoning! The second jacket pictured includes leather piecing and didn't require as many stones. It contains a lot of elements without being covered in crystals.

I think many people will say, "bling doesn't matter," but many times it does.
Having a well-made jacket shows that you've invested time and money in your performance for that class. It can give you confidence and make your performance stand out.

I think it comes down to your own personal style. You should wear what makes you comfortable and confident. There are so many trends to try. I don't think we should dismiss the effect that a fitted outfit will have on our performance. Choose wisely and find something that tells the judges who you are.

I decided to include my showmanship jacket. This jacket provided the confidence I needed to compete in the show pen at Congress. My friend Kristen who owns KLS designs made this jacket originally for my trainer's daughter. She altered the jacket for me, removed the cuffs, removed the collar to design the one you see now, and added the giant Swarovski crystals.

This is my current showmanship outfit (its actually a bright red)- It was designed by Deb Moyer and features the line-concept that I talked about earlier. You can also see that the bling is featured at my shoulders and wrists but subtly fades out by my elbows.

  Focus on fit and quality! Add bling if you decide that you need it.

In the end, the quality of the horse and rider is what is being judged.

For information about "KLS Designs Show Clothing" visit www.facebook.com/KLSDesignsShowClothing

For more information about how show clothes influence your performance, visit Kirsten Farris's Go Horse Show article.  

For more information about confidence, visit, www.gohorseshow.com, which provides fantastic information about sports psychology, upcoming events, and advice from judges. Check them out!