What do YOU think of ALTERNATIVE Jacket Colors in Dressage?

Would you go out on a limb and wear an ALTERNATIVE jacket color into the recognized dressage ring?

Under what circumstances?

Which is better/more breathable: new wool (what I have, seems very HOT!) or poly? How about those washable coats?

How about alternative fits? A super short coat? Or the faux shad-bellies? (or are these reserved for the under 30 years old crowd? Those are kind of pricey anyway...)


I need a new dressage coat (if I can sell my old ones)...so I'm considering going out on a limb...then again, maybe not (don't want to be mocked/scorned)! Help me decide! I have 2 bay geldings (one blood bay, the other between medium and dark bay--depends on season--showing 2nd this year, maybe (in our dreams?) 3rd level next Spring?, 5'11" 130 lbs)! I'm leanin' towards a Pikeur black pinstripe if I can find one for under $200--the photo below is actually brown, and I don't have money for the off-white ensemble...need to stick with white as the backdrop!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

I honestly don't think anyone would mock or scorn you as long as it's conservative as required by USEF :)

eta: I mean anyone at the show, people here might mock or scorn you, but that's just what they do ;)

It's probably not good policy to distract the judges eye from your horse - but then again ?? Any natural fabric will breath better than man made.

What level would you be showing? I think the only other way to go is a tone on tone pattern or pinstripe or piping on the collar. I got a great short coat from sho clothes not to long ago with silver piping and its beautiful. If you like bling they have a Cavallo coat with crystal buttons and on the collar.

I'm a traditionalist- black or navy, accessorized if needed with gold or silver buttons, velvet collar, or piping on the collar. Personally, I stick with black and white, and accessorize with a baby blue piped stock tie and pin. For my last schooling show I rode in my everyday ATH helmet which has navy and red stripes down the front, and matched it with a navy trimmed pad, but for recognized shows it would be a plain white pad with a velvet or non-striped GPA.

I have a navy show jacket...

I got a new Pikeur coat this year. It's not quite navy, more like a dark slate blue, and it has a periwinkle velvet collar. I think it's beautiful! I got the navy Charles Owen helmet to go with it. My horse is a very orange chestnut so I really like the blues on him. I didn't get any negative comments, and got good scores and a few compliments so I don't think the judges mind a non-black coat.

There are some pictures of our outfit on my blog at http://tbatx.wordpress.com/2009/06/3...-show-results/

As a semi-expert in hot-weather fabrics, I find tropical weight wool to be the best, but NO dark colored, long sleeved, buttoned up coat is gonna be cool. But tissue weight wool isn't bad, and it's bearable in Florida in the winter, at least, although I've seen jackets waived here in January...

Conservative but different is OK.

When I bring my frock in to be tailored I'm going to investigate the cost of getting a new one made in darkest, darkest green.

My 'summer' jacket (that I've yet to show in, but I wear it all the time for court, interviews, etc.) is from RJ Classics. It's a hunter jacket w/ two vents, but I don't care. In August, I'm not wearing black wool. It's a dark green, called "celadron" with a very subtle lavender pinstripe that you can only see close up. It will look fabulous on my horse, and is a subtle enough shade to not be 'distracting.' ;)

One advantage that the dark brown/navy/grey coats and dark brown tack have over the black gear is that if you're one of those people like me who uses the same stuff for decades, any amount of fading from sun, washing, and wearing turns black into that distinctive grey-that-used-to be black color. Whereas say, the dark brown just becomes a slightly less dark brown. Not nearly so obvious and tacky.

That being said, I have dark brown tack and a black coat. Dark brown is classy and lovely, imo, but I don't think I'll be wearing it anytime soon. Partially because my ancient jacket is still going strong, and partially because in the sea of mostly black jackets I feel like it would be too memorable. And the way some of my dressage tests go, I'm not sure I want to be so easily identifiable :eek:

Inexpesive poly hasn't faded for me so far, doesn't wrinkle, and can go in the washer on gentle in cold water even though the label says dry clean. But it doesn't breathe at all, and I usually enlist someone's help to hand it to me about 5 seconds before I go in the ring :P

I'd love a lightweight wool, you really can't go wrong with that, but the "sensitive" mare and I need lessons way more than we need a new coat :lol:

I just bought a grey coat, and it's at the tailor's now being fitted. I am going to a schooling show in August where I would not normally wear a coat, but think I will break this one in to "get the feel". I already stand out (ride a pinto colored horse) so standing out is not an issue I can avoid anyway. I also have a dark blue coat that I have used for years.

I did also just buy my tailcoat. It's black with subtle blue pinstripes. And the vest points reverse to blue (from canary) as well. Can't wait to wear that as well.

I love new colors. I show in a brown coat; my tailcoat is even brown (with brown tophat) and I've gotten lots of positive response! Seems I keep breeding chestnuts, so I thought I'd have fun with it! Loosen up-this is recreation for most of us!!!

Dressage Art likes her new breatheable coat, so I think that is one for you to try on. If it works at 106 degrees, hopefully it will work in Virginia. I liked the color/pattern of the coat you showed us, too.

Dressage Art or Ctanner could tell you more about color values to go with your horses colors. You want the coat to compliment your coloring, too. Pintopiaffe's idea of green is good with your horses colors. Years ago, I saw an Irish team member riding in green and it was gorgeous.

I wonder if the dutch rider's gray/taupe coat showed dirt. I bet it didn't, just blended into the background.

Grey is nice, grey helmets are nice. I'll always like things best the most traditional way, but the riding is what counts!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mobilehrs

I love new colors. I show in a brown coat; my tailcoat is even brown (with brown tophat) and I've gotten lots of positive response! Seems I keep breeding chestnuts, so I thought I'd have fun with it! Loosen up-this is recreation for most of us!!!

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Ooh, I'd LOVE to see a picture!

Is it a really dark brown? I can't decide if I think thats something I HAVE to try or whether it makes me want to run the other way. Either really good or not. I do have a bright orange mare. LOL

My trainer rides her stallion in his young horse classes in a grey coat. She gets nothing but compliments! :yes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pintopiaffe

Conservative but different is OK.

When I bring my frock in to be tailored I'm going to investigate the cost of getting a new one made in darkest, darkest green.

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Since I am now riding an ISH that would be my choice also

OOOOO, mobilehrs, that's what I'm coveting deep down...the brown one. I posted the link at the top. Do you have to wear the champagne ensemble underneath, or could you wear white under the brown?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

Fashionistas? What do we think? Brown coat on a bay horse with strawberry blonde rider/relatively fair skinned, but with some pigment. black boots, black helmet, white underneath (pants/shirt/stock) ;) ?

...maybe I should cross post under the hunter thread ;)?

Don't you think it's depending on the color of your horse ?