Let’s get past political correctness: In breeches, you either have a perfect figure or you are a fat chick. Because no matter how you package it or how many Up With People comments you can bestow upon your Abbondanza Persuasion, you’ve chosen a sport with a rudely unforgiving uniform.

Oh to be blessed with the perfect equitation body, whether for hunters or dressage. You know, those B-words—some of whom are your best friends—who have long legs, a willowy build and just enough endowment that they have something there but can still see their feet when looking down.

Sadly it took the manufacturers of breeches and show clothes a long time to realize that not everyone has only the tiniest of hips, very little backside and wears a 26L. But they woke up! They finally realized that not everyone was hipless, and not everyone was a size 10!

And then the ripples began spreading, and a selection of breeches, both for schooling and for show, became available to our pals The Hourglass Chick, The Pear Chick and The Round Chick.

My friend Edith, who wears Shapely breeches, introduced me to this On Course style, proclaiming that she had found the holy grail of breeches for the hourglass shape. She was right! Thank you, On Course, for these are indeed a wondrous invention, whether one wears a 26 or a 38.

On Course Shapelys are 5” larger at the hips without altering the waist size, and if you are hourglass shaped and Breech Challenged, the first time you put on a pair of these lovely front zips you will think you died and went to heaven. My only complaint is that there isn’t nearly enough color selection; most retailers carry only the standard white, black or tan. I also have some of the knee patch Shapelys in navy, which are very hard to find. One day On Course will make them in navy full seats, chocolate brown full seats and a nice olive green. Until then, we can only dream.

On Course also has other plus-sized breeches for both show and schooling. Tuff Rider not only comes in plus sizes but also has their FigureFit line (similar to the Shapelys but cut a bit lower). Irideon makes a great pull on breech, and the ribbed fabric style is very forgiving of the peaks, valleys and orange peel. Goode Rider also does a nice plus-sized breech.

One day there will be a manufacturer who will do a proper denim breech, similar to the Pikeur or Cavallo brands, in both knee patch and full seat. Several have tried and have failed so far because: A) Low ride on fat chicks, are you kidding, and B) Let’s make them look like proper breeches made from denim and not Kmart.

And never forget the smoothing properties of the SmartPak SmartSlims. Fabulous invention under breeches and under jeans.

My current favorite is the Fuller Fillies Checkmate breech. I like Fuller Fillies; they start with U.S. size 14. The cotton/polyester/spandex fabric is so forgiving and so sharp that you seriously look like you weigh 20 pounds less in these breeches than in others.

Fuller Fillies just came out with the Classiq Show Breech especially for the American market, with a plain seat and size zip and in the current hunter ring colors. Those are knee patch; their Showpro breech is full seat and both are the same fabulous fabric as their Checkmate breech. Love them.

And before we leave the Checkmate breech, let me say this: Fat chicks have forever gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to cute schooling breeches. You can’t hide behind plain black forever. I never thought I would say it, but both of the Checkmate plaids make you look thinner. This is not a lie, and I own them myself.

I also love the Equine Couture line. SmartPak carries their plus sizes, and bless their hearts, they also have all clothing that comes in a plus size marked in their catalog. I also love The Curvy Cowgirl, where you can not only pick up on English clothes but can also embrace your inner cowgirl with some very sharp western show shirts, and Horse & Rider Etc., which has a special section on their website devoted to plus-sized riding apparel.

I have always been partial to the RJ Classics shirts in the plus sizes, but I’ve also discovered very nice ones from Irideon, Romfh and Fuller Fillies. RJ Classics does give you the widest choice of colors.

Another big thumbs up to RJ Classics for their coats—90 percent of us will think they were tailor made. For those who need a tweak or two, buy the coat one size larger and have it tailored (same with show shirts). Fuller Fillies also makes a lovely show coat and will soon have a shadbelly, and the Tuff Riders dressage coat has an attractive cut.

Last year a fellow member of the Chronicle’s bulletin board was selling a lovely pair of new Effingham boots with a generously-sized calf, and I love them. Ovation, Tredstep, Dublin and Fuller Fillies all have a field boot with the same. Dress boots are a bit harder to find, but you can dig them up if you look hard enough. The same brands do half chaps, and you can also find nice ones from Arete Equestrian and—if you’re on the smaller side of bigger—Ariat.

Alas, there is still nothing to make your butt and thighs look smaller in white breeches, but there is also no excuse for not looking absolutely smashing in the new apparel. So embrace it, ladies! There’s no reason not to look like the fabulous woman you are in stylish apparel made to fit your curves!

Cornelia van Schaik feels entitled to comment on equestrian fashion because in her long horsey life she has competed in hunters, jumpers, Big Eq and dressage through FEI, plus an amusing spin in trail classes. Her foray into the eventing world is limited to spectating, but she loves the bright colors. Cornelia finds fox hunters have it easiest when it comes to fashion, for they are not concerned about such things as whether a particular coat color will match their black, bay or chestnut.