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Shirts
Off the rack shirts are measured by neck and arm length. You want to
measure your neck and add an inch to that measurement. You should be able to put no more than 1 finger in the collar. The
shoulders should fit so the seams sit on the edge of your shoulders. The neck and shoulders can not be fixed but the body
and sleeves can. The body of the shirt should be loose enough so it does not pull but fitted enough to create a clean line.
It should also be long enough to keep tucked.
All show shirts should a narrow spread button down shirt with eyelet holes (either already made or added) or if you
do not want to use tie bars a tab collar is the next best option. Anything wider is not flattering to a female.
| How the shirt should look. |
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Shirt Shopping
When buying a show shirt from a department store go the the Men's section. Men's shirts have collars that are made the
hold up a tie and they also give a neater look because women don't wear button down shirts buttoned up with a tie. You want
a point collar. You want to find a shirt made of Broadcloth. Broadcloth is thin so its comfortable, the thread is tightly
woven cotton, and has a slight sheen to the fabric and it smooth texture. Compared to Oxford which is duller and rougher fabric
that can be heavier. You want long sleeves so you have have sleeve cuffs over your gloves and if your coat sleeves are the
correct length a little pop of color from the cuff poking out from under the sleeve. Once you have a nice shirt take it to
a tailor (like the ones at the dry cleaners) and ask them to add eyelet holes for a collar bar in the collar and to take in
the sleeves and sides if needed.
Tip: Have the collar and cuffs heavy starched at the cleaners.
This will give a crisp apperance.
Vest
| How the vest should be constructed and fit. |
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A proper vest will have 5 buttons. The vest should fit smoothly
but not bind during normal movement. It should not balloon when sitting. It should be long enough to overlap the front of
the pants so that the shirt does not show between them. The properly fitted vest should be long enough for its fifth button
from the top to cover the trouser waistband, yet not so long that its points extend below the hip. The back of the vest should
be approximately two inches longer than the front (at the side seam), ensuring your shirt won’t peek out under the bottom
of the vest when you’re sitting. A well-made vest has its own definite waistline, which is where the jod waistband should
hit. Do not wear a belt with your jods, since belts add further bulk to the already layered waistline, and tend to poke out
from under the vest. A vest should not have a skintight fit but should not be too large as to bunch up under your coat. It
should be cut full enough to allow its wearer to sit comfortably with its back belt done up to keep it from riding up the
trouser waistline.
Jods
| Shorter Pant fit. Best for great legs. |
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Make sure the pants sit on the waist not the hips (the narrowest part
of your torso is your waist – and it might be higher than you think! To find your waist: stand up straight, and bend
sideways; where you crease is your waist). Show pants should be higher than your normal everyday pants so your shirt does
not come untucked and peek through. It is common for show pants to be made higher in the back than in front, and higher all
around than normal pants. The legs should be close fitting from waist to about lower calf and start to flare or cut straight
with a slight flare at the bottom. If the pant is fitted too snugly below the calf it won't fall properly over the boot and
you'll see the outline of the boot under the pant. The pant should also fit over the Jodhpur boot, usually extending longer
than the heel of the boot in back, and covering the arch of the foot (but not the toe) in front. Jods should be 3 –
4 inches longer than actual inseam for adequate length when mounted. Even if you don’t like the look of long pants under
the heel you still want at the least 1 inch under the boot. Make sure length is correct while the rider is mounted. If the
underpasses are too long knot them near the button holes to the inside of pant so the knot is not seen from the bottom. If
underpasses still do not hold pants down have the buttons raised. From
what I have seen in your pictures. You say that you don't like the look of short jods and that you have underpasses but I
seen neither in many of your photos. You say your inseam is 31" so for approiate show length your show pant inseam needs to
be at least 35". Jod leg fit and length is extremely important in Saddle Seat even if its not equitation.
| Jod Shape and Fit off horse. |
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| Longer and shapely bottoms create a long and lean line when done right. |
Coat
| Great Coat fit |
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| How the neck and shoulders should fit. Shawl |
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| collar of a day or formal coat but not for a matching coat and pant suit. |
The shoulders should be wide enough so it does not pull when arms
are in riding position. Shoulders can not be widened but can be taken in to a degree. The arms should hang straight when arms
are at sides.
Armholes need enough space for easy slipping of the arms into it and moving
freely. You can try size of the armholes by putting your hands up in riding position. It should be able to fit your arms comfortably.
You want to make sure the arm holes are fairly high, or you’ll feel constricted by the jacket.
When trying on your suit, make big arm movements and you will notice high
armholes will not lift your whole jacket up. On the other hand, you don’t want the arm hole too high, resulting in a
tight, uncomfortable feeling around the front and bottom of the arm hole.
The sleeves should end at the base of your hand when in riding position
(just shy of mid palm when arms are relaxed straight down). It should reveal about ½ inch of your shirt cuffs.
Collars should always hug around the back of your neck. The shoulder
of the jacket shouldn’t bunch upward around the collar (means the collar arch is too small) nor should there be a gap
between the collar and your neck (means that the collar arch is too large). The coat collar should be of an appropriate height
for your neck length, just like the shirt collar. Your suit collar height should be 1/2 inch shorter than your dress shirt
collar. Suits (matching coat and pants) have notched collars, always. Shawl collars are appropriate for equitation only when
the rider is wearing a formal suit (tuxedo), and the collar should be made of silk or satin to match the coat.
Fasten the waist button and then place both arms in riding position. If
you see any horizontal buckling (wrinkles or pulls at the button holes or across the back of the jacket), then your suit fit
is too tight around your waist. Always remember that the silhouette and drape of the suit should be smooth and flat. Fasten
the waist button and then place both arms in riding position. If you see any horizontal buckling (wrinkles or pulls at the
button holes or across the back of the jacket), then your suit fit is too tight around your waist. Always remember that the
silhouette and drape of the suit should be smooth and flat. Any vertical pulls in front mean the button is in the wrong position.
Unbutton the coat and hold it together with your fingers to determine the best place to move the button. Vertical or diagonal
pulls in the back usually mean the waist is in the wrong place on the coat) usually means the waist is too low). This cannot
be fixed! Avoid buying a coat that has vertical bunching on your back. The length of the coat should go to the knee while
standing. Riders with long thighs should keep their jacket length closer to the bottom of their knee, and riders with long
lower legs should keep the jacket length closer to the top of the knee. Otherwise the coat will appear too long or too short
when riding.
Your coats look like they fit you but they also look like you could have a tailor look at them to make them look better.
Getting the sleeves and waist fitted will give a cleaner and neater apperence.
| Good back fit |
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Ties
Ties are important because they can bring the total look together. When shopping for a tie make sure it has body and quality.
You should also ask yourself would a very well dressed man wear this tie, if not then move on. The knot for someone of your
stature should be a Half Windsor Knot. There should be a dimple in the tie with tied and the tie should not be resting on
your chest but slightly held up by either a tab collar or a collar bar. This gives a sharper and crisper look.
Derbies and Top Hats
| The angle depends on the rider but you start |
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| 1/2 inch above the brows and the back of hat sits on top of bun. This girl also has lots of hair. |
The quality of hat is very important. You should choose a hat made from
fur felt instead of wool felt whenever possible. The higher the fur rating, the better quality the fur and it will retain
its shape longer (fur ratings are noted with “X”. An 8X hat is of a better quality than a 4X hat). Derbies
should flatter your head. For you the brim should be 1 3/8 inches wide and always tightly rolled (called a pencil roll) which
will give a more elegant and graceful head and face shape. The front of the brim should have a slight dip which is flattering.
If the top of your ears are level with your eyeballs, a standard crown height of 3 ½" will usually fit. However, if your ears
are below your eyeballs, a taller 4" crown might be better.
Gloves
Leather gloves are the best for showing. They are classier
and more elegant looking than cloth. The best gloves are the ones with longer
cuffs so you don’t have to worry about skin showing. The same matching rule as the boots applies to the gloves. Gloves
should also be clean when showing. To clean and moisterize just wipe with some saddle soap.
The Finishing Touches - A Guide To Show Ring Appearances
By
Mary Kirkman from Bob Battaglia's (WGC SS Arab trainer) website
In an ideal world, a win in the show ring is based only on the ability
of the horse and rider - and even in a less-than-ideal world, 99.9 percent of it is. But in order to make a decision, each
judge formulates an image of each contender, and if the competition is close, every rider wants that image to be as impressive
as possible. A well-turned out horse or habit won't win a class, but it will catch the eye. And it will tell the judge that
the rider is serious about what he or she is doing, and no detail is too small for attention.
"The pride in the finishing touch has got to come from within yourself
first - from pride in your horse and your presentation," explains Russ Vento of Battaglia Farms Ltd. Over the past 20 years,
he has put countless amateur and juvenile riders into the ring and watched them collect championships.
Ladies first - the mistakes most often seen. Starting at the head and working
down, he doesn't mince words.
"The buns are just atrocious," Russ says, and chuckles at how the comment
might be misinterpreted. "Hair! They're either too big, or poorly done, or too small. Buns should fit right under your hat;
usually that's about an inch down from the brim, about in the middle of your ear. If you feel the back of your head, you have
a little knob there; the bun should fit right on top of that, just above the round bone. The size of your bun should be the
size of a medium-sized man's fist."
Women also suffer from too-flashy earrings and too-subdued makeup. "A simple
pearl earring, or a simple diamond stud - real or fake - is just an accent piece. But a big dangly hoop or a dangly anything
- anything that hangs below the earlobe - well, just remember: you're not going to the prom!"
The most common makeup transgression is too little or none at all. Sure,
on a summer day, that makeup can be sweated off in no time, but in that case, he says, reapply it. The overall picture needs
to include your face.
"It does make a difference, especially in the young kids or the young ladies,"
Russ says. "I'm not talking about nightclub makeup, but lipstick, a little eye shadow, a little mascara, blush - facial color.
Just a little more than what most women wear every day. Our lights are so bad in those arenas; they tend to wash you out.
If your face looks pale, you give the impression of being tired or exhausted or stressed. You need the freshness. You don't
want people to think 'the horse is doing good, but that lady doesn't look like she's having a good time.'"
Working down the body, the next stop is the habit. It's fairly well known
that a rider's habit should coordinate in color with his or her horse. Russ advises that in selecting a color, you view the
fabric both indoors and out, because most riders will show in both light situations. Start by figuring out your own needs
and budget: Will you be showing nighttime and daytime? Indoor and outdoor? If budget is an issue, find the color that best
satisfies your agenda. Does that mean everyone should have two wardrobes? Not necessarily.
"Almost all of our riders have two different looks," he says, "but that
may mean just a different vest, shirt and tie. It could mean a nighttime look in addition to the one they use during the day,
or it could be simply a different color combination."
It's also important to take into consideration a rider's figure or build.
"Larger riders need to stay away from the light colors," Russ says bluntly. "They need something darker. If you're a larger-chested
woman, first of all, you need a good sports bra. Then, if you have a dark suit, have a lighter colored vest or something that
breaks up that chest area, because when you are posting, you will be bouncing around. More color in the chest area breaks
it up. It's more slimming."
Making sure the clothes fit correctly is invaluable, he adds. "If you're
a little bigger in the hindquarters, adjust your coat in the way it's tailored. Maybe it needs to sit up a little higher in
the back, so that it sculpts your body a little bit."
Specifics? "For instance, in equitation, the back is a huge issue, and
the clothes need to lie correctly and sculpt the children's waists," he says. "There is not a standard pattern that fits everybody.
Sometimes the buttonholes need to be moved to adjust, or the under-the-arm areas need to adjust for the chest. The hips are
an issue, so there's tailoring there. With the boys, it's the same thing; their shoulders are developing, and the clothes
all need to fit. And when boys go from 14 to 16, their whole bodies change. They do it more drastically and quickly than the
young girls do. I make their mothers check them monthly."
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