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| not something i wear often |
It gives me absolute stitches to pay a buttload of money for clothes, so budget options are good, but as with anything, I'd rather pay a little (not like $400) for something I'll enjoy than skimp and get something I hate.
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| piping and BLUE |
This week, let's talk about show coats. We all know I think coats are stupid and pointless, but they're also required. What is your favorite show coat? Why? Where do I get one? Hoiw much does it cost?
Courage is a plain (ish) bay, so he can rock the black but I looooooooove me some color too. I love piping. I love tech fabrics. I love machine washable. I'd really like to find a four button dressage something (and guys, I have ape arms and a torso that can span a reasonably-sized river, so no midget costumes).
ready, set, GO
Let's get me dressed like a proper english snob
I have nothing to offer because I haven't bought a show coat in 20+ years, but I need one, sooooo i hope you get some good answers!
ReplyDeleteI wore a coat in my recent Hunter show and I hated it, even though it's a pretty nice coat. I hate coats and I am OVER IT. When can we compete in comfortable clothes like real athletes do???
ReplyDeleteI'm on your side. Misery.
DeleteI recently bought (have yet to use) the Goode Rider Ideal Show coat. I love the plain black traditional look and this one is just that, with a few cute accessories like the D-ring bit zipper pulls, silver buttons, and the velvet collar. They have a second version - the Iconic show coat that has silver piping but it was too flashy for me. The material is fantastic and stretchy, plus water/wind resistant! And it hugs me/fits my body like no other brand. I have a big chest and small waist so I usually have to buy larger jackets to fit my chest, which means they normally swamp me. Not this one! I think it retails around $300, but I got it from Riding Warehouse for like $219 or something during a sale.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the show coat I bought from RW a few months back. Though I found it in the 'plus-size' section (I am built like a linebacker with giant shoulders and decent boobs), I think the coat fits me well and looks nice. Is it the nicest coat I've ever seen? No, but I have a really hard time finding coats to fit my broad shoulders AND short size. I opted for a solid black coat with white piping because I love piping, and the price wasn't bad either! Here's the link: http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Kerrits_Competitors_Koat_Show_Coat_Jacket/descpage-KCSC.html
ReplyDeleteMy only complaint on this coat is that the sleeves are long for me, so they may work well for you? I also reviewed the coat here: http://storiesfromsaddle.blogspot.com/2015/03/ladies-and-gentlemen-we-may-have-winner.html
Best part is the zipper underneath the buttons, so if one of the buttons comes undone, you're saved by the zipper :) Good luck on your search!
I agree - this is a good coat for the short-round set, or the short-big shoulders-big boobs set! I also like the FITS Zephyr coat, but it's more designed for the jump/event arena.
DeleteThe FITS Zephyr coat is far and away the best coat I have ever owned. I love the simple look of black with silver piping but the best feature is breath-ability! It's made of two layers mesh, when you hold it to the light you can see through it but when you wear it it looks like a normal coat. I spent the summer showing in it and never once felt like it was going o cause me to stroke out.
ReplyDeleteNow that is a good review.
DeleteI have this same coat and basically, what she said. Not appropriate for the hunter ring (but they have a hunt coat version, too), but my guess is you'd be doing dressage, eventing, jumpers anyway.
Deletehttps://www.horseloverz.com/product/show-coats/1221112-kerrits-competitors-koat.html?sku=5-716858&gdftrk=gdfV27555_a_7c1161_a_7c2883_a_7c5_d_716858&ev_pid=5-716858&ev_ppid=121242038890&ev_adtype=pla&ev_cmpg=Shopping&gclid=CNOjlbqR-ccCFQ4paQodFRYBkwI have the Kerrits competitor Koat(same as the photo in your post but black) and know several people who do too. After browsing all of the vendors at Rolex I settled on it. I couldn't stomach $400 for something that at best was marginally nicer. It has a bit of a sporty look and I'm not sure how it would go in the strictly dressage world but I was looking for a jacket that could take me from dressage ring to jumper ring. And this was the winner. Stretchy, comfortable, breathable, and nice enough for both rings. And affordable! What's not to love?!
ReplyDeleteeBay, $25. I am like you when it comes to paying for riding clothes, I just. Can't. Do it.
ReplyDeleteThis is me too!
Deletei'm a big believer in consignment shops. it's easiest to find something in the right material, fit (esp with a trip to the tailor), and look, and end up with something actually quite nice for a fraction of the cost.
ReplyDeletethat said tho - i LOVE that blue coat and ordered the horseware competition jacket in a similar hue, but got the wrong size and have yet to rectify the situation. lol, maybe for my birthday?
I'm a fan of technical material coats for jumping, but for dressage you have to watch the drape, some of the light weight coats end up looking wrinkly. I really haven't coat shopped in a while, but come Phoenix time I will check them all out!
ReplyDeleteThis is a timely post for me too. I'd like to get a new show coat. The one I have has sleeves that are too short for me. Machine wash and technical fabric are must haves for my next coat.
ReplyDeleteMy Equiline is fantastic, and was only about $150 from Calevo. I love looking there and at Divoza... they have options that are a little bit more fun and daring (thank you, Europeans) but cheaper than what you'd pay here.
ReplyDeleteHayward Equestrian, all the colors!
ReplyDeleteI may or may not have that exact coat on order...
ReplyDeleteI have a black lightweight wool Kingsland, and a brown Pikeur, both ordered on clearance from various stores in Europe. Both were less than $120 shipped. Both required tailoring.
My advice would be to try on as many coats as you can, figure out what you like and what you don't. Expect to have any coat you buy tailored. The most important fit is in the shoulders - everything else can be fixed. Personally I don't much like technical fabrics as I think they look like you slept in them, but the Kerrits coat is a bit sturdier. Also the technical fabrics, with the exception of the FITS coat, don't breathe well (my wool coat is actually extremely breathable). Good luck!
I really like RJ Classics coats. They are SUPER traditional, but very well made and will last a lifetime. My navy one is from college and still looks beautiful. It's been beat up, but I dry clean it a few times a year and it still looks great. RJ also tends to fit people with hips & boobs a lot better than brands like Ariat or Grand Prix.
ReplyDeleteSeconding the RJ Classics! I have a four button dressage coat (travers, I think? Silver piping and buttons) and I use it for dressage and show jumping because my wrists don't hang 4" out of it when jumping. I got mine off the Bit of Britain Christmas sale for cheap and it's a long. Now I want a green hunt coat in the worst way as the travers is a bit long for jumping in. It's beautiful though - looked great with a white/silver pad on my bay.
DeleteI should add: the Kerrits Kompetitor Koat looked good on me and had a size that fit properly. The FITS Zephyr coat looked better, but they didn't have one size up, which I felt like I needed.
ReplyDeleteNext time you're in a place with a tack store, try all the things. There's nothing like trying on coats to help you choose.
Love the dressage coat I just ordered end of July! It is from Indy Equestrian - brand is Equine Couture - $130 - machine washable - nice light weight fabric - black with white piping - shorter cut coat - 4 button. Very happy with it!
ReplyDeleteSo, I had the Goode Rider Ideal Show Coat which I freaking loved, it fit me perfectly and it was a splurge ($300) but I figured dressage jackets are black anyway so I only needed one, and since it fit so well I could wear it forever. Only problem is that when they waived jackets and I handed it to my boyfriend at our last show, he really waived it. Like left it somewhere and forgot all about it. I replaced it with a cheaper alternative, a Dublin Derby Show Coat. It was very comfortable and lightweight, and looks like a more expensive coat than it is. They run small, I went up two sizes from my usual, but the arms were too long on me so don't worry about the sleeves being too short. I'll be doing a full review on my blog later this week. They retail for around $160, so it might be a good option for you.
ReplyDeleteI'd recommend the Kerrits Competitors Koat, which you can't beat for $99. It comes in a nice indigo with white piping, but I really like the gray with white piping. It's machine washable, stretchable, and has a zipper behind the buttons so you don't have to worry about gapping.
ReplyDeleteHorze's Shirley softshell show jacket is also a good choice! It's $120 (but you know Horze is ALWAYS having a sale or a free gift or whatever), comes in navy and black, and has sparkly buttons. The fit is good- stretchy and flattering! It's washable, too. I find the sleeves a little long, but I have T-Rex arms, so...
I second the kerrits competitors koat. Doesn't make me feel like I'm suffocating and I think it looks pretty sharp. I have the black/white piping. Runs a little loose on me but not enough to bother me. I am *ahem* smaller up top though, so it might be no problem at all for someone else
DeleteCall Farm House in NC. They do crazy sales on coats to clear out inventory. Same with shirts. I have bought coats for $50 before. Shipping is free for items over 50 too!
ReplyDeleteGreat, now I'm "window" shopping for jackets. THANKS.
ReplyDelete<3
I've been interested in a show coat upgrade for some time now, but I just keep making due with an old wool coat because I'm cheap. Heat/ventilation is my #1 priority so I've been oogling the FITS Zephyr coat.
ReplyDeleteDo it!! It's fabulous and worth every penny
DeleteI have a horze crescendo technical something that I am a relatively big fan of. I have an oddly shaped body so I suspect that unless I'm willing to pay a large amount of money, nothing is going to drape on me appropriately. The most important thing to me was getting a coat I'm not absolutely sitting on (short torso) and something that covers my arms (ape arms). The horze cresscendo thing does the trick. It's also got a zipper and snaps under the buttons, and the middle-back-belty-thing can be adjusted for more/less fit. I wore it in 90 degree heat and was okay (I mean, not dead, so that's great) and it was comfy enough to jump around in when I practiced in it. It's also got some bling on the buttons. Finally, I didn't pay an arm and a leg for it (currently at $120 on Horze website, and I got it on one of their relatively frequent sales). So it does the job.
ReplyDeletelink: http://www.horze.com/show-jackets/horze-crescendo-shirley-womens-softshell-show-jacket/33004.html
I have an EOUS dressage coat in black that I bought from a consignment shop for a steal since it was missing a button (a quick call to the company netted me a set of replacement buttons for free!). It is basica 4 button with a velvet collar. I snagged the navy blue version on Tack of the Day a couple of months ago. They are a stretchy type fabric that fit my broad shoulders quite well. They are also slimming which I LOVE...
ReplyDeleteMy shad is a Kingston, it was too expensive. I fucking love it and want to wear it everywhere, but I wouldn't do it again. I was down to the wire at my first PSG and needed to buy something and it was the only thing that fit me. It's technical fabric, which makes it SO breathable, it feels downright cold to put on.
ReplyDeleteMy regular coat is a 12 year old Pikeur, I love it (and hope it still fits), but it is a pain to dry clean and gets really hot. I do think that it lays better than my shadbelly does. But it's not as comfortable to wear.
So overall I'm not much help, but yay show coats! I'd definitely recommend going to try some on in a store and then find one used. Definitely smarter than what I did.
So I'm a boring hunter, but I LOVE my Irideon Kismet coat. The tech fabric is glorious, the stretch is forgiving and I throw that sucker in the wash and away we go!
ReplyDeleteTimely post! My guy is going to his first show in a couple of weeks, with his trainer...then I want to show him but I have nothing to wear!
ReplyDeleteThe one thing you have to be careful of with the super lightweight tech coats is that you can end up looking like a) a stuffed sausage or b) like you slept in your show coat. The light/stretchy fabrics tend to bunch & wrinkle and not hang as nicely as a lightweight traditional wool coat. I have an RJ Classics coat that I LOVE, and they come in tons and tons of sizes and short/long options. A well-fitted wool coat is ALWAYS flattering!
ReplyDeleteI pretty much stock Amira-Equi for show coats. I bought my Pikeur Tosca from there for under $300. It would have cost me $420+ if I'd bought it somewhere in the States. I love the stretchy technical fabrics and unique details!
ReplyDeleteAm I the only person on the planet that HATES the look of the new techy material, ultra short coats? Just came back from regionals and all the coats looked wrinkly, bunched up and displayed way too much of most people's butts. They may be comfortable, but they look sloppy and like you're wearing your little sister's coat to me.
ReplyDelete