Monday, February 29, 2016

Spend Vs Splurge: The Tack Ho Ethos

I am an undisputed Tack Ho of the Tribe of the Internet. Our ethos is something like this:

1) Pretty matters
1) New toys are more fun
1) Quality > Quantity, but quantity is ok too
1) Never, ever, ever pay full price for anything
1) Always have the best shit
1) You're never not shopping

If you're nodding along with me, great. Yes all the numbers are 1. You either agree or you're not one of us. Obviously.

If you're like "WTF I HAVE HAD THE SAME BRIDLE SINCE I WAS 12 AND IT'S STILL FINE", guess what? You're right. It is. You're not a Tack Ho and that's A-Okay. Membership is purely voluntary and not a moral advantage. In fact, I hear non-membership is cheaper and easier on relationships. Keep me posted on this one, ok?
expensive gloves. why.
Here's where I differ from MANY Tack Hos: I do not also maintain membership in the Clothes Horse Initiative. That specifically means that I really and actually do not care about my riding ensemble. 

There's a reason I drool over French leather but can't be persuaded to spend more than $60 on breeches. A reason I ride in a $40 ovation schooling helmet instead of the BEAUTIFUL Sparkly OneK I want but will never buy. A REASON I do not own custom tall boots, fancy show clothes, or name-brand sun shirts. 
we look pretty ok
(There's even a reason I went to a jewelry store with hubs and saw a 3k ring and was like OMG if you buy that for me, I would be SO PISSED. THAT'S A SADDLE. But. Different story.) 

To me, clothes aren't something to get excited about. They're fine. I need a few very-minimal standards met and then I'm good. Don't need more. I'm not wearing 78 complicated and $$$ layers. Everything I own goes in the washing machine. If it can't take that, it dies. I will hang dry breeches, but that's it. WASHER OR OUT. Those are the rules. 
look an ass selfie!
I don't care how many times you tell me that $300 breeches are SO WORTH IT. That's 5 pairs of $60 breeches, and if I'm getting 1-2 years per $60 pair, I actually wouldn't be money ahead buying those until they last what, like 7 years? (WHO HAS PANTS FOR 7 YEARS? NO ONE).

Having a breeches collection gives me no joy. Paying $80 for a goddamn shirt confounds me. It's a shirt. A SHIRT. 

You're welcome for the up-close-and-personal with my neuroses, but I actually have a larger point. Because  I love tack and live by the Tack Ho Ethos, I am totally fine with buying and trying all the tack (and if you want to live vicariously, stay close. I resell a lot too.) Because I am NOT part of the Clothes Horse Collective or what-have-you, I don't ever spend money on that stuff. 

Ever.
topline charm ftw
I don't care how good a deal it was or how magical someone claimed to feel. There simply isn't a parallel universe in which I would appreciate and understand the value of $300 pants. That's not who I am. Call me trashy. Call me cheap. No single pair of pants or magic sweater or overpriced SPF shirt is going to drive me into the fold of the Clothes Horse faithful.

That's not who I am. That's not who I want to be. I certainly admire the "together" wardrobes that other, more linen-inclined people sport, but it's not worth the time, energy or money to me. 

And because that's true about me, I don't bother spending the money to "try" the latest, greatest textile innovations. There literally isn't a way they could make me happy, so it would be kind of dumb of me to try.

TL/DR: if you're a cheap-ass-ho, don't get disappointed when gucci doesn't scare you straight.

28 comments:

  1. Your plaid breeches are a total win though!

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  2. My horse's clothing budget >>>>> my budget. He has a fancy saddle I have four pairs of pants that fit and one pair has holes...

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  3. The only thing I'll spend money on for me is breeches, and only because I'm very particular. I will only buy FITS because they work for me- every full seat pair I've tried on in other brands end up with a saggy crotch, no matter how high I pull them up. The FITS full seats don't sag on me. That doesn't mean I don't try to sleuth out a deal- a local tack shop had a 50% off going out of business sale and I got 2 pairs of breeches for $120 or something like that.

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  4. I'm giggling that you think Roeckl's are expensive. Also, an $80 shirt is cheap. Wait, let me qualify that statement: an $80 riding shirt is cheap. I would never in my life pay $80 for a normal shirt because that is just insane. And I've had my Animo's for 5 years... here's to forever, Animo. Clothes Horse 4 life and Tack Ho 4 Life. See, I'm all about equality.

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    1. ...Roeckl's are expensive and how is $80 for a shirt OK...oh my!

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    2. Hahaha! Totally understand $900 FB pony! I hate spending $80 on regular clothes, but an $80 show shirt? TOTAL bargain!!!! I love nice riding clothes AND tack..... It's bad. I got a blue Animo show coat for Christmas and I'm in love. I'm currently drooling over a Cavalleria Toscana show shirt.

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  5. Lol. I have had the same frankenstein bridle for years. I see no reason to change. I do own 6 Kastel Denmark shirts... and I have a pair of daily-wear breeches that are 4 years old (and a pair of jeans that are 10, and a dress that is 15... I've been the same size forever). I find midline priced clothes totally worth it. And I find fancy clothes worth it, if they are discounted enough.

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    1. I also feel that I spend a large portion of my life in my breeches/riding clothes. And I repurpose many of my riding shirts as running/gym shirts. Basically, if I am not at work or out on the town (and sometimes, even then), I am probably wearing "barn" clothes. So, to me... it's worth it to invest.

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    2. My thoughts exactly. Though I did buy my Kastels and San Soleil shirts on sale because it's hard for me to justify $80 for a shirt too. I also have like six pairs of breeches that are 8 years old and fully functional. I just don't wear them as much because I like my newer ones better.

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  6. All I can say is, don't ever try on those $300 breeches. They're the clothing equivalent of your Antares bridle. ;)

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  7. I guess like Amanda I am a tack ho of all variety. I think that nice clothes are worth the investment and I also really prefer the material and fit of the higher end items. :)

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  8. I like nice tack, but Once I've got a set of stuff that works, I'm set. But I enjoy looking nice and feeling professional in nice riding clothes. While I definitely have $5 dry fit shirts I love, I also have some nice shirts, and they are so comfy and look so nice, and I generally buy them on sale or with gift money so I think they are justifiable. To each his own though!

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  9. I like nice tack and nice clothes, but I appreciate a bargain. To me you can't totally neglect one or the other. The entire package needs to be neat, tidy, well fitting and ideally the best you can afford. Doesn't mean you have to have $300 breeches, but if you like them and can afford them... why not?

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  10. Hey, we are sloooowly working on you. Ever so slowly.

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  11. I am unfortunately afflicted with both a tack and clothing obsession. It's not good. I'd gladly give one up and apply the funds to the other, but I just can't quit it!!! (and I will confess that I have several pairs of breeches that are 7+ years old..) I have an embarrassing tack ho update that needs to be written, the splurging has gone out of control. OUT OF CONTROL.

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  12. The most I would ever spend on breeches is $100 and thats pushing it. I will never understand those who swear to the $300 riding pants club. NOPE.

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    1. Its all about hte $300 riding pants you pay $100 for ;)

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  13. I would love to be both a tack ho and a riding clothes ho but sadly this ho belongs to a really, really demanding pimp named Sallie Mae and she does NOT take kindly to me spending the portion of my paycheck that belongs to her, and will probably belong to her for life. Poor Tucker dresses in rags compared to Courage.

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  14. I don't know. I'm all about the "you get what you pay for" mantra, but I still won't pay $200 for a bridle. I'll get it second hand or shop the sales, and that's because I don't *need* fancy leather.

    In the aspect of clothing, I have recently started to purchase higher end items (just bought a new show coat after 9 years of having the same frumpy one, lol and it was just shy of $200). I don't impulse buy though, which is why the $300 show jacket was only $187 once it went on sale and a YEAR after I started to eye-ball it. I'm all about being frugal, but I'm starting to enjoy the "fancier" items, including clothing for myself.

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  15. I blame my h/j roots for my membership in the Clothes Horse Collective. I got some new tops today (on clearance, does that count?), two new pairs of full seat breeches, and some casual boots for when I'm out of my tall boots. I had to have the jean breeches, they'll look fantastic with the new boots and the embroidery is adorable! And don't get me started on stock ties and coats, I need a brown one so badly that I may shell out for the custom Grand Prix. I love their jackets, and with piping and the brown saddle pad from PS of Sweden . . . *drooling*

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    1. I used to own enough TS breeches to last a five day show . . . I guess I just got used to it.

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  16. I do have a few of those half-zip wicking SPF shirts, but all bought on sale at places like Sierra Trading Post, etc. for total bargains. I mostly rock the hobo-chic look at the barn (can I get a "what what" for werkin' the crotch-less jeans, my sistahs?), but I'm also unfortunately not riding, so no fancy riding clothes. My every-day is jeans or my comfy Kerrits full seat breeches, paddocks or wellies, some kind of shirt and maybe my Nations Cup coat or neon pink North Face rain coat. Definitely no #rootd worthy ensembles here!

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  17. Um, so I love nice tack, and nice clothes, AND nice jewelry! My husband spends a lot of time silently weeping ;)

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  18. ha i'm right there with ya on the clothes horse front. i find something that i like and that works for us and... just roll with it (never paying full price, obvi). except, i'm that way with tack too haha. so don't get to play at any kinda ho'ing... le sigh.

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  19. My horse sees anything I wear as a napkin, so do I want to give His Royal Ponyness a $300 place to wipe the green goo off his mouth? Nope. Give me my $15-found-on-clearance breeches any day!!!

    But do I want to see him in a $600 bridle? Sigh. Of course I do...and he doesn't help by looking so sexy in French leather...

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