Think you are not a “pink girl?” It’s a phrase we hear quite a bit, but we are here to knock down some misconceptions about the color pink as a choice for exhibitors in honor of Valentine’s Day. There are plenty of pink options for you, so don’t pass them by until you reconsider what pink can do for you.
Set the Tone
Want to appear assertive but not aggressive in the show pen? Pink could be your color since pink represents the color of love, but it’s not as bold as red. An article from The Daily Mail declared pink shirts were “associated with confident behavior, higher incomes and higher education levels.”
Who doesn’t want to appear confident in the show pen? We’ve also read that pink can give your mood a bit of a boost, and who knows, maybe it will boost the mood of everyone around you (including the judges).
Since pink is also the color of passion, it can reflect a person who is enthusiastic about her sport.
Debby Brehm of Nebraska says, “I just love pink. It has been my favorite color my whole life. My office clothing is pink, my after work clothing is pink, and my show clothing is pink. I wear pink in the Select Western Pleasure because I love the color plus no one else wears it. I always get many compliments on my outfits, and pink is my signature color.”
But with a Red Horse?
Okay, all the psychology aside, let’s look at the practicality. Some exhibitors love pink, but they think they can’t wear it with their red horses. We at Show Me Again beg to differ based on these photos of some of our clients in the many facets of pink. Youth exhibitor Kat Bunting is stunning with a pink ensemble with her fair complexion and red hair. Pink is like any warm or cool color; you just have to choose the right one.
For example, dark pink is cool, but a coral pink is often warm, so it’s just a matter of selecting a tone that flatters your horse and your skin tone. The best way is to try it on and hold it up to your horse under the varying light, and don’t forget to view it from afar, since the judge will often see you from a distance of 40 feet.
Mix It Up
Just because pink is not a color you initially had in mind when you find a garment you love or when you bought your horse, that doesn’t mean it can’t work. Especially if you see a killer deal on a show jacket with a bit of pink, and you are not a “pink girl.”
You can keep everything else in the jacket or your outfit neutral, and you’ll see designers pairing dark or bright pink with black to keep the look modern and sophisticated. If you love a lighter pink, put it together with tan or even gray, which is still very much in style as the “other” black, and the shades of gray you have to choose from are vast.
All that being said, you could just follow the advice of Christina Perez of Glamour Magazine: “DON’T be afraid to go bold!” Life is short, so buy the pony, the shoes, or the jacket, and eat dessert first.
Get Two Thumbs Up
We have one more protest we often hear to set straight before we finish: My trainer would never let me wear pink.
As much as we used the word PINK in this article for effect, we don’t use it that much when it comes to describing show clothes because there are so many shades that come to mind. Instead of approaching your trainer about “pink” being included in your potential new outfit, let us help you choose the more descriptive wording: fuchsia, rose, salmon, coral, blush and bashful. After all, pink isn’t just a color; it’s an attitude.
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