It’s fashion month at GoHorseShow, and we love to talk about fashion. We asked some exhibitors what they’d like to see more of in the show arena.
Are there new trends that they hope to see stick around? Past trends that they’d like to see come back in style? Maybe runway fashion designs that have inspired their current horse show fashion?
Top equestrians are a talented and creative group who stop at nothing to be the best of the best and strive to stand out and look classy and unique in the show arena. Let’s check the fashion pulse of the industry and see what’s hot.
Sarah Lebsock – I wouldn’t say it’s a new fashion trend at this point, but I’m still loving the day shirts. They’re so sleek, versatile, and cost-efficient. I feel like I can have several more shirts and looks for the same price as one jacket like we had in years past. I hope this one sticks around. I think it makes it more welcoming and less intimidating for new people wanting to join the industry.
Evie Doles – I would say that I’ve been loving the hats with colorful trim on them in the Western riding and trail classes. I think those classes give you more opportunities to be a little more playful and fun with your hat compared to the more traditional horsemanship. I’ve also been loving outfits that correlate with your horse’s name. One example I saw in Ocala was Deanna Willis’s red and blue shirt with white stars on the top to go with her horse, Lieutenannt Dan. I loved how her shirt represented her horse.
Tali Terlizzi – I’m all about a fashion statement, in a good way. I really love the new twist on the “old school style” Western pleasure shirts. Buffalo Rose has been making some awesome, unique pieces that are classy with a little edge to them. As for the hunt seat, I love a pop of color on either the choker or jacket collars. It sets you out in a classy way from just a basic black or navy hunt coat. I will say I do really miss the greenish/beige colored breeches that Tailored Sportsman used to make. I think that color looks so clean and pretty for the hunt seat attire vs. the basic light beige.
Patty Bogosh – Given I mainly do Western classes (horsemanship, trail, and Western riding), I absolutely love the progression on the day shirts. When the trend first came around, they were more basic (which isn’t bad at all) but they are now getting very artistic. I like the basic look for the horsemanship, but I love the fun flair for trail and Western riding in bold, bright colors. Pads are a crucial part of the outfit, and getting the right pairing can really make you pop in the ring. Seeing new designers coming to the industry brings more style and creativity that we haven’t had before. It’s also great that today’s trends allow you to wear what you feel comfortable in – whether that be a shirt, bolero set, or jacket – there is a lot of flexibility to strut your stuff.
Vanessa Froman – I am really liking the more simple showmanship outfits. Not necessarily the suits on women, but the jackets that look like the “rail shirts” that have overtaken the Western events. I’m looking into it for myself, because the traditional showmanship jackets are heavy and a workout just to wear. The “rail shirt” style looks very elegant and classy and allows the exhibitor to be showcased more than the busy designs we have sometimes on the more traditional showmanship jackets. As a side note, I would love it if we could start making “dark” breeches acceptable in the show pen. I just showed the hunt seat last week, and I don’t know how anyone keeps those light-colored breeches clean, ever. Can someone pass a rule and/or start a fashion trend for dark breeches? Back in my youth, we wore the rust breeches which I’m told are not “in style” but would love for them to be. I am going to be ridiculed for saying this, but I don’t care, it just make sense from the standpoint of doing laundry and having to pack multiple breeches for these long circuits. Dark/rust breeches need to be on-trend. I said what I said.
Elizabeth “Spike” Brewer – Since Boo Yah focuses mainly on the hunt seat, our trends do not seem to change as much as the Western. One thing I love is that a classic black or navy coat paired with a white shirt will never go out of style. That will be my favorite style forever, speaking about the hunt seat disciplines. I’m still not a fan of the overly busy collar designs on the hunt shirts. I never want the attention drawn to the super busy and bold coat before the coat itself. One trend in the Western I do love is that the tops are not as extravagant and heavy-looking. I love the shirts with some accents on the girls, and I think the more simple, the better. We, as an industry, need to make sure we do not price ourselves out of the water just in one piece of outfit, which is another reason the simple tops appeal to me. They look classier in the pen and are more user-friendly for any shape or size.
Beckie Peskin – As a designer myself, I love to see runway fashion inspire show clothing. But my personal aesthetic is also a bit different from more traditional show clothing designs, so I find myself wearing things that tend to be more runway-inspired. I do see more color than I have in a long time, so thank you all for that. I’m sure judges have to appreciate something other than a sea of black, and as a designer, I always enjoy working with color.
Cheyenne Augsburger – I love the sheer sleeve day shirts. You can have fun with the design, and I love that it adds those fun, bright colors to your outfit.
Broc Clark – Clean lines and understated elegance. Form-fitting silhouettes and tailored dress shirts for men. Nothing classier than seeing a man in a tailored button-down shirt that fits him. For color…cobalt, deep blue is a hot color for men’s dress shirts.
Olivia Tordoff – I have always been a big bolero fan, so seeing them make a bit of a comeback has me very excited. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a simple fitted shirt though. They will never go out of style.
Kathy Tobin – I love the look of the slightly blinged show shirts. Most are in beautiful colors with a bit of stretch in the fabric, with simple, yet a bit of bling on sleeves, collar, and front placard. They are suitable for warm weather, yet elegant enough for large shows. I’m all about comfort, so I love the stretch, and I still like a little bling and color for the bigger shows. I hope this trend stays around for a while.
Katie Kopf – I love all of the old Western looks that include turquoise pieces. Also, I love the plain shirts like CR Ranchwear shirts. Such classics that I feel never go out of style.
Caroline Cavallo – I love the new trend of fancy show shirts. They are fun and so comfortable. I would love this trend to continue and stay around. I also love that in English, jackets, and shirts are becoming more of a statement piece and not always black and white. It’s so fun to express yourself with your show clothes and, of course, then have fun with colors in your show pad.
Kelley Mundrick Martin – I’d love to see traditional back-zip horsemanship come back. I personally love the look of that.
Is there a fashion look you love that you’d like to see stick around? Something you have seen on the fashion runway that you’d like to see incorporated into horse show fashion? Or maybe something you’d like to see make a comeback? Let us know in our social media comments.
