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6 SIDELINES AUGUST 2011 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE Musings from the Editor’s Closet

By Cornelia Henderson

Since this is our very frst fashion issue, I’ve of course been giving some thought to equestrian fashion, or the lack thereof, in my life. As a foxhunter who absolutely doesn’t show (terrible stage fright) my approach to riding attire has always tended toward the ultra conservative, but that hasn’t stopped me from looking or lusting after some of the more outré fashions out there.

Bling or Blingless?

I have never owned a belt with bling. For one thing, they don’t go all that well with grey hair, but a girl can dream… I don’t own a single pair of low-rise breeches, but look covetously at the wonderful array of colored Tailored Sportsman low rise on the rack at my favorite tack shop. If only they came in regular rise! My dressage trainer always looked so cute in full seat plaid breeches, I tried on a pair at Tackeria a while back. My husband tends to be a bit oblivious to what I wear for the most part, but

when I came parading out of the dressing room, he did a double-take and said “You ARE just trying those on for size, aren’t you?”

I slunk back into the dressing room and came out the second time in a pair of nice tan knee patch breeches. Sigh.

Remember When?

More years ago than I care to admit to, the real style for schooling was full chaps. Leather or roughout, with contrasting trim and discreet little fringy things down the leg – if you were really cool, a needlepoint monogram for the back. I had a pair – wore ‘em about twice and decided they were too dang hot.

When was the last time you saw anybody schooling in full chaps who didn’t also have on a cowboy hat?

Remember when show clothes consisted of a dark pinstriped coat, white shirt and a hard hat without a harness? We made fun of people who wore hard hats with the little black elastic strap to keep it on – that screamed beginner rider the same way the old crop-in-the-boot does. (I still see that once in a while, and cringe!)

There’s not a lot of room for “fashion” in the hunt world

Photo by Barry Koster