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Friday, February 05 2016 / Published in Weekly Feature

Middy N Me: Making Magical Shirts

By Katie Navarra

Kimberly and Middy

Kimberly and Middy

There’s nothing worse than finding a shirt at a boutique and falling in love with the design only to try it on in the dressing room and find out it doesn’t fit right at the waist, in the bust or through the sleeves.

“It can be so frustrating for women to shop,” said Kimberly Barratt, founder of Middy N Me, a line of riding and resort wear based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Middy N Me specializes in producing exquisitely tailored American-made, premium cotton shirts. “The basic pattern of the shirt is magical,” Kimberly said. “It’s flattering on 99.9 percent of women right off the rack. The best part is we can make fit adjustments when needed.”

Once a customer finds a print or color combination they like, they can customize the shirt with one of three collar styles and choose from sleeveless, half-sleeve or long-sleeve. They can request extra-long or slim-fitting sleeves, or even choose a tunic or dress.

Working with a manufacturer based in the United States allows for the customization customers have come to love. “We have a close relationship with the people who do the cutting and sewing at the plant in South Carolina. They care as much as we do,” Kimberly explained.

Beyond the fit, the gingham prints, colorful floral designs, equestrian-inspired prints and bold, contrasting cuff and collar combinations offer styles to complement any woman’s taste.

Kelso on Lemon

Kelso on Lemon

Furniture to Fashion

Stemming from a lifelong interest in fabrics, Kimberly spent years working as an interior designer at local furniture stores and for Arhaus Furniture, a fine furniture company. At the same time, she ran her own interior design company on the side. Despite having an innate knack for pairing textures, patterns and colors, she had no formal training in the fashion design industry. Instead, she carried her instincts over to fashion.

“I’d go into tack stores and see shirts with contrasting cuffs and collars. I couldn’t help but think, ‘I’d do this or that instead,’” she explained.

Instead of traditional white, light blue or pinstripes, she envisioned a rainbow of bold, stunning colors ranging from fuchsia to tangerine and lime and shades in between, offering riders an opportunity to make bold statements in the show ring.

A model shows off the Devonshire on Candy

A model shows off the Devonshire on Candy

In 2010, her twin sister, Kelly Walker, encouraged her to pursue the idea. The sisters had been born into a non-horsey family and at age 7, convinced their parents they needed riding lessons. While her sister went on to become a professional dressage trainer, Kimberly continued to ride for pleasure and her genuine love for horses followed throughout life.

Receiving support and seed money from her husband, Tom Barratt, Kimberly jumped into building a business. The first step was finding the basic cut or pattern from which all shirts would be made. Working with a master pattern maker in South Carolina, she spared no expense.

Then, it was time to find fabrics. “At the time I loved polka dot prints,” she reminisced. “I’d spend hours searching the Internet for polka dot fabrics.”

Working with fabrics turned out to be a completely new experience. “I’d talk to suppliers on the phone and they’d ask if I’d be working with woven or knit fabrics,” she said. “As far as apparel went, I didn’t understand the terminology.”

She’d follow up every phone conversation with hours on the computer researching the terminology she was learning. “I don’t know how people started a business before the Internet,” she laughed.

Poco Bueno on Kelly

Poco Bueno on Kelly

Launching A Business

In July 2011, Kimberly introduced her first offering. She brought 18 samples to the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic. “I never dreamed I’d receive the reaction I did,” she said. “I literally didn’t think to bring a pen and paper or change to accept payment.”

She ended up selling about 25 shirts that first weekend and continued attending horse shows to market the shirts. In the beginning, she thought the business would remain small and that wholesaling wouldn’t be a good fit. By 2013, the shirts were so popular she couldn’t keep up with demand at the horse shows, and began attending apparel shows and working with boutiques across the country on a wholesale basis.

Today, customers can choose from more than 16 different options to make the shirt their own. Kimberly handpicks every fabric, choosing styles she likes to wear. She thinks they’re all beautiful but admits her current favorite is the Sweet Virginia collection that features gingham, floral and paisley prints. “Everybody just loves them. They’re beautiful,” she said.

Kimberly and Middy

Kimberly and Middy

What’s in a Name

Learning all she needed to know about the industry and organizing the business end of operations was difficult work. “It was like birthing a baby,” she said. It took countless hours of research and decision-making for Middy N Me to officially launch.

Choosing a name was perhaps the easiest decision along the way. The name Middy N Me was inspired by her four-legged partner, a 14-year-old Belgian /Quarter Horse named Middy. She bought the buckskin mare sight unseen and with little details about the then-3-year-old’s background. When the horse arrived, Kimberly said, she was a “fire-breathing dragon.” The mare distrusted humans and had few manners.

Later, Kimberly learned Middy was a PMU rescue. Details of where Middy had come from or how she ended up with the horse trader Kimberly bought her from were unclear; shady at best. “It was heartbreaking to see it first-hand. She’s the horse of a lifetime and now that she’s out of that environment, she’s the sweetest mare ever,” Kimberly said.

Patience, love and training has transformed the mare into a gentle and steady mount on foxhunts, cross-country rides and in the dressage arena. “She’s the horse of a lifetime and it’s an honor to be her mother,” she added.

Combining her lifelong love for horses and fabrics, Kimberly has found a way to bring two seemingly different industries together in one successful business. “It’s fun to be able to offer women clothing that makes them feel beautiful and fits them perfectly,” she concluded.

Visit middynme.com

 

About the writer: Katie Navarra has worked as a freelance writer since 2001. She has been a lifelong horse lover and competes in ranch horse events with her dun Quarter Horse mare.

Photos by Kimberly Barratt

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Tagged under: equestrian botique, Equestrian Fashion, equine fashion, kimberly barratt, middy n me

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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

For more information, you can contact 
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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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