EAH Blog Hop: Equestian Wardrobe

I want to know about what you ride in and why? Show us your Equestrian Fashion choices and tell us why you wear them!

Yes, I make my living teaching horseback riding. No, I do not always look like a professional.

Purple Henry Halls and SmartPak Solstices and a no-name athletic t-shirt

The above is a pretty common outfit because I for some reason like the purple and neglect to remember that while I love riding in them, I hate walking around in them because it chafes. Badly.

I'd like to highlight that although they look like black breeches, they are in fact running pants.
Yup.
The tall boots make them look like long pants and not just capris.

I honestly couldn't tell you what's happening in this photo. However! I am wearing my other favorite combo of jeans and cowboy boots

No-name athletic t-shirt and my eBay ribbed breeches

Okay -- an aside about the ribbed breeches. I think they look RIDICULOUS. I actually scorned people who wore them. And then I picked a pair up in a lot off eBay, and now I kind of love them. They're so stretchy! OHMYGOD so stretchy and comfortable. I'm not sure I'll purposely buy another pair, but they're surprisingly nice. 

I own the Kerrits Aerator gloves for riding, but I'll admit I don't wear gloves for riding very often. 

These suckers look as ridiculous in real life as they do in the picture, I promise.

Let's hone in on a few of my pieces of gear. First, my helmet, the Tipperary Sportage:

It's great to ride in, I love the way it feels, but it makes my head look ridiculous and pointy. I know I can't have everything, but I'm sad anyway. 

Second, my ALL THE TIME BOOTS, SmartPak's Solstices: 

I wore these boots for two months straight this summer while teaching summer camp. I've schooled, taught, jumped, and run around in them. I sort of adore them. I have no idea if they're actually waterproof, but I honestly don't care. I like them. They clean up easily. They're cheap (ish) and so I don't feel all that bad about beating the crap out of them the way I do. Major downsides? They gap at the knee because I have weird calves. I had to size up because of the weird calves, and therefore they're still causing me rubs on the back of my heels. Hate that, but the boots have paid for themselves because just by wearing them to coffee shops and grocery stores I've picked three clients up. Hah hah.

I splurged on the Horseware Bella jacket, and I love love love love love it. It's a tiny bit tight through the shoulders but I'm okay when jumping in it and I think I look super professional and awesome in it. So I don't care that I spent $140 on it. My boss says I have to wear it every day for 20 years to make it worth the cost, and while that may be true, I live in California. It's just not that cold that often. But when it is! I have this amazing jacket.

I bought this Alexus vest on sale, and I really wish I'd had it monogrammed. That aside, it's freaking warm in that thing! It's nice for my weird and mountainous farm where I'm freezing to death at 9am and by 11 want to be wearing shorts and be rid of my tall boots.

I'd like to acquire a few more pairs of breeches. We'll see what I decide to buy, this blog hop is giving me LOTS of ideas.