COMPETITION CLOTHING.
DRESSED FOR Success
DRESSAGE TREADS A DELICATE LINE BETWEEN TRADITION AND FUNCTION WHEN IT COMES TO COMPETITION CLOTHING, BUT THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR INDIVIDUALITY AND FLAIR. JANE CARLEY LOOKS AT SOME OF THE LATEST TRENDS.
B
D’s established rules are designed to ensure the rider stays faithful to the origins of the sport while being permitted to wear practical, comfortable attire. They also allow for the use of modern technical fabrics which adapt to our unpredictable climate and have been specified to be cared for without a team of valets or ladies’ maids. Whatever we choose to wear, the focus should always be on the horse and its performance, but that shouldn’t stop us enjoying the shopping or the wearing! The entre ine offers a range of hand-picked, innovative products and co-founder Claire Hubbard gives the lowdown on what’s in for this season in the competition arena.
“With the advances in technical sports fabrics, the competition jacket now comes into its own with lightweight, breathable and stretch properties. Lotus Romeo is a uropean brand that has offered dynamic design with cutting edge fabrics for nearly a decade. Their unique short tailcoat has been a favourite of many small tour riders and being able to customise it – within the BD rules and regulations – is hugely popular to give that individual look for any rider.” By adding highlights such as contrast piping and collars, custom linings and beautiful buttons to BD’s required ‘muted’ colours, any rider can make a style statement, Claire points out. “The four-way stretch fabric for jackets and tailcoats gives riders the optimum in
