How to Stay on Top of the Show Ring Styles on a BUDGET
“This
shirt is a steal at the price of $3,200”, “Custom Chaps start at $600”, “This
gorgeous pad is only $550” and it goes on and on. This is what you usually see when
shopping for top of the line show clothes. I realize there are people who can
easily afford all these things but I am defiantly not one of them. I certainly
do not need a showmanship outfit that costs more than my car. I will readily
admit: I have an addiction for show clothes. I have way too many and I am
always wanting to buy more. I insist on staying on top of the styles and I
pride myself on always looking fashionable and presentable in the show arena.
This is great and wonderful, however my bank account does not have funds to
support this habit when show shirts that are suited to my high class tastes
start at $3,000. I have people always complimenting my outfits and asking for
advice on show clothes and people never believe me when they find out how much
my outfits cost. SO, the real question is: How do I stay fashionable without
breaking my bank? It really is not as hard as people think. There are so many
options out there to save some money on show clothes; you just have to know
where to look. With show season just around the corner, below are my 9 steps
for looking your best and sticking to a budget to help you step into the show
ring looking your best.
1.
Buy USED
You can save tons of money by
buying clothes used. I never even consider buying new until I have searched extensively
for something I like used first. Used clothes are usually still in great shape;
maybe a stone or two missing but in the long run to me that doesn’t matter
compared to the money I am saving. Also, don’t be afraid to alter the perfect
outfit at the perfect price. It’s a size too big? Alter it! Alterations can be
$25-35 for simply taking in seams or hemming a sleeve or bottom. Even cheaper,
if your mother or grandmother is good with a sewing machine, they can probably
do it as well. Alterations can be surprisingly simple sometimes. Sometimes they
are too difficult and it is not worth the hassle (for example letting out an
item is more difficult than taking it in). It is something to keep your mind
open to when searching: don’t write it off if it needs a little alteration if
the price is right and you love it.
2.
Buy unstoned and BIY
Buying shirts, vests, jackets
unstoned can save you a ton of money. A large portion of designer’s prices
resides in rhinestones and the time spent applying them. You can save a
significant amount of money by doing it yourself. Some designers are willing to
make a custom item unstoned and price accordingly and some are not. It is
something to ask when exploring those designer options. One great resource for
custom shirts you can bling yourself is KLS Designs. Kristin is happy to make
your shirt, jacket or vest without stones for a reasonable price for a custom.
She does fantastic work: very high quality and wonderful to work with. She is
the only designer I use for customs. Another option is from Hobby Horse: they
make unstoned jackets and shirts in a variety of colors. Stoning is easy once
you figure out a system though it is still very time consuming and detail oriented.
If you have the time and patience, go for it. There are many sites for ordering
stones in mass such as Dreamtime Creations (this is what I use). I order the
Czech Precoisa which are a little cheaper but look just as good in the arena. I
have been stoning my own shirts since I was 14 years old and have saved
thousands of dollars. The stones are still expensive themselves but at least
you do not have the cost of the hours put in by a designer applying the stones.
 |
| Made by KLS unstoned |
 |
| After Stoning this shirt sold for $600 |
3.
Buy Used and Add Stones
Find a reasonably priced used
shirt with a nice design but few stones? No problem, buy it and add stones. Some
people cannot see the potential in a design without all the bling but if you
can, you can save thousands. I once bought a lightly stoned used shirt for $30,
added $100 of stones and sold it for $500 after I had worn it for a season. You
just have to be willing to see past it as it is and imagine the look after some
stoning. A little visualization and elbow grease gives you a gorgeous shirt for
a budget friendly price. Swap Meets and online
is a great resource for used shirts (see #6-7 for more info on swap meets and online
shopping).
 |
| I bought this shirt online for $100 unstoned. After adding $100 of stones and wearing it for a season, it sold for $450. |
Hobby Horse has some great
budget friendly options. I personally LOVE their chaps. They are good quality,
fit well and are budget friendly. They come in a variety of colors and have a variety
of shirts, vests and jackets (even saddle pads and hats) to match. Also their
other basics such as pants, belts and unstoned shirts are great and budget
friendly. This is one of the best places to buy unstoned shirts and jackets and
make sure you can find matching pants, chaps, etc. (see #2 for more info on
stoning yourself). This makes outfit planning very simple as they do the color matching
for you. This is a great option for someone new to show clothes in general
looking for a simple system to get a well matching and classy outfit. The
quality is good for the price and it is such a good starter option. I personally
have bought many chaps, pants, belts and unstoned shirts/jackets from Hobby
Horse and wear them in the arena right next to the top of the line, super
expensive show clothing and look JUST as good for nowhere near the price.
5.
Plain Shirts and Vests
Plain button down shirts: the
best trend to hit the show arena EVER. I have a rainbow of colors. They run
$15-30 at local department stores such as Macy’s, Kohls, JC Penney’s, Express
and more. As long as it is a nice flattering fit, well ironed and a good color
for your horse, plain button downs are such a classy option. They just look so
classic and clean. Pair it with a nice patterned saddle pad and a matching scarf
and it is such a beautiful look especially in classes such as horsemanship,
trail and western riding. You honestly cannot go wrong with this option. Better
to wear a plain shirt that fits well, is well ironed and is a good color on
your horse then a fancy shirt that is out of style, not a good fit or a bad
color on that horse. My father is a judge and he has said over and over he
likes the look of the plain shirts in the arena so it is a judge approved
trend. To play up a plain shirt on a budget, add a blinged vest over it. This
look is great for the Pleasure, Trail and Western Riding. Vests generally run
cheaper than jackets and shirts and can give you an extra pop of color or
sparkle. A great option is have a plain black vest that matches you plain black
chaps and changing the button up under it to create different looks. Bling a
vest yourself and you will save even more money.
 |
| This vest was bought unstoned for $75 and I added all the stones and the fringe for $100. It is worn over a $17 shirt from JC Penney. |
 |
| Plain shirt from Kohls($18) paired with a plain black hat, scarf, chaps and a beautiful striped saddle pad makes for a classic look for horsemanship, trail or western riding classes. |
6.
Swap Meets
My favorite place to shop for
budget friendly show clothes: SWAP MEETS. You can find amazing deals if you
just roll your sleeves up and start flipping through the racks at the swap
meets. They happen all over the country and are a great place to not only buy
new but also sell your old show clothes to make some spending cash. I have
bought shirts at swap meets for as low as $25 and worn them at the big shows
and had millions of compliments. No one ever believes the price. One person’s
trash is another’s treasure and swap meets are a great place for that. This is also the place to get clothes from people who have outgrown things, getting out of horses or just have too much (like me lol). This is
probably the best way to find lightly stoned shirts cheap with the intention to
add stones. Beyond show clothes, swap meets are great for anything and
everything: tack, blankets, stable equipment, you name it they are selling it.
 |
| Findlay Tack Swap is a great resource |
7.
Online
Online Facebook groups are
basically swap meets through the internet. All the same perks apply. You can
find amazing deals. There are tons of Facebook groups: Western Pleasure, Show Clothes
on a Budget, Show Clothes For Sale and many more. Some things to be careful of
is measurement to make sure it is an accurate size and make sure you use PayPal-
then you can get money back if it is fraudulent. Online is my second favorite place
to get clothes reasonably behind swap meets. I have found some killer deals.
This is also a great resource for selling your used stuff to get some spending
cash for new.
8.
Learn to Sew
This is self-explanatory.
Learn to sew and you can do it all on your own. This could even become a side
business to make clothes for others and make money. I have begun to do my own
show clothes and I find it fun to design it and go from a piece of fabric to my
new world show outfit. This isn't the choice for everyone but if you have any
interest in sewing you could save thousands of dollars and even make some money.
9.
Be Creative with Store Bought Items
A pant suit from Kohls can be
your new showmanship outfit, a fancy leather jacket with a few stones can be an
edgy pleasure jacket, that old 80’s sequined vest could look sweet over a
button down for trail. A little creativity can go a long way with store bought
items. Thrift stores can also be a great resource for some unique jackets or
button down shirts that could be a unique option for the show ring.
 |
| This is a $18 shirt from Kohls |
 |
| Business pant Suits from department stores look great in the Showmanship |
Looking great on a budget is not always easy but it is possible. There are so many options available to save
some money and still look great. It does not take a $3000 designer showmanship
outfit to win: a well fitted, classic pant suit with nice boots and a good hat
can be winning apparel as well… as long as you still have a great pattern. A
little creativity, some elbow grease and a little time looking can save you
tons of money and still get you compliments on your show clothes. I am proud to
say that no piece of show clothing in my trailer has cost me more than $600 and
I have a fashionable, classy wardrobe that still gets me noticed in the arena. I
hope these tips help you look your best on a budget.
If you have any questions while trying to find your own show clothes on a budget using any of these tips please feel free to ask :)
Useful
links
https://www.facebook.com/KLSDesignsShowClothing
http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/
http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/shopping/elements/
http://www.glaphc.com/#!swap-meet/c1vbr
http://www.dreamtimecreations.com/
http://www.dreamtimecreations.com/category/1442/preciosa-flat-back-rhinestones/flat-back-round-rhinestones/preciosa-viva12-flatback-rhinestones/
http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/
http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/shopping/elements/
http://www.glaphc.com/#!swap-meet/c1vbr
http://www.dreamtimecreations.com/
http://www.dreamtimecreations.com/category/1442/preciosa-flat-back-rhinestones/flat-back-round-rhinestones/preciosa-viva12-flatback-rhinestones/
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