I have a confession to make and it’s painful and embarrassing. I used to make fun of those women who wore equestrian riding apparel as a fashion statement. You know who I’m talking about – the pretty girls wearing the tight riding breeches and tall boots. It was obvious that they’d never been horseback riding in that apparel, yet they wore it with unabashed confidence. I mocked these women and now I have become one of them. I blame Ariat; where fashion meets function.
Ariat footwear
In my defense, I have owned several horses in my youth and have always worn riding apparel and cowboy boots. When my career transitioned to equine travel writing, I needed a pair of riding boots that could slip on and off quickly when passing through airport security and Ariat Paddock Boots fit the bill. Then my daughter started wearing her cowboy boots as a fashion statement and I had a change of heart.
The kicker was when I saw supermodel Karlie Kloss wearing a pair of Westchester riding boots in the September issue of Vogue magazine. Sure, I wanted to look like a fashion model, but what I really wanted was a pair of those gorgeous, tall, leather, black boots. Soon enough my Monaco Stretch boots arrived in the mail and that evening I was wearing them on the airplane to Las Vegas. This trip was all about fashion with little to no chance of horseback riding. Instead I rode a hog (that’s a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to the uninitiated.) That’s were my Ariat Real Denim Riding jeans come into play.
Swinging my leg over the seat of the 2015 Harley-Davidson Road King was certainly a different kind of horse power than I’m used to. But with the stretch material and mid-rise cut, these really were the perfect riding jean for this adventure. I felt more comfortable wearing the jeans when I showed up at the cutting horse show inside South Point Equestrian Center.
Ariat Performer Breech
While I love the fact that Ariat excels in creating technically advanced riding gear for equestrians, I admire their transition into the fashion apparel world. I never thought in a million years that I’d be wearing performer breeches tucked inside a pair of tall boots while walking along Las Vegas Boulevard in Nevada. Yet with its spandex and breathable cotton fabric, the regular rise breeches were comfortable all day and the Calf Fit System (CFS) didn’t create any friction or pressure points under my boots. I was a blue ribbon fashionista without stepping foot in the show ring.
Do you wear your boots for horseback riding vacations or as a fashion statement? Who knew they worked in both arenas? For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter @nancydbrown and @Ariat.
Where to Buy:
Ariat International www.ariat.com
Article and photo by Nancy D. Brown. Ariat supplied me with product for review purposes, however, all opinions are my own.