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Color coordination of horse, rider, and tack make the golden Alexandria Limited Edition tunic a standout on a beautiful buckskin. Garment details including belt effects and metallic fabrics will be strong this season.

Most of us are happy to see 2009 receding; the Great Recession seems to be easing for most, and with the arrival of spring foals and horse shows comes a chance to regroup and plan for a brighter future this year. Part of that planning includes evaluating our show equipment and deciding, with a new emphasis on sensible spending and solid value, what we need to recycle, repair, or replace.

Start your fashion planning by evaluating your current tack and wardrobe. If anything is out of style, doesn’t fit, or is damaged, either fix it or forward the item to someone who needs it. Space and budgets are too tight to hang on to things that have lost their usefulness–recycle your unneeded tack and apparel via eBay, Craigslist, tack swaps, consignment racks, or a donation to a local horse charity that can use your discards.

When you’ve edited your current equipment down to what you’ll use this year, note what you’ll need to replace and start shopping with the concept of ‘humble luxe’ in mind. Humble luxe means investing in classic, quality items constructed with attractive detailing and an eye toward longevity, not trendiness. A humble luxe saddle, for example, has tasteful sterling conchos instead of more adornments in inexpensive alloy that isn’t silver and doesn’t shine. Humble luxe chaps fit perfectly and are in a versatile color to blend with many tops instead of making a single outfit. Humble luxe means quality, not quantity. The days of disposable equipment purchased for a single season, or an outfit to be worn once for a special show, are passing.

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Longer silhouette tops with bold and quirky trims are a strong trend for 2010; the turquoise Pacifica Limited Edition tunic pairs with black chaps and almost any horse color.

Ready to western show-gear shop? Let’s talk color and textiles before cracking out the credit card or carefully hoarded cash. More than 75% of western show riders still choose black as their base color because of it’s versatility and ease of matching, but consider a contrasting hat to lighten up that black outfit. Other deep and flattering chap colors, like dark blues, deep greens, and natural tones from sand to caramel to chocolate take a little more planning to accessorize but the more unusual finished look can be well-worth the effort.

Think of your horse’s primary coat color as either brunette (black, bay, white) or redheaded (sorrel, chestnut, dun, red roan) and then consider jewel tone accents like purple, red, and bright blue for the brunette horses and earth tones like caramel, peach, and blue/greens on those redheaded horses. Drape a towel or other large swatch of color over your saddled horse for a quick preview of color impressions, and try to limit your wardrobe to a chap or base color with one or at most two predominant accents. Keeping your palette simple saves money and also means you can probably use one saddle blanket, combining your base and accent colors, with several different outfits.

Many fabrics continue to be dramatically decorated with masses of rhinestones, tiny sequins, and large jewels added for theatrical flair. Base fabrics usually stretch for in-the-saddle comfort, or have stretch panels for ease paired with more delicate non-stretch fabrics. Look for sheer accents in sleeves and metallic thread and foil treatments as glitzy accents paired with more sturdy fabrics, and expect bold prints in high-contrast colors that don’t die from a distance to add fun to the show apparel mix. Regardless of the fabric used, show apparel should be carefully constructed and fitted close to the body for an attractive, slim silhouette. Older and wider riders should consider their proportions when shopping and use supporting undergarments to create a prettier riding profile.

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This year’s show apparel must fit trimly, but softer fabrics, like the chiffon sleeves on the Limited Edition Rhiannon Tunic, add a feminine touch. Note color coordination of saddle blanket and rider’s top for a show-stopping impression.

Head to toe, hats start the western show presentation and are generally higher quality than in years past. Boutique hatters are stealing market share from the megahatters for good reason: quality hats, hand-finished and often made to the owners exacting specifications, can last for many years and justify their higher initial cost. Inexpensive hats in white make sense because they’ll soon yellow and need replacing, but all other hats are seeing a rise in price, quality, and customization across the western spectrum. Expect a sharper brim curve creating steeper sides for felt hat shapes, and consider alternatives to predictable black in quality fur felts like versatile caramel and cool and warm pale neutrals like smoke and sand.

Women’s tops for western events have two important characteristics this year: waist details and a tails-out silhouette. Called tunics, rail shirts, or pleasure shirts, hip-length tops offer cool comfort and a longer bodice to decorate with an assortment of interesting trims down the front and around the hips or waist. Large collars topped with elaborate appliqué and stonework remain a focal point; contrasting decorated cuffs are still seen on many riders but often are removeable to create a more tailored impression.

Whether your new show top is made from a border print fabric that rings the hips with contrast color (often matching the rider’s chaps) or features sewn-on belt effects, it’s important to consider your figure when top shopping. If you’re thick through the waist, be careful about decorating that area and be sure to try on your intended show garment when you’re sitting in a saddle to make sure the design is flattering.

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Bold designs with comfort features, like this high-contrast print with stretch side panels, look great in the arena. The Marissa Limited Edition tunic is classic but current in style and silhouette.

For halter class exhibitors, you’ll still see blazers and short jackets worn with contrast color slacks or show pants, though at all but local shows, a suit or dressier top is suggested for showmanship. Bright colors and bold geometric trims combine to create showmanship looks that add interest to this up-close performance class, and reflective fabrics including brocades and sequined looks work well for this division. Western boots colored to match pants add a nice touch; hats remain neutral for the most part but a few trendies are sporting colored hats or hats with discrete brim decorations.

With tails-out tops being the most popular riding look, belts take a backseat this season as they don’t show under the longer tops–in fact, belts need not be worn at all in most breeds. However, chaps remain as important as ever as they still cover half a rider’s body and are the largest piece of shape and color that the judge will see from center ring. Like a high-quality hat and saddle, great chaps are a great investment. They must fit perfectly: trim and smooth through the waist, hip, and thigh, then gently flaring below the knee down over the boot top with enough length to cover the heels when riding. Chap waist details are simple, again because they are often covered by tails-out tops.

Western boots, barely visible in most western show presentations, should blend in color with the pants, chaps, or horse’s shoulder. A good cobbler can change the color of last year’s boots for another season’s use, but if you buy new, consider square or semi-square toes as a modern look. Heavy crepe soles are best left for work boots as they look clunky and distracting in the show ring; plain leather soles are both safer and more attractive in a stirrup.

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Look for border prints and waistline accents this year, or combine the trends as the Safari Limited Edition tunic illustrates. Bold fabrics create a color story that carries well across the arena.

Accessories are playful and sparkling. Though the higher necklines and larger collars on many show tops make it difficult to showcase a lovely necklace, big, glittery earrings add attractive interest around a rider’s face. Hair styles run the gamut from neat buns to big pony tails, but whatever you choose, make sure your ‘do doesn’t distract from your rail presentation. Gloves, though always correct, are rarely seen in the stock breed western classes, yet are always part of the same rider’s hunt seat wardrobe. Makeup needs to be bolder than everyday style to carry from the rail and add drama under a western hat’s large, shadowy brim.

Younger riders will tend to mirror their older role models, but with more bold color. Lead-liners, often with grandparents at the shank, can use color in leader and leadee tops coordinated with a saddle blanket for a simple but effective presentation. With so many boldly-patterned show tops being seen, simply bordered or solid color show blankets are often a better choice than complex patterns that might clash with a garment.

Show men continue to have a short shopping list as in years past: perfectly starched button-down shirts in solids or checks, pressed jeans, classic chaps and a handsome traditional leather belt, with a squared-brim hat making a bookend to their square-toed boots. Today’s western gentleman will wear this look with a saddle blanket that mirrors the color from his shirt for color-coordinated appeal.

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Riders on a budget should consider garments with interchangeable trims like the Lillyana SwitchIt! Jacket. Crystalled collar and cuffs can be switched to several different garments, a smart budget-stretcher.

Tack trends are little changed this season, but expect to see more natural tones in saddle leather than the ultra-bleached fleshy look of the last few years. Imaginative saddle trims include quality hand-engraved silver, darker dyed accent leathers, exotic leather seats, and fine craftsmanship in intricate tooling. Headstalls may be rolled or flat, carved or silver-mounted and will have double ears without browbands; they should fit the horse’s head without pinching and flatter the facial size and structure of each animal. Saddles and tack must consider comfort of horse and rider–there’s no sense in suffering when smart new designs incorporate great style and comfort features like rolled edges in tack and offset stirrups in saddles for reduced knee and hip fatigue.

As we recover from financial fear, conspicuous consumption of goods and services is no longer fashionable. Investing in heirloom-quality items with quirky details that capture your personality and will please you for years with their style and quality is the new way to shop. Value and detailing have become more important than brash flash and quantity, items made domestically or with sustainable materials matter, and smart shoppers are recycling before they reinvest. Plan ahead with humble luxe in mind and many of this year’s purchases in tack and apparel will bring you years of satisfying service.