Show Jackets

[harvey]

I'm on the hunt for a new navy show jacket. I bought a cheapy couple of years ago and I don't think it does me any favours. It is machine washable which is very handy and very light, so really good in the summer. It's just not a great shape and is beginning to look past it's best.

Any suggestions

[Napoles]

I love my navy Pikeur one which I wear for dressage. It is very light wool and I have had it for years and it still looks good as new. It is a very flattering shape also.

For hunting or show classes which require hunt dress, I wear a navy wool Caldene jacket which is also very comfortable although it is a little big as it used to be Mum's but she took it in for me.

I got a tweed Alexander James last year (when my other one got distroyed in the deluge at the RDS) and find it very comfortable and a nice fit - much nicer than my previous one which was a Pretty Ponies as far as I remember.

Personally I would NEVER buy a Polyester jacket - I would rather spend the money on a decent wool one and take good care of it because they last for years and you can't beat good tailoring.
ETA - I actually never wash or dry clean my jackets either. I just give them a sponge or brush off when they need it and only wear it for the classes and take them off then straight away.

[harvey]

Do you not die of heat in the wool jacket? I do have a black wool jacket and completely agree it's a much better fit but it's very heavy, is the Caldene light enough? I do love the look of the Pikeurs

[Golden Star]

Are there any alternatives to wool and polyester. I hope to eventually get to a stage where I will do some showing but can't wear wool and don't like the feel of polyester (long story but it drives my teeth mad).

[harvey]

I just found this online, could be worth further investigation

http://www.panache-equestrian.co.uk/pikeur_epsom.htm


Pikeur Epsom Jacket in Cool-wool with Teflon finish

[xxkarenxx]

I have a Pikeur jacket too but I'm not crazy on it. It is very smart for dressage but it is slightly too long for me for jumping. It does some weird thing when I lean forward!

[Little-Miss-Muppet]

my SJ jacket was a bargain from homestead when I was about 14 its still going. I dunno what its made of its not wool and its machine washable.

Id love an expensive one but I need it to fit over my back protector so I feel an expensive fitted one is pointless for me show jumping

am hoping to get a nice one for showing though

[Niamhy]

Ive a navy caldene one, its machine washable, cant remember how much it was, but I must have it 5 years now and its holding up well.

[Napoles]

Do you not die of heat in the wool jacket? I do have a black wool jacket and completely agree it's a much better fit but it's very heavy, is the Caldene light enough? I do love the look of the Pikeurs

No - the Pikeur is in quite a light wool and I have worn it many times at dressage shows in the height of the (Irish) summer. The Caldene is a heavier wool alright and I usually wear it with a waistcoat underneath, for both hunting and showing. That said I always wear a very light sleeveless stock short under both of them. :)

[Napoles]

I have a Pikeur jacket too but I'm not crazy on it. It is very smart for dressage but it is slightly too long for me for jumping. It does some weird thing when I lean forward!

I bought mine mostly for dressage, but I have worn it eventing a bit too and never really noticed anything in the showjumping section...:confused:
It does have slightly longer tails on it that some other jackets alright though. I quite like that though myself. :)

[harvey]

Food for thought, I'll enjoy shopping.

[Napoles]

I just found this online, could be worth further investigation

http://www.panache-equestrian.co.uk/pikeur_epsom.htm


Pikeur Epsom Jacket in Cool-wool with Teflon finish

That's a great idea. Must make them more hard-wearing too. I quite like that chocolate pinstripe one, although I couldn't really wear it for any of the stuff I do.

[harvey]

What do you wear at a ODE?

[Druid]

I have a Pikeur Epsom - love it, though they're suited to short waisted people. If you're tall you're better going for the Pikeur Diana.

Napoles - I want the chocolate pinstripe one for stressage...just need a proper liver chestnut horse to set it off ;)

Ps - Amira-Equi usually have good deals on Pikeurs

[Napoles]

What do you wear at a ODE?

I used to wear my Pikeur, but apparently you should really wear tweed for the lower levels like the Intros, Pre-novices etc, so now I wear my new tweed jacket with a coloured stock. :)

The choc one would look fab with a liver chestnut!! Buy the jacket and just find the horse to match! :D

I love some of the really fitted showjumping jackets with the pin stripes - they are so flattering!! Wouldn't wear them for showing or eventing though as things are still a bit more old-fashioned! :D

[Druid]

The choc one would look fab with a liver chestnut!! Buy the jacket and just find the horse to match! :D

Tempting! I think a light chestnut would work too...in which case I could kill two birds with one stone and get my much wanted Baloubet de Rouet horse



I love some of the really fitted showjumping jackets with the pin stripes - they are so flattering!! Wouldn't wear them for showing or eventing though as things are still a bit more old-fashioned! :D

Some of them are stunning - Alexander james have some fabulous ones on their stand usually

[Napoles]

Some of them are stunning - Alexander james have some fabulous ones on their stand usually

Yeah, I was being very distracted when I was getting my tweed one from them. Still - I got a tweed with very snazzy shiny purple lining! :D

[Druid]

Purple lining? Sounds lovely - my pikeur has gold lining and I vaguely entertain changing it for a sapphire blue every now and again

[Napoles]

NIce! :) My Pikeur must be the Diana then because it doesn't have a gold lining - it's kind of a very pale blue?

[Druid]

They change it now and then - was orignally red, then pale blue and now gold. I tried to find an old stock one with red lining but had no luck!

[harvey]

I used to wear my Pikeur, but apparently you should really wear tweed for the lower levels like the Intros, Pre-novices etc, so now I wear my new tweed jacket with a coloured stock. :)

I didn't know that, but makes sense when I think of what people are wearing. If I ever get to do a PN I do have a nice blue/grey tweed I used to show in and do a bit of WH.


Druid - that's good to know about the Epsom, I have a long back sounds like the Diana would suit better

By the way how do you get 2 quotes in your post, I can only ever get 1.

[Napoles]

[QUOTE=harvey;118730]I didn't know that, but makes sense when I think of what people are wearing. If I ever get to do a PN I do have a nice blue/grey tweed I used to show in and do a bit of WH.
QUOTE]

It's not a rule or anything though and plenty people do wear their navy or black for those levels, so if you have a navy one and would prefer to wear it, then by all means do. Personally I'm not too bothered about sticking too rigidly to either. I brought the two jackets to Ballinaclough as well as two stocks - if it was going to be pouring rain I wasn't going to wear my new tweed!! :D

[Druid]

Harvey - you can order the Epsom in a long length if you prefer that jacket. Something to bear in mind!

For multi quotes click the middle button at the bottom right hand corner of each post in the thread you want to quote then hit reply. They'll all be in the reply box on the new page :)

[Bobbi C]

i'm doing the very recession proof thing of getting my mum to alter my old school blazer (that i used to wear sjing anyway) by taking off the pocket that has the school crest on it and sewing on a new pocket! it still fits perfect over my body protector. it'll do me fine until i move up through the levels with madame

[Roo]

Oh Dear! This thread is shaming me into shopping mode!

My black hacking jacket is as old as the hills! I did my exams in it years ago and am still using it!

I love the dark grey pin stripe ones, dont know who makes them though, must check........

[Little-Miss-Muppet]

the alexander james stuff is always fabulous!
good to know about the different fittings on the pikeur I am quite short so that makes sense that some of the fits will not suit me

[xxkarenxx]

Ah it now makes sense as to why my Pikeur Diana would be too long if they are for longer people.....doh!! I am just getting my mum to alter it for me though

[High_Stepper]

ye the Diana is longer with a fitted waist. The Epsom is shorter with a straighter cut.

eta..... that's the long and the short of it... BOOM BOOM (sorry!!)