Monday, April 20, 2015

Cashing in Those Chips

As I've mentioned, I tend to hoard $10 gift cards to the tack shop when they are an option as a first place prize.  I've slowly been creating a stack, and after the show last week I finally gathered them all up and hit the tack store to get myself a new Hunt Coat.

My current show wardrobe is limited to one functional coat that can still... um... button.  I have others, and they are in perfectly serviceable condition aside from the fact that I haven't quite gotten anyone to buy into an "open jacket" look while on course.

So, trying to be as reasonable as possible about baby weight and what will and (likely) won't change anytime soon I decided to bite the bullet and cash in all our little gift cards for a coat.

I know it's trendy (again), but down in Thermal I got hooked on the notion of a deep, dark hunter green coat and I haven't been able to shake it.  I think the dark emerald would look really (really) pretty on prair's glossy black - and let's be real, it's about as bold as I can get in the Hunter Ring. 

So I knew I wanted the Grand Prix Tech Lite in the new rich green.. but those were the only relevant details in my obsession.
pretty close to what we got

I did actually suck it up and ordered a custom coat rather than making do with an off the rack option.  12/L or 14/L GP coats fit me pretty well, but not excellent - and knowing we won't show until June, I figured I could wait the 4-6 weeks like a normal, patient person. 

I'm glad I did since when we actually got to measuring there were lots of changes.  extra length in the sleeves, extra room in the boobs, slimming the sleeves.. etc.

But really the important decision was THREE BUTTONS OR FOUR. 

I opted for 4, as I've always like my four button dressage coats, but now I'm second guessing myself and wondering if I should have stuck with the three for my short-waisted self...

But then it was fun decisions.  I opted for black buttons rather than the standard tortoise shell on the green.  If I had a bright chestnut I think the blond-tortoise-shell would look sharp, but on Prair I think staying dark on dark on dark is a good thing.  Plus I don't need bright buttons at my wrist advertising my busy hands :)

As for trim, I bypassed most of the fun options, getting a simple tone-on-tone green satin piping for the collar but nothing else.  There's no matching green satin option for the collar itself, and the "matching" green suede looked just off enough to drive me nuts.  (plus I strongly prefer the look of a matching satin over a suede.. not sure why).  I almost put in a tiny silver double-piping, but that started to feel to wild for me and I chickened out.

Hopefully the Emerald Beauty arrives before we show in June.  but I'm looking forward to a stretchy, washable, super lightweight new coat! 

I did feel like a goober while the poor manager swiped 35 $10 cards at the checkout register, but it certainly made a huge difference in the cost!

New coat courtesy of Prair's Under Saddle classes 2014-2015....

What

13 comments:

  1. My absolute favorite color hunt coat. I totally approve. It will look STUNNING with Prairie, too. My favorite combo with hunter green is a crisp white shirt, but it goes with so many shirt colors too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You guys are going to look absolutely awesome in a coat that colour. I cannot wait to see you kick bootay in it ☺

    ReplyDelete
  3. That coat sounds dreamy! Can't wait to see it :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dude since WHEN does horse showing ever pay off like that?! How fabulous that you got to use all those gift cards, and the green will look so lovely with Prairie!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful coat!! it will look great in the ring!

    ReplyDelete
  6. haha that's awesome that you had all those gift cards - nice job saving them up! i wouldn't have been able to resist frittering them away lol. love the dark emerald too - can't wait to see pics!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Can't wait to see it! I've been lusting after a green coat myself...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm glad the green is making a comeback! My favoite coat was green...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ha! You make me want to win horse shows.

    Or you know, enter.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh man, that green is PERFECT! Love it! Wish I could wear that in the dressage arena... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I still have my green coat from the last time it was in style. In my opinion any dark colored coat should never be out of style. Ever.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love a dark Hunter coat on either a dark bay or black horse. I think it's classy. Youll look sharp for sure.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails