Fashion Takeaways from Maclay Finals
One of the biggest highlights of the fall show season is without a doubt the culmination of Indoors! The toughest competitors and horses gather to showcase their skills, and just this past week we saw the top junior riders of the country come together to compete for the ultimate honor of becoming Maclay Finals Champion. There is no more sought after title when it comes to the Big Eq and the teens don’t just bring their riding “A-Game” but also their fashion “A-Game”.
While us Adult Amateurs have long since aged out, that doesn’t mean we don’t watch the live streams each year, starry eye at the talent, and pick out what the riders have deemed to be the new “it” apparel items!
Read on to see our top fashion takeaways from Indoors and Maclay Finals!
There were two HUGE takeaways that we found while watching the finals.
The first being, you HAD to have a pair of Equiline breeches! Everywhere we looked, there were black triangles, upon black triangles, upon black triangles. And while many people just wear them for the status associated with them, Equiline breeches (whether you go for the Ash, Boston, Grafton, etc.) stand on their own in regards to quality and innovation!
Check out our full blog post “All About Equiline Ash Breeches” to discover what all the hype is about!
Dominic Gibbs wins the '20 ASPCA Maclay Finals riding Cent 15
Image by: Elaine Wessel/Phelps Media Group via The Chronicle of The Horse
The second fashion must-have from finals season was a Samshield Helmet. Not only are these some of the safest helmets on the market but they offer so many style choices so riders get to express their individuality (while still within eq conservative fashion of course). We saw a mix of the wide-brimmed Miss Shields and traditional Shadowmattes, along with riders choosing between the classic matte finish or premium Alcantara.
Taylor Griffiths-Madden claims reserve champion with Mac III
Image by: Elaine Wessel/Phelps Media Group via The Chronicle of The Horse
When it came down to show coats, no one brand was singled out, we saw plenty of Equiline, Samshield, Amino, and RJ Classics… all in the typical navy or black. Who else remembers Lillie Keenan’s epic season where she brought back the hunter green coat for the eq?? Before we knew it, everyone was showing in hunter green again for a bit. But like all trends, they fade away, while navy and black are forever!
4th place finisher Sophee Steckbeck and Itteville
Image by: Georgie Hammon/Phelps Sports
But the truth is when it comes to show clothes and looking polished in the ring, wearing a certain brand is not the biggest factor. What matters is that the clothes fit properly and make you look and feel your best... you can look classy and tailored at any budget! I know it’s hard (especially in our junior years) to not get caught up in the “having to wear what everyone else is wearing” anxiety that too many of us have experienced, but just remember, what brands you wear do not determine your self-worth or how well you can ride! Find what pieces work for you and ROCK-IT!
Also a BIG shoutout to all the competitors this year, y'all killed it, there's no way I'd be able to make it even halfway through those courses before throwing up! Just qualifying for any of the finals is a major accomplish that you should be incredibly proud of!
Ellie Yeager and Ava Sterns are the 2020 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search - East Champion and Reserve Champion
Image by: Equiline America