Happy outfit day! It snowed here overnight, but fortunately not very much. Maybe an inch if that even. But it's been pretty chilly with highs in the mid twenties (roughly -3 for you celcius types) so the theme today is warmth. I'll start with the riding outfit since that's why you're all really here.
I know what you're all thinking... Yes, more boots. But I have an excuse for this one! This should have been a Truthful Tuesday but I forgot about it (probably to save myself the emotional distress). One of the very cold days recently, I went to zip up my brown Ariat Bromonts. I have the full calf size, cause you know, I have big legs. Well. Apparently, the full calf isn't all that full! As I was pulling on the zipper, it came right off in my hand. So obviously, I needed new winter riding boots. I picked these, and they are amazing in every way. I'll talk more about them when we get to them though. (Also, they were on sale, and I had coupon, and they were way cheaper than retail, so stop judging me so hard!)
Helmet: One K defender snakeskin
Hey, look who remembered to snap a helmet photo! Helmet is looking dirty though, huh?
Top: Herd of Zebras
Kelly over at Hunky Hanoverian did a review on Herd of Zebras recently. I'm guessing she took advantage of the coupon code I used too, as my stuff arrived right around the same time I saw her post on Instagram. Anyway, I had gotten this fluffy wonder using the coupon (which was a good one, I think 20 percent? I can't remember for sure). It is the warmest top I've probably ever owned. I had zero intentions of wearing it to the barn, because good luck getting hair and what not out of that fuzz. But I figured it was cold enough that I would have a coat on the entire time and that worked out as I'd expected.
Belt: Sandy Duftler
I posted the other day that there were Sandy Duftler belts super cheap on Ebay, which you probably saw if you follow Amateur at Large on Facebook. I took full advantage of the good deals, and this is one of the belts I got. It's metallic black and silver, though on my computer screen it's not quite looking that way. I really like it!
Breeches:
These are the RJ Classic Gulf Breeches. I have mixed feelings on them. They totally fall down when I'm not riding. But they're nice to ride in. And I got them super cheap awhile back. I also like that they're not super tight and clingy. Though that may contribute to the falling down issue.
Boots: Tredstep Legacy
Ok first things first, that's faux fur, so don't be upset by the furry lining! So I'm not actually a huge fan of lace up boots. They just seem super busy to me. BUT, the nice thing about laces is that these boots can expand as much as I need them to, so that's a nice feature for my extra full sized calves. After the zipper debacle, I figured I needed all the help I could get. Also, I couldn't find the full calf size on sale anywhere, so I hoped this would allow me to fit into a regular calf. And it did! They were a tiny bit slippery feeling, and the soles are a bit thicker (probably should have lengthened my stirrups a half hole for these), but overall they were really comfy to ride in. No rubbing or digging in anywhere, which is impressive for a new pair of boots. I'll probably put a little Guter Sitz on them next time I ride in them. But most importantly, they were SUPER warm. My toes never froze during my ride last night, and it was only 21 degrees. I also really like that they come up higher in the front than the back. The height was perfect behind my knee, and the front comes up over it a bit for some extra warmth on my knee caps. Much appreciated. That might not happen for you if you're very tall, but I'm actually pretty long from foot to knee (for a short girl) so I think they would definitely work for tall riders too. I got mine on sale over at Stateline for under $300 and I think they're for sure worth the price, assuming they hold up. I don't think I'll ride in them all that often, just when it's very cold. They also come in brown, but they seem to be more expensive, and don't have the fur lining. Those do have thinsulate line though, so I imagine they're equally warm.
Phew! Sorry, I went off on a bit of a tangent there didn't I? Clearly, I'm excited about being warm. Anyway... on to today's outfit which feels sort of out for a hack in Ireland.
I should have just worn breeches, than I wouldn't have to change later...
Sweater: Ariat
Vest: Eddie Bauer
My sweater, which you can only see the sleeves really, is one of the washable Merino sweaters from Ariat. I'm a big fan of these, I have a few different ones. But how fun is this tweed looking vest?! I had popped into the Eddie Bauer outlet to replace my black down jacket (it finally died this weekend after a solid five years of barn abuse) and saw this vest and a matching jacket in the clearance section. 40% off the sale price! yes please! It's actually just a nylon type material printed to look tweed, so it's fine to wear in the elements.
Belt: Ralph Lauren
I've had this upside down kimberwick type belt for AGES. It has an easier to maneuver buckle on the other side, but I do love the bridle type hardware on the side in the photo.
Pants: Kut from the Kloth
I thought khaki's were better than jeans for this outfit. But next time I should totally just wear breeches.
Boots: Ovation
I was never all that into country boots (sorry, I know lots of you love them). But then I saw these and I THOUGHT they were brown with green canvas. Turns out it's more of a gray color. That was a little bit of bummer. But the exciting thing is my heated insoles fit in these. I have these rechargeable heated insoles that are amazing in almost every way, but they make most of my boots too tight because they're pretty thick. They are perfect in these though, so next winter I'll finally get to use them for outdoor activities.
Arm Party!
Lefty:
In keeping with the horsey theme, lefty is donning a leather bracelet with a horse head buckle. Looks like a race horse maybe? I'm not sure on the brand. I got this one second hand awhile back.
Righty:
That cute hunt scene bracelet is from Luca and Danni, and I thought it was SO perfect with today's outfit! The other two are from Swanky Saddle. I have a rein bracelet from there too that goes nicely, but I seem to have misplaced it... Hopefully it turns up soon!
So that's it for today! Do you have a favorite pair of winter boots? Ever used heated insoles? Let's whine about being cold together in the comments!
Thicker breeches are a necessity today. It's effing cold out you guys! And the wind! UGH. Miserable.
Got a pair of spares on today! I think these are adorable. They are so creative over there at D&S.
