Riding and Driving for Women Part 6

CHAPTER VIII

CORRECT DRESS FOR THE SADDLE

To look well in the saddle a woman must be correctly and smartly turned out. The picturesqueness of the old-fashioned skirt, the plumed hat, and the ambling palfrey has pa.s.sed away, and a woman's riding clothes of to-day are designed, first, for comfort, and second, for neatness.

Absolute plainness and everything in keeping are the principles to be followed.

For the side-saddle the habit must be well cut, well made, and of good material. The length and style of the coat should be adapted to the wearer's height and figure.

The skirt should always be of the "safety" type. There are several different designs of safety skirts, but they may be divided into three cla.s.ses--the ap.r.o.n skirt, the half ap.r.o.n, and the skirt with patent fasteners.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

SAFETY SKIRT, UNDER SIDE SAFETY SKIRT, OUTSIDE WAISTCOATS BREECHES Ap.r.o.n SKIRT, UNDER SIDE HALF Ap.r.o.n SKIRT, UNDER SIDE RAIN COAT

RIDING CLOTHES]

The ap.r.o.n skirt is very generally used in England, and in this country is used by many for hunting and, to some extent, for general riding.

With this pattern of skirt the rider must, of course, wear boots and breeches. The skirt is entirely cut away on the side next to the horse so that, when the rider is mounted, her legs are in direct contact with the saddle. The skirt is fastened along the right leg above the knee with b.u.t.tons and has a strap which pa.s.ses under the right knee. There is also a strap which pa.s.ses under the right foot and another strap which pa.s.ses under the left heel and holds the skirt in place.

The half ap.r.o.n skirt is similar to this but, instead of being fastened to the right leg by b.u.t.tons, it goes under the thigh and the rider sits on it.

The skirt with patent fasteners is cut just like a plain skirt, but on the right side and following the leg from the knee down there is an open seam extending around the pommels. This seam is fastened with patent fasteners when the rider is off the horse, but should be left open when she is mounted.

I consider the ap.r.o.n skirt the safest for use in the hunting field, for, while in my own experience I have not known of a woman being "hung up"

with a skirt with patent fasteners, I have heard of this occurring. The awkwardness, however, of the ap.r.o.n or half ap.r.o.n skirt, when one is out of the saddle, makes it embarra.s.sing for the wearer, so it is scarcely to be recommended for ordinary riding.

The half ap.r.o.n pattern of skirt is quite as safe as the ap.r.o.n and it is really more a matter of individual fancy as to which of the two one should select.

There are also skirts of the type with patent fasteners which are fastened in the same way at the waist, so that if the rider should be thrown and the skirt should be caught in the saddle, the waistband will give way and the rider will be entirely released from the skirt.

Habit skirts should be kept from blowing and "riding" by the use of two elastic loops, both on the inside of the skirt, one in such a position as to pa.s.s over the right toe, the other under the left heel. These loops should be slipped into position as soon as the rider is in place in the saddle. It is a mistake to think that there is any danger from these loops, for they are sure either to slip off the foot or to give way in case of an accident.

In the saddle a woman should produce a broad-shouldered and long-waisted effect, and the coat should be cut with this principle in mind. Unless a woman's shoulders look wider than her hips, she will never present a smart appearance on a horse. I do not admire a small-waisted effect in the saddle. Somehow it is inappropriate and looks uncomfortable. The effect should be of broad shoulders, slimness, neatness, and ease; of long lines rather than curves.

The coat should be single-breasted, fastened with five or three b.u.t.tons, according to the wearer's figure, and also with regard to the use for which the coat is intended.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEW STYLE COSTUME FOR PARK RIDING]

Thus in the hunting-field, whatever the rider's figure, it is better to have five b.u.t.tons, in order to protect the rider as much as possible against rain, etc. For hunting, and especially for use in cold weather and for country wear, the collar of the coat should be made to turn up and b.u.t.ton over with a tab, and there should be a b.u.t.ton under the left lapel, so that the coat may be b.u.t.toned closely to the neck for further protection.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OLD STYLE (1887) POSTILION COAT]

With regard to length, the fashion of the time must, of course, be followed. At present it is the fashion to have coats long, so as to come about five inches above the knee when the rider is standing. Some will find it becoming to their figure to have coats even longer and some shorter, and we may hope that the days of the tight-fitting postilion coats, which make the rider look all hips, have pa.s.sed forever. The collar may be of velvet of the same shade as the habit, of the material itself, or of gray, black, or tan leather, according to the color of the habit, but not of silk or satin. Personally, I do not care for leather collars and think they are too showy to be really smart. A left side breast pocket and two side pockets are permissible. It is a good plan to line the tails of the coat with rubber, so that the sweat from the horse's back will not soak through the cloth.

The sleeves should be plain and finished at the cuffs like a man's, or the cuffs may be turned back from two to three inches, according to the length of arm, but should never be of velvet or any material other than that of the coat itself.

Waistcoats are very smart, but not absolutely necessary. For use in the hunting field and in cold weather they are advisable, and should then be made of a rather heavy material, and, in particular, the back should be of flannel so as to protect the rider against a chill. Waistcoats may be made of various fancy or plaid materials, in heavy or light weights, which are manufactured especially for the purpose. Single-breasted waistcoats are smarter than double-breasted.

The pockets may be made with or without lapels. If the former, they should be real lapels or flaps coming over the pockets, as they are meant to wear in the hunting-field so as to prevent things in the pockets from escaping. These pockets in the waistcoat are very convenient for the watch, change, etc.

For the woman who does not ride much or is just taking it up and is not sure whether she will enjoy it, for summer use in the country and for beginners and growing children, ready-made habits of good style are to be found in the department stores.

For the woman who rides, however, it is most advisable to have a habit built by a smart tailor and made of the best materials. The cheaper materials do not give good service and lose their shape.

For winter use, some heavy material which does not stretch should be selected, such as melton, broadcloth, heavy cheviot, or heavy whip-cord, and for most women the best colors are black, black and gray, brown, dark blue, dark green, and any dark, quiet color which is becoming to the wearer. For park riding in the winter, checks, plaids, and other p.r.o.nounced patterns are not suitable.

For medium weight habits for spring and fall use, there is more freedom of choice. The rider can always select something becoming in checks, medium weight gray and brown cloths, light whip-cords, and invisible stripes. The great point is to be sure that the material selected is "tailor's cloth," for no other cloth will stand the hard wear of riding.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A WINTER HABIT

Note standing martingale]

For summer there is a much wider range of choice. For very warm weather, khaki, duck, crash, and linen habits are all suitable. They are all smart and cool and stand tubbing, or else can be regularly scrubbed with a stiff hand brush and bath soap. This saves the risk of their being shrunk or starched out of shape by a careless laundress. It is essential that habits for use in warm weather should be of material that can be washed, and one should be sure to have the material shrunk before it is made up, else, when the rider puts it on after its first wetting, she will probably present a "grown-up-in-the-night" appearance.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A SMART SUMMER HABIT]

It is a very good plan with summer habits to have two skirts made for each coat, as skirts become soiled much more quickly. If one rides much in the hot weather it is necessary to have at least three summer habits, and the more one has the smarter one's appearance.

In London in the season, and throughout England in the summer, many women wear a white linen skirt with a dark coat or a dark cloth skirt with a white linen coat. The former of these combinations is very well suited to our climate, with its constant changes, and also to the roads which have been oiled for automobiles, as the oil ruins cloth skirts, while it can be readily washed out of the linens. The combination of a dark cloth skirt and a white linen coat looks cooler than it is and is better suited to the English climate than to ours.

For rainy or cold weather a rain coat or covert coat is very serviceable. The former may be either of the material of which the English rain coats are made or of cravenetted cloth. Very few of the tailors in this country make these rain coats, so it is usually necessary to buy an imported one.

The English coats are so made as to shed the water in front of the pommels, and do not allow it to collect. They have an inner lining which fastens about the wrist with an elastic band and the collar b.u.t.tons over with a tab. They, therefore, are a complete protection against the wet but, except for use in very cold storms or in snow, are too hot for general purposes in our climate.

A coat of cravenetted cloth will therefore be found, perhaps, more serviceable. If intended as a protection against the rain, it should be nearly as long as the habit on the near side, and the back should, of course, have a vent long enough to clear the cantle.

For riding in cold weather many women find it necessary to wear a top-coat, which may be made of heavy covert cloth or of rough tweed or of any suitable plain material such as a man would use.

Such a coat need not be as long as a rain coat, but may be, if the rider desires additional protection. The top-coat, of course, should be longer than the habit coat, as nothing looks worse than to see the skirts of a habit coat coming out under those of the top-coat. The top-coat may be finished just like a man's, with patch pockets, etc., and should, of course, have a collar that will turn up and b.u.t.ton over with a tab.

A serviceable coat for summer use in rainy weather may be made of light weight check rubber cloth, which is very smart and cooler than the imported English rain coats.

The underclothes for riding should be as carefully considered as the outer garments. Silk shirts and full silk tights are best for riding, but, if full tights are not worn, socks should be worn in place of stockings, as the latter wrinkle under the right knee and chafe.

Garters, if tight, as they need to be, stop the circulation, and supporters come directly under the leaping horn. If silk tights are deemed too extravagant, silk lisle or lisle tights, or boys' long balbriggan, lisle, or gauze merino drawers are a good subst.i.tute.

Corsets or corset waists, if worn, should be loose enough for absolute comfort and freedom, but women who are accustomed to the support of heavy stays should, when riding, wear equestrian corsets. To present a mannish appearance in the saddle, short corsets should be worn and, as I have said before, the appearance of being laced should be entirely avoided.

Either equestrian tights or riding breeches are worn, and nowadays most women prefer the latter.

A woman's riding breeches are made on the style of a man's and of similar material, the chief difference being that if b.u.t.tons are used to fasten them below the knee, they should be placed either directly in front, which is smart but may be uncomfortable, or on the inside of the right leg, so as to avoid rubbing against the saddle. Instead of b.u.t.tons, lacing may be used and, if it is, both knees can be finished alike, the same as a man's. Two of the patterns are ill.u.s.trated on page 109.

Breeches may be made of the same material as the habit or of any suitable material such as a man would wear. With a heavy winter habit it is, of course, unnecessary to use as heavy material for the breeches as would be the case if no skirt were worn. For summer use, breeches may be made of white linen, duck, or khaki.

For hunting and for rough country wear and for cold weather, doeskin breeches are most serviceable and very comfortable, and white breeches, such as men wear in the hunting field, are correct and suitable for almost any occasion.