
Outfits for the Plus Sized Hunter/Jumper
Shopping for riding clothes is always hard. They’re expensive and they fit weird and they can be oh so exciting, but also a huge let down. Add being a non-traditional size for a hunter/jumper rider, and the challenge grows.
Though I’m not a fashion diva at the barn or in real life, I have tried my best to dress just as stylishly as thinner equestrians. The general tips are stay away from super Euro or super trendy, and SmartPak is your friend. Dover doesn’t exactly believe that riders exist with a waist larger than 34″, but SmartPak has always been the most plus friendly equestrian retailer out there.
What follows are some of my finds for others who are in the moderate plus sized rider category. For reference, these are all products I’ve personally tried to some degree and should work for someone in the 16/18 size range.
Winter is hard, because it’s often miserable outside. For me, the key to the barn is layering. Even if my outer layer is my disgusting old fleece jacket, the under layers are kind of cute!
In this first look, we have the plus sized knee patch Piper Breeches from SmartPak. Pipers come in lots of fun colors, but tend to fit (at least on me) a bit tighter in the thighs and looser in the waist. With them, I always wear a belt, which shown here is from Mango Bay. Mango Bay is great because they sell belts up to 3X and will even custom make sizes. Plus, they have tons of color and pattern options. The half chaps shown are Ariat Close Contact. While Ariat is not plus size friendly for tall boots, their half chaps have a lot of stretch and fit 18″ calves very easily. Finally, I skipped the over priced (in my opinion) and small running Rider’s International winter layers for this C9 Champion top and Down Puffer Vest from Target.
For summer, we start off with the much lighter fabric of the Tailored Sportsman Trophy Hunters. Now again, stick to SmartPak for your purchase of these because they carry TS breeches in a variety of colors up to a size 36 (Dover stops at 34). Next we have the summer essential – the sun shirt! I have tried on the Dover and Ariat $50 sun shirts, and they both fit well for someone my size. The most comfortable and highest quality sun shirt in my opinion though, is the EIS (Equi In Style). I have seen up to a 1X on their site, and their XL fits me quite fine (slightly form fitting). Though I still have a firm ‘no more than $50’ for a sun shirt rule, they constantly have good shirts in their clearance rack for $40-$60. The faux croc belt is another Target pick, and the half chaps are the same as before.
When I show, I stick to the preferred Tailored Sportsman breeches with one minor addition… a SmartSlim from SmartPak. This under garment holds you in like you wouldn’t believe, and gives me an added bit of confidence in the show ring. For jackets, I love the Wellington Show Coat. You can find them at Dover, but I got mine from Horseloverz during a sale for a whopping $50. This thing runs big. I got mine a full size smaller than what I normally wear, and still needed it tailored to be taken in. It’s a great coat for the price though! For shirts, I like the Ocala Show Shirt from the Collection Online store. It is a snap collar like what’s trendy these days, but also comes up to a size 50 which is nearly impossible to find at the big equestrian retailers. They also have plenty of other colors besides this pink… I promise! Finally, the recent Tredstep Donatello Plus Size field boots. Now honestly, these didn’t work for me even though I so wanted them to! They are very generous in the calf, but tiny in the ankles. Unfortunately I’m smack dab in the middle of their two sizes, but if you fall on the high side of 16-17″ or 18-19″ and have thin ankles – check these out. The belt is also from Target (can you tell I love Target?).
You don’t have to give up style if you are a bit of a fluffier rider. With creativity and research, you can find a lot out there!
27 thoughts on “Outfits for the Plus Sized Hunter/Jumper”
My struggle is that I’m doing an ApHC breed show in April and I’m trying for a high point so I’m showing in western pleasure, HUS, games and horsemanship/eq. My wallet will cry because I need so many things! I can’t fit in my older hunter stuff…including my tall boots. Kill me now?
Oui! That’s rough
it is tough to show the breed shows with all of the outfits required!! I feel your pain!
We have a great Plus Rider Boot on our site and the Regal Field Boot, Wide calf is extremely generous. Both are a great buy and have a 15% Off Rebate until 3/23/15, covered by all Equine Couture and TUFFRIDER Brand promotion we are running here at HITS Ocala. All their products, FREE SHIPPED THOUGHT US, are covered. Their site is Breeches.com, copy the item that you didn’t find on our site, into an email to me robinpetix@aol.com and I will email you with savings and invoice. THINK OF US FIRST!
http://www.thecollectiononlinestore.com
This is great!
I’m going back and forth over getting the Tredstep Donatellos Plus…my current boots are a 17.5″, but they are slightly big and I worry that the Donatellos would be too small. But if the calf runs big then maybe they would work.
I would try them. The area of the boot that is wide is the top of your calf. For me, I’m kind of wide all the way down even though my ankles are thin. There is some stretch in the boots, so not a ton. I think they’re worth ordering to try especially with the really easy return policy if they don’t work.
oh neat! i think finding the equestrian specific items are the challenge because items like (schooling only) athletic tops are pretty much available through any athletic shop and they can double for your other workouts too. i have found cycling jerseys to be particularly suitable for schooling… and of course, cycling.
Absolutely! On the flip side, I’d wear my EIS sun shirt out walking the dogs anytime.
Great source of information!
Fun post – thanks for the info and outfit inspiration. Must not buy all the belts!!!!!!! (Oh and sad news – Target is closing all its Canadian stores! boo!)
Oh, that is sad! Target is one of my life staples.
it just means more trips to the US for shopping! 😉
Thanks for this post, for several reasons!
One, I am a busty rider with big calves. Finding show jackets is a terrible, terrible process. Same for tall boots!
Two, it’s GREAT to hear feedback on which brands offer larger sizes- many of the tack store’s customers are not thin (I mean, we’re in Oklahoma) and it makes me sad when our usual vendors don’t carry something beyond a 34″ waist or a size 40 shirt. Hearing about brands that do (and don’t!) work for the plus-sized rider is so helpful!
Yeah, I am very disappointed with my local (non-Dover) tack shop in this way. One time I looked for breeches there, and they had 1-2 pairs of 36 sizes. No coats. No shirts. I couldn’t have given them money if I wanted to!
I know! My tack store is the same way, at least in the breeches department. I’m lobbying hard to carry larger breeches- it’s good to know TS *has* a 36. We have show shirts up to size 46, but very little in the way of coats. I’m lobbying to get some plus-sized apparel in here, because I think we could get some more local customers that way!
I didn’t list them here because I got tired of making outfit boards, but RJ Classics is super plus friendly too. They have womens jackets in most of their popular styles, that run from 18 – 22 I believe?
We just loaded the RJ Classics Soft Shell WOMENS SIZE COATS! http://www.thecollectiononlinestore.com
Full stretch & washable.
This is a great post! Target and marshall are my best friends for schooling tops, vests, jackets and pull overs! P.s no one of any size has ever ordered any clothing from dover that fit, I’m convinced.
I have that white belt! I’m obsessed with Target too hah… Also I think I need to try that shaper for my queen clothes I haven’t found one I like yet
Now I absolutely need one of those Mango Bay belts! 🙂
Such a great topic! I always struggle with finding affordable riding clothes that still look flattering.
i LOVE that casual winter schooling outfit — and only wish we could be that cute right now…. maybe in march?? lol
Great post!
Cute outfits!!
Love this post, mostly because I find it incredibly depressing how 90% of horse clothing does not fit me, and I don’t really consider myself to be that big.