Friday, May 15, 2015

Friday Fashion Tip Number 1. Picking a flattering, yet practical work shirt.

I think a good shirt makes or breaks an outfit.  Which is why I am starting this series with how to pick a feminine work shirt.

The number one thing I consider when dressing for outdoor work is practicality.  Here are the points I go over when assessing a shirt for practicality.
#1.  Will it get stains while I'm working?  (Horse snot will stain just about anything light colored.  And some materials get stained by even just a little dirt.)
#2.  Is it comfortable?/Can I move in it for work?
#3.  Is it practical for the weather?
If it is something that will stain, I continue assessing.
#4.  Will I only wear it for work or will I want to wear it somewhere else and stains will ruin it?

After going over these points, what I usually have are ugly logo T-shirts that could be guys or girls shirts.  These look un-feminine and just take away from the overall look.


Try moving from those to T-shirts with a feminine flair.  These can still be dark in color because of stains.  

The shorter sleeves and slimmer cut already looks better.  Now take a look at the little flowers and the ruffled sleeves.  Totally practical, but cute.

The following two styles are even better than just picking cute T-shirts in my opinion.  They can reflect your english or western riding style even when you are not riding.
First for english riders.
Wear cute polo shirts.  Tuck them in and wear a nice belt.  These don't have to be just for riding, they can be used around the farm to reflect your femininity and riding style.  Don't forget that these can be dark colored as well if you have an exceptionally snotty horse.  :D


Once again, pay attention to the little details.  They add so much.  This polo shirt has small lace around the collar.


And on to western riders.  I ride mostly english but that doesn't mean I don't love my western shirts.  :)  Wear snap/button down western/plaid shirts.  I wasn't wearing these much for work because they are nice and I didn't want them to get ruined.  But then I realized that I wasn't really wearing them at all.  So, better to wear them to work and look nice than let them sit around.  TUCK THESE IN.  (Unless you like to tie the bottoms.)  I can't stress that enough, untucked shirts lie funny over your hips and can have a fattening effect.  Wear them with cute western belt buckles.  These are my shirts that apply to rule # 4.  They may get stained and not look so great eventually, but I have plenty of other nice clothes to wear other places.


I love the detail on this shirt.  The vintage snaps with the light stitching looks very elegant.  The handmade belt buckle with the cute horse adds a lot.








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