Fall’s Biggest Trend is…Equestrian!

This autumn, you can expect to see a lot of equestrian-style pieces on women everywhere. If you’re unsure of what the term means, let me fill you in a bit:

“Equestrian” refers to the style of clothing or of any object that relates to riding horses, riding accessories (bridles, saddles, bits), or horses in general. While the functional term has more to do with actually riding, fashion has taken the term and made it into a high-end concept.

Equestrian clothing usually centers around riding boots, slim riding pants, hardware, and browns and blacks. It also includes a bit of a Victorian England feel, and can even range into the steampunk genre, because it’s so closely connected with Great Britain. Think tartans, big hats, and sleek silhouettes.

Many of the world’s top designers featured the look on the runways, including Hermes and Christian Dior. One of my favorite looks from this trend turned up in an extremely unlikely place: a Twilight poster. I’m not the world’s biggest Twilight fan, but I fell in love with the riding pants that Bella is wearing on the cover on Entertainment Weekly. Her boots work with the look wonderfully.

If you’re looking for a much cheaper alternative, try purchasing riding leggings or similarly patterned pants. They usually come in darker colors like brown, black, and grey, and have panels on the sides. If it’s boots you’re after, try these beauties. These two-toned boots are gorgeous and only cost $75.

If you’re looking for inspiration, try Googling “equestrian style trends” and search for something you love. Alternatively, you can use the search bars on sites like Chictopia and Polyvore to discover trends that fall under the equestrian category. Chictopia is full of outfit posts by real people, so you may be more likely to discover more affordable pieces there. And of course, if all else fails, there’s always Pinterest!

The equestrian trend channels the glamorous tomboy in all of us. We like to feel polished, sophisticated, yet capable and athletic at the same time. Of course, horseback riding falls into all three of those categories, which is probably why women are drawn to it so much. The colors that complete this trend are outdoorsy, natural colors, which make us feel better about losing the summer heat and transitioning into autumn.

I hope you find a way to include this spectacular look into your daily life!