Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-22
Written for The EVENING STAR
THE RIDING HABIT.
What ft Should Consist of and How IL
Should be Made.


Should be Made.
PRACTICAL ADVICE TO WOMEN WHO RrDR-rEw
CLOTHES, BUT MUCH coNFoRT-MYsrERrEs OF
NE EQUESTRIAN cosTUME-wHAr IL ESSEN
IsL-rHE COST OF A COMPLETE OUTFIT.
IA the interest in outdoor sports increases
ard the real love for them goes deeper and
deeper women are becoming more and more
emaneipated from their clothes They value
a ine, healthy color, they learn the real beauty
of strength. and they see how incompatible the
gaining of either and the true enjoyment of
athletics are with the wearing of heavily
drsped gowns and Of bustles. think this has
more to do with the Punishment of the latter
article than the example or voice of any woman
or coterie of women Women are developing
well-rounded bodies of sound flesh, and warm
pure blood. and they don't need adjuncts of
wire and hair.
In the riding costume particularly great
revolution has been accomplished. There
was time when poets sang bf and novelists
described In glowing terms the graceful sweep
and voluminous folds OF my ladys riding
skirt. and the beauty of the nodding plumes
in her hat. But they didn't saw a word about
the danger to life and limb lurking in that
length and fullness that was supposed TO be so
graceful There was a time. too, and that not
long ago, when lady had TO put on number
oflettlcoats under her full riding skirt
to hide the outlines of her figure. and she had
to wear a long veil tied around her hat with
Its ends streaming out on the wind to be blown
in her face when she most needed the use of
her eyes, and to be torn to shreds by the
branches of trees that she passed. Every adj
dItional layer of cloth she swathed round
her body made her more insecure in
the saddle and hindered her in her
EFFORTS to become good rider. Ii
wearing trousers or breeches had been sug-
gested IN this country some years ago there
would have been bushes from the maids and
howls of indignation from the matrons. while
the men would have cried it down, frowned it
down. and ''poked fun" st it until the
trouser legs would have grown together from
sheer modification. But despite all discour-
aglngApbstacles women pcrseyered In riding.
and they whitfield down their clothes until
nothing was left except what was absolutely
necessary. and the result is perfect a cos
tune for the purpose as it is possible to con-
trive so long we occupy the position we do
in the saddle. Every lady who has ever ridden
horseback even little has experienced diff
Guilty some time or other in selecting correct
and comfortable attire. and if she has ridden
great deal she has been vexed by badly made.
botched habits turned out by over-confident
but incompetent tailOrs.
THE CORRECT RIDING COSTUME
does not admit of many variations. and these
only in such minor details will not attract
attention. A very large number of ladies' ride
in New York, Brooklyn and Washington. yet
not 10 per cent Of them are properly and COM
tortably dressed Judging from the reports
that 1oated in from the summer resorts the
habits worn were more suitable for circus per-
formers and wild west girls than for actual
service on the road and in the hunting field.
One young lady at Cape Nav took her daily
eanter in blue velvet habit. Think of it,
Velvet to ride in over rough roads. through
muddy creeks, to get caught in a shower with.
or in a cloud of dust-not to mention the hum
dred and one accidents that might happen that
would ruin it forever. Then there was another
who had her habit CANDY with brass buttons
and wore long white feather in her hat
When you are going to get habit made don't
trust to the tailor's reputation until Won have
seen some of his work in that line. and unless
II IS perfect don't go near him. And when you
are having it made don't hesitate about finding
fault with his work. if there is good reason for
doing so. Women have been brow beaten and
imposed on by men-dressmakers too long. You
pay for what you want-or ought to--and you
have right to get il. Very often a bad fit or
an uncomfortable one is the result of your own
hesitation in calling attention to the fault.
WHAT HABIT CONSISTS OF.
habit consists of three pieces. bodice. skirt.
and trousers. The bodice should extend about
an inch below the waist line in front and have
q small fat tail in the back well boned and
weighted so that it will not flap with every
motion of the horse. The fit should be as close
as possible. yet not bind in any place. and be
perfectly eomTortabie. Particular attention
should be paid to having the arm-holes large
enough, the sleeves loose enough and not too
long, and the collar loose. The latter is often
made so tight that when fastened over q linen
collar IT Will cause red mark round the neck
where the seam is. and cause a great deal of
pain and annoyance. too. The bodice must be
perfectly plain. without any pleats or cloth
aieerthoughts TO mar the perfection of fit.
The only variation allowable is in having either
high standing collar a turnover collar
with tiny lspels. 1t should be lined with silk
or satin The skirt is made just long
enough to cover the feet when seated
on the horse. and the bottom of
IL should be horizontal without the slightest
suspicion of a sag toward the front. From the
waist TO the hem in the back it should not vary
from the perpendicular. Along the right leg
from the knee to the hip and to the waist il
should Mt like glove. A fullness is allowed
Ior the right knee sort of pocket is made
under It for the uppommel. and another full
ness Is allowed for the second pommel without
which no lady now thinks of riding prop
eriy made skirt should. when the wearer is in
the saddle. have its top and under sides even
along the bottom. hit over the knee and POM
mels without drawing and not have wrinkle
anywhere. Skirts are no longer weighted.
but are strapped down. one strap be-
ing sewed to the upper side of the skirt
Nnside. OF course and drawn over the right
foos. and the other strap sewed to the under
side Of the skirt (the side next the saddle) and
put over the left foot before putting it in the
strrup. Straps put on in this way preclude
all possibility Of the skirt hitching mp or get
ting out of place.
Il is fastened with buttons on the left side.
ano sometimes pocket is put in this opening.
When that is dome the piece of serge or silk II
Is made OF il continued to the front to prevent
IL sagging. and the skirt is first fastened there
By strong hook and eye. When standing the
nkirt should not be any longer than an orti-
nary walking skirt, and the extra fullness for
knee and pommels should be fastened I'D bv
means OF loop to a button on the back of the
skirt near the waist.
NOW CONE THE TROUSERS
and my first advice about them is don't wear
them; they are uncomfortable generally; they
get out Of order easily and are not convenient
70 wear with boots. II you will insist on wear
ing them don't have them made tight: have
them made hike mems trousers: the seat lined
with ehamois SKIN, and strap them under the
instep with piece OF leather fastened to-
buttons on either side
Breeches are a thousand times more COM
Portable. They are neater. They are cooler
IN summer and warmer in winter. They shouId
be made OF some elastic material the same
color as the habit; reach 3 or A. or even 6
inches below the knee; fit very close and be
fastened with buttons from the bend in the
knee down, the right leg having the buttons on
the inside. Stockinette Jersey cloth or deer
akiu very Un0d m