The Western world is notorious for bling–watch any Western pleasure class and you’ll see silver-encrusted saddles and crystal-laden shirts and jackets. Some think they have to spend more money on show clothes than some do for school wardrobes. But is that always the case?

GoHorseShow.com had me talk to some AQHA/APHA judges to get their opinion on how they feel about Western show clothes and how you can dress for success in the show pen.

Here are some quick tips:

• Invest in a well-shaped, quality hat.
• Choose an outfit that best compliments your horse and your body type–don’t just follow fads and trends.
• Make sure you have your showmanship pants hemmed while wearing your show boots so they don’t end up too short in the show ring.
• You don’t have to get a super fancy outfit for showmanship–women can rock a well-tailored business suit found in a department store.
• More outfits is not always better–invest in one quality outfit if that’s all your budget allows.
• Moving parts of your outfit is not always best when it comes to classes like horsemanship and showmanship, so stay away from fringe, chains, etc. Save that for Western pleasure, riding, or trail.

Want more? Check out the article on GoHorseShow.com: Judges Discuss the Dos and Don’ts of Western Fashion.