Equestrian show clothing-western-horsemanship tops-showmanship suits & jackets

Yea ! Readers Discount

2010-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're having a great week! I just wanted to drop a quick line and some special savings that might come in handy as show season is kicking off.

If you're reading this then you can use this 10% off blog Subscriber code! When you order any item during February you may use this code for a special discount. Just a little way for us to thank you for reading and sharing an interest in what we love to do. As a savvy shopper and a Heather's Hot Couture supporter you may apply this code to a single purchase during Feburary, either online or over the phone. Limited to one time use only and expires 2/28/2010. See terms and conditions.

The Subscriber savings code is HOT LIPS

Thanks for reading and happy shopping,
Heather

Go Girls!

2010-01-29T18:05:00.000-08:00

At the end of another long week.......let's just say coffee is going to be my best friend as we race into February. I really can't complain because busy is the way I like it! It's true that the older you get the faster the time seems to fly by. I always thought that was just something "old" people said!! lol! Those wise old people were right.

We've been working hard on custom ensembles, many of which this year have been for youth. I really enjoy designing for the younger ladies. I know that they are our future. The next generation of talent is often pretty adventurous when it comes to dressing for the showring. They don't have problem areas that they want to hide, and they are not concerned with conforming to ideas about age-appropriate colors. They enjoy the freedom of their youth, and why shouldn't they?

I can relate to the excitement they feel - who doesn't love new clothes? I see myself in them, dreaming of millions of new outfits as my imagination runs wild. For me the clothes played a big part in being excited for the next show. I remember wanting to quit english riding and start practicing western pleasure at about age 14. I was bored with breeches and the silver saddles and shiny buckles were irresistable. It didn't seem to matter that I loved hunter hack and the excitment of jumping or that I had mastered my diagonals and posting was now easy. Even worse news, my horse loved to move out in an extended trot and didn't know the meaning of slow jog. Needless to say, the glitz and glamor had taken over my brain!

All little girls must start somewhere, whether its at local schooling shows wearing second-hand and borrowed clothes or in 4-H and making clothes like me. I hope you enjoy looking and laughing along with me at this time line of show pictures....... Wow we sure have come along way! I'm not sure whats funnier, the clothes, the horses or the hats? LOL!

These are a few snapshots of me and my sis Robin. We were bit by the showbug at a young age and you can see it's been a lifelong passion. I'm sure unless this is your first show season you've all got some treasured old pictures collecting dust. I encourage you to dig them out! It's a sure way to get a laugh and relive those sometimes forgotten old memories. Our old show clothes are as special as the stories they tell of dreams and memories past.

I can't seem to find pictures of some of my old favorites. Maybe I'll have to put the actual clothes on a dummy and take pictures of them!

The most fun part of designing for the youth now is meeting the little girls and listening to them explain their ideas about what they want to wear. Some of these little ladies are extremely creative and have BIG IDEAS! Of course money is no object either at their young age!

Currently we are working on a Flower Power, Peace, Love and Rock 'n Roll theme ensemble inspired by a little girls' tastes. Her mom and grandma say "she should have been born in the 60's," and I think she's eleven! I had to laugh when I heard this! I remember dressing as a hippie for a school play and drawing peace signs and flowers too. You never know what inspires kids' ideas. On the other hand, some girls don't care about their wardrobe and would rather leave it up to their mom or trainer. I guess a mother always knows best, or at least most of the time! Speaking of mothers, my mom took on the challange of sewing my designs as clothes got more costly once I started showing in western classes at AQHA shows.

Most of my youth clients are just at the begining, many showing at the breed shows and full of big dreams. These girls all share a competitive will and the determination that I will continue to admire. Some of these younger youth are the most fierce competitors I've ever met, just full of energy and excitment! I look forward to many more outgrown outfits and win pictures. Send 'em in!

Heather

Let it Snow!

2010-01-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

Wow! It's been raining a ton this week in northern California. For once those weather guys were right! This has been a giant storm week for us; thunder, lighting, hail, wind, sleet, and yes, best of all, SNOW! Since here in California we've been experiencing a drought, getting less and less rain and snow in the past few years, we welcome this change.

One the best parts of living in the bay area is our location. We've got just about everything you could want in a half days' drive. One if the things I most enjoy doing during the winter season is snowboarding. I love to sneak away any chance I get to Tahoe! One of the best parts of this wet weather in the Bay Area is knowing we're only a short trip away from winter wonderland ( about a three hour drive) to Tahoe. Getting out from behind the laptop or work table is soo important, the fresh air and beauty of nature is invigorating. The re-discovery of this magical white world each season never seems to get old. I just love the quiet peacefulness I feel when I'm surounded by giant snowflakes covering all the pine trees.

I thought I would show you all a few recent pictures of my sister Robin, my boyfriend Clay, and I hitting the slopes! I have to say we look pretty funny all bundled up in our snow clothes like little snow bunnys! You can hardly tell we're girls under all those layers! FYI the hottest snow bunny fashion trend this year on the slopes is a touch of bling! LOL One of the last places I'd expect to see jackets with rhinestone snaps and Swarovski trims is the line for the chair lift, so....... I guess it's official. Crystals are taking over the world!! I like the idea of being a little sparklie and sporty where you least expect it! A little bling never hurt anyone!

Besides seeing how funny and silly we are, check out the views of the lake! It is stunning from the gondola ride up the mountain at Heavenly ValleyResort on the Nevada-California border at southshore Tahoe. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it. If you come to a Rancho Murieta show, you're only 90 miles away! Even if you don't ski or board you can take a beautiful ride up the mountain in a cozy 6 person floating glass bubble while sipping hot cocoa or even better one of my favorites, an Irish coffee! I can't wait for my next chance to get back up there and play in the snow!

While stuck here in all this rain what better is there to do than work? This gloomy weather makes staying inside and staying on track with all our custom projects in progress a little easier. We are gearing up for spring show season, focusing on new designs that I hope you all will love as much as I do! I'm very much looking forward to seeing you all out there at a few shows starting in March and I pray that we've got all the wet weather over by then. Showing horses and for me (selling and working) in the rain is no fun :( Thank God for covered arenas, right!

Check out our show schedule to see where we'll be. This schedule is tentative and we will be adding shows.... most likely local northern California stuff, keeping things simple so we can focus on production. If you all have favorite shows that you're looking forward to and would like to see us there, let us know. We always love to hear from you, or you can always call or email to set up a private appointment with us if you need something new. Keep in mind early in the season is the best time to order or shop because you can wear your investment all season and you're ready to go hit the shows without stressing and worrying about what to wear! Procrastinators, I can relate! LOL

If you haven't had time to get outside and take a break from your crazy life, I hope you find your own way to enjoy the chilly weather before it's gone and we're all sweating together at this years sizzling summer shows!

Heather

Our New Equine Chrioncle Ads

2010-01-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

We are sooo excited to announce that we've teamed-up with some super talented ladies to kick off our new ads. We're working hard on the 3rd ad, but this process is still very new to us. Since each ad will feature a new Custom by Heather design, we will be showing off some of our most new and exciting projects. If you didn't see them yet, here's the first 2 ads.

Although we're closing in on the deadline for the 3rd issue, the Spring Line-Up Stallion Issue, this is sure a great learning experience. As you can see, we're changing and tweaking as we go. A work in progress.

The creative process, layout design and photo shoot are a lot of work, but in many ways are similar to the process of designing and making clothes. A collaboration of creative minds is something I know well and is a big part of what I enjoy daily about designing for clients. Every facet of owning a small business and being part of a partnership is about bouncing ideas off each other, learning from each other and using our individual creative talents to inspire new projects and fresh designs. Sometimes if you're a designer it's easy to become a control-freak when you have a vision of the end result. Working with other artists is sometimes complicated but always refreshing for me. I learn so much from others and their unique perspectives. I think it's very important for artists to collaborate and to continue to inspire each other. The end result is always improved.

Somewhere in the process of making the clothes I often discover something that I want to change as the garment comes to life. I have to admit that there can be conflicts any time you get strong minded women with similar creative personalities together.

I've always considered myself an outgoing personality (a people person) and an Artist. I think Critiques in college were the best and the worst part of my entire fashion school experience. For me....... the most memorable experiences were learning how to take and share constructive criticism and to constantly be inspired by the amazing talent around me. It was a lot like Project Runway if you can imagine! Lots of talent, lots of pressure, and lots of growing. Oh yeah, did I forget primadonnas, so a lot like showing horses too! I'm sure you see the similarities! LOL

Check out some of the behind the scenes pictures at our shoots.

I have to mention what fun it's been working with a long-time friend and lovely lady, our graphic designer, the great Michelle Guerra of Guerra Graphics. She has been a lifesaver! She really is one hot model (up above in white hat on left), momma, photographer, graphic designer, computer nerd, and a complete lifesaver! What's even more funny is that "Chel," as I call her, has a horse background. She was a childhood 4-H buddy who worked as a wrangler at a local barn in the bay area ( Knightsen, CA) and competed in every event from gymkhana to dressage growing up. We have a lot to thank Chel for. She was one of the first friends who introduced me to riding and showing when I was a little girl. A big thanks to Chel for all her hard work making our vision come to life. We are looking to do many more projects in the future together, and we couldn't have done it without you! Check out guerragraphics.com and our ads for more info!

My Fashion Forecast for 2010!

2010-01-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

Now is the time that most of us in the horse show industy start thinking about show goals, dreams, points and planning our show-season schedule. For many of you that means the enduring question of what to wear. What's in this year? Well ladies, the good news is that this season for AQHA, APHA and most breed shows the style is much the same where one thing is concerned.............

That one thing is BLING!!!!!

That old saying "Less is More" defiinitely does not apply to show clothes. When it comes to ladies western show clothes (guys are off the hook on this one!) the big trend for 2010 is "More is More," and I mean more BLING!!! More is better is the current mood displayed by competitors at the world level and we know it all trickles down from there. In fact, even for the youth clothing, we're seeing completely encrusted outfits, with crystals covering entire garments.

This may be a bit over the top to some...... but I've gotta admit I've always been into things that
sparkle! It's almost like it's genetic. I simply can't help it and I've been like this as long as I can remember. So if you can relate to loving all things that glitter, and secretly wish that wearing sequins was a part of your daily life like back in the 80's, then 2010 could be your chance to express your love for over-the-top disco ball BLING!

It's crazy how much I still enjoy sparkly things, even after countless hours of tedious "stoning" AKA torture to some who have dabbled in the art of hand emeblishing a shirt or even repairing old show clothes. Call me crazy, but I love the self-induced pain of hand applying thousands of crystals to a creation and watching it literally come to life. Sometimes it's a little addicting and can be hard to stop. There's always the question of what's one more stone? I guess it's true that when making these clothes (or as I call them costumes) it's a labor of love. You wouldn't believe the time that goes into making a sketch or idea for a design come to life. In the end stages I feel like I'm choosing the jewelry for the outfit. It's amazing how crystals seem to magicly transform a design from pretty to spectacular, just like the right jewelry.

I wanted to show you all a little something we're working on. I thought it would be fun for you to see a design come to life from the sketch to fabric and finally embillished with crystals in final form. This design just happens to combine sequined fabric with large and small Swarovski crystals in multple sizes and shapes. What could be a better example of the SUPER BLINGY looks that are hot for 2010?

CONCEPT SKETCH INSPIRED BY FABRIC CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Even if your tastes tend to lean on the more consertive side, or the elegantly understated rather than bold and flashy, I think it's safe to say that when it comes to show ring style, being an individual and wearing the looks that most suit your personality will in the end be the best bet. Standing out in front of the judges is everyone's goal, but how you do that means knowing what gives you the confidence to shine!

Heather Farry

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun picture of my mom and me at a Rancho Murietta paint show last year

Wow, it's almost 2010! Isn't is amazing how time flies? We're gearing up for our fourth year in business (not counting a lifetime of dressing friends & making our showclothes just for fun!) The time has really flown by. As the new year grows nearer I'm thinking more and more about goals and resolutions and also reflecting on this past year.

Four years seems like such a short time, but boy how times have changed. I'm so grateful for all you gals out there still pursuing your show dreams despite mounting economic obstacles that are forcing so many to take a break from their much-loved passion. Horses & showing, it's really one of those things that get under your skin and makes us who we are.

As I make a resolution to attempt to blog regularly, LOL!, I want to say a huge thank you, ladies. To all our clients, thanks for your continued support. Thanks for coming back for more and allowing me to continue to design and make these amazing pieces of art we call show clothes. It's such a blessing that I'm able to see my designs come to life through your pictures and at shows. I can't think of anything I would rather do than create designs for you. You're amazing! We hope to see you at a few shows in 2010.

I want to share a recent highlight of my job. Santa asked me for some help to create a special custom look for a sweet little 8-year-old showing paints back in Connecticut. Wow - that was fun! I remember how much I loved Santa and surprises as a child and still do. Nothing would have made me happier at eight than to get anything horse-related, especially show clothes! What a privilege it was to be Santa's helper, and such a fun project.

Happy New Years! Heather Farry

Blast Off!

2007-07-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone - we finally did it! With lots of help from our awesome webmaster, Cathy Gonsalves, we're up & running. Good thing too, 'cause we're hitting the road pretty hard starting next week.......

down to Burbank and the fabulous Los Angeles Equestrian Center for the Southern California Classic Paint-O-Rama. That's right - Paints! It's our first time out to a paint show and we're super excited. We hear from our paint friends (hey there Janice, Melanie & Casey) that they'll just love our clothes. We think they will.....

To our quarterhorse friends, we just want to say it was nice to see some of you at the Oregon Summer Classic in Central Point last month. We have some really cute pictures we promised we'd share.....
Summer & Sadie modeling their favorites. Have you ever seen brighter smiles? What posers!

Heather &
Brianna...just hanging out. Love the earrings Bri!

As announced at the Oregon Classic, we're holding a drawing for a $100 gift certificate for our our store at the end of the first 30 days of our website.

Register by joining our blog (use Subscribe to Blog, email form to the right) you have to sign up between August 1st and 30th.

To all you quarterhorse people who got qualified, congratulations! We wish you all the best of luck. Hope to be seeing you out at the shows.....