What Danielle Prescod Wears to Ride Her Horse
Chatting with a real horse girl, plus thoughts on Literary Sport's launch, Reformation x Hoka and more...
“Correct riding clothes are not fashion but form! Whether coat skirts are long or short, full or plain, and waists wasp-like or square, the above admonitions have held for many decades, and are likely to hold for many more.” - Emily Post
Unlike many of my millennial peers, I did not go through a horse phase. One time I rode a pony at a birthday party. It stepped on my foot and that was enough equine interactions for me. So when I saw “horse girl” trending as the latest iteration of the old money aesthetic for fall, I was curious to speak with someone with real equestrian bona fides to get their take.
A veteran of the beauty and fashion industry, Danielle Prescod is the author of Token Black Girl and The Rules of Fortune (now available for pre-order.) A rider since childhood, she shared her perspective on the aesthetics of her sport.
The Saddle is My Runway
In Conversation with Danielle Prescod
What was your introduction to sports and riding specifically? Do you remember what you wore?
I probably wore hand-me-downs for my first few riding experiences. A lot of my friends were already taking riding lessons and that's how I ended up doing it. A big moment for me was getting my own helmet and boots which happened when I was ten. I think that helmet is still at my parent's house somewhere. This was in the 90s so there was a lot less choice in the matter. There were like 3 or 4 colors of breeches and then the accessories were all pretty standard. No one had the blinged out helmets and the huge bows that young girls are wearing now...also none of it was performance gear so everything was pretty uncomfortable.
How do you get dressed to ride? What are your main considerations in terms of both performance and style?
I think that function is primary for me. I used to live in New Orleans where it is very hot and humid and so I would wear breeches that also doubled as leggings to maximize my comfort and make sure that I didn't overheat. I am quite militant about sun protection as well so I found a lot of golf polos and tennis polos to wear as riding shirts. I religiously wear my Equi-visor which attaches to my helmet. Now I live in Wisconsin where the climate requires that I make sure to layer to stay warm. I have a lot of Uniqlo heat tech to help with that and I am wearing breeches that are more pants than leggings.
I'm fascinated by the history of equestrian dress, which has always been about blending function with high fashion and seems very traditional. What do you like about equestrian style? Anything you could do without?
I don't want to yuck anyone's yum but one thing that really gives me the ick is the fake designer gear. If you look at some of the big jumper accounts, you might see a lot of fake Chanel and Dior and Hermes. I get that riding is a "luxury" sport but the Canal Street fashion really stands out to me in a bad way.
Are there brands in the equestrian space you admire?
Personally, I love Ariat. They do an amazing job at innovating on behalf of the horse and rider and I think that everything is still chic. It is expensive but not insane. I also love brands like Corro and Tailored Sportsman.
This idea of the "horse girl" is trending this fall. What does horse girl style mean to you? What do you make of the trend?
I don't believe in "trends" as a principle. I think that once you do, your life becomes about costuming and it becomes harder and harder to find your personal style. You're either a horse girl or you aren't and girls who are horse girls, at least the ones I know, are not wearing their barn clothes to make a fashion statement. If you see me in a Barbour jacket and boots, I likely am either coming from or going to see my horse.
I know you're a tennis player too. Do you have a go-to tennis outfit?
I am! I love a skirt with built-in shorts or a dress. I hate playing tennis in leggings! I find it so uncomfortable and there is nowhere to put the balls!
What do you think is missing from the market, whether that's in terms of gear you wear to ride or activewear more broadly?
Honestly, I wish there was more innovation around accommodating different body types in the equestrian space. Don't get me wrong, things have come a super long way, but sometimes not far enough. I am fighting for my life to get breeches over my hips sometimes and I would really love a Good American-like solution to this particular problem. Similarly, women with larger busts should be catered to as well.
Quick Thoughts
Literary Sport launched its debut collection for pre-order on Friday. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given they launched at NYFW – but the collection is much more running-inspired attire for fashion people vs fashion for runners. From their launch email:
Today, we release a concise edit of garments intended for activity, with a design perspective informed by collective experience across fashion, literature, and art—drawing inspiration from running as a distinct shared language.
The collection offers evolved expressions of classic and high-performance forms, developed with an eye for how meaningful details, exceptional fabrication, and understated silhouettes can enliven physical pursuits.
Each piece has been thoughtfully designed and developed for real-world use—now unveiled to inspire activity in all forms, at one's own pace.
The nuance comes down to the styling and the price point. While $175 for a tank top and $230 for a short is not entirely crazy in a world where Loewe x On shorts retail for $330 and Satisfy for $240, it’s decidedly premium for running apparel. It’s wild to me how much the market has shifted in the last decade. When I started at Tracksmith we saw a fair amount of grumbling about $60 shorts. That all changed after the Nike 4% launch normalized dropping $200+ on a pair of shoes you only wear to race a few times. These days running and luxury are increasingly entwined.1 We’ve come a long way from the so-called “blue collar” roots of the 1970s running boom.The Reformation x Hoka collaboration landed and it is silly fun. Ref’s prancercise content leans into the brand’s irreverant tone and underscores the idea that all movement is exercise.
What I don’t get is why, if the collab is so much about movement for movement’s sake, they chose to iterate on the Mach 6, a performance trainer.
Hoka’s product copy:“Implementing speed focused design details throughout, we’ve enlisted a new creel jacquard upper with zonal breathability and an internal gusset to deliver the foot-hugging comfort required to set your next PR.”
Vs
Reformation’s copy:
“We created shoes for everyday athletes from all walks of life. Because there are a million ways to move yourself.”
It just seems like Reformation’s spin undermines the performance aspect of the shoe. Maybe people are over the Clifton or the Bondi, but those seem closer to the right silhouette for this campaign. That being said, the Mach’s I have run in previously had hideous colors, so maybe this is a win/win?
Bandit’s bold Berlin Braves collaboration is the latest example of running brands pushing the fashion envelope. It feels very Caberet-coded to me. Folks on Reddit compared it to a look from this season of Emily in Paris.
What I think is more interesting thought, is that Bandit, rather than teaming with fashion brands, has focused on partnering with cool kids’ run clubs like NBRO in Copenhagen or this one with the Berlin Braves. With so much discourse around the run club “trend,” this is an authentic way to celebrate the community and still build style cred.
The buzz from both the athletes and fans suggests that Alexis Ohanian and Gabby Thomas’s Athlos track meet was a success. In addition to a mega prize purse and concert from Megan Thee Stallion, the organizers included some thoughtful elements - like crowns made by Tiffany & Co. for the winners, individual athlete walk-out songs and smaller bibs designed for women’s bodies. I appreciated this detail about Alaysha Johnson in The Athletic’s coverage: “Wearing a custom denim tracksuit by Diesel, which she designed, featuring a bib crafted for her style and torso, for which she lobbied.” Marcus Thompson II explores whether the buzzy meet format is a harbinger of renewed track and field interest in the U.S. If Shonda Rhimes thinks so, then it has to be true, right?
This was a cool discovery via Laura Reilly of Magasin.
“Did you know Issey Miyake designed the uniforms for Lithuania’s Olympic team in 1992? Notable Lithuanian Viktorija Jasevice shared this piece of fashion trivia and we mused that the surviving pieces are probably all out of reach in museums or priced to never really move. Turns out this absolutely stunning pleated track jacket is up there at $2,250, but this pair of gymnastics pants are somehow only $90.”
Lululemon parted ways with ultra-runner Camille Herron, who was caught editing her competitor’s Wikipedia pages to downplay their accomplishments. Yikes!
LSU and WNBA star Angel Reese made Business of Fashion’s #BOF500 Class of 2024.
For more on this topic, Amanda Gordon has a good breakdown of Satisfy’s approach to bringing fashion to the trail.
I appreciated this look at "horse girl" culture that actually felt accessible. I've always been skeptical that it's a size inclusive industry so I hope some of these brands listen to Daniele!
In the write up I saw about Hoka & Reformation, they said that normally the shoes were for performance running but these are for “hot girl walks.” I concluded that meant they used cheaper materials so it really is not the same shoe. I think New Balance has done this before too, same silhouette, same shoe name, but the collab is not quite the same.