Breeches Review

I bought the Ovation DX Celebrity Slim Secret Full Seat Breeches a couple of months ago, but I haven't had the opportunity to tell you what I think about them until now. First of all, that is a horrible name: Celebrity? And the Slim Secret thing is ... where? I think they could have stuck with the simpler "DX Full Seat" and been good.

Riding Warehouse carries them in gray and white.

Price: ☆☆☆☆☆
Riding Warehouse, whose prices are hard to beat, carry them for $98.95 plus free shipping which is a good price for full seats. And if you're a regular shopper at the Riding Warehouse, you probably know how to get a discount, which I did, so I actually paid 15% less than the listed price. $85 felt like a steal - they are worth the price.

Style: ☆☆☆
​These are nice, but I wish Ovation had gone with just a touch more piping or contrast stitching or something else to help these breeches stand out a bit. The pocket detailing is a good start, but that's the extent of the fashionable detailing. 

​I think SmartPak has hit on a great thing with their Piper breeches, especially for the price. I love the contrast stitching and pocket trim, but even though I own four pair of them, I HATE the fit. That crotch sag just irritates me to no end. I've sworn not to buy another pair. There have to be other breeches out there that are just as cute that also fit.

Fit: ☆☆☆☆
​While these aren't nearly as cute as the Pipers they fit a whole lot better. While they don't sag, thank goodness, there are a few things that I don't like. First of all, I think they run small. I ended up returning the first pair and ordered up a size and switched to longs. I am only 5'3", so when I need a long, that tells me something is off about the sizing.

The difference between the 30 and the 32 felt more like I had gone up two sizes. It probably has to do with the slimming panel thing. In the 30s, I literally couldn't bend my legs or even squat. In the 32s, I had room to spare. 

The other thing that I don't love is where they sit at the waist. I tend to wear low rise breeches because that's how they come anymore, so these feel a bit awkward as they sit just above my hips instead of below. Standing, it's fine, but when I ride, I feel like they're holding up the "girls." 

Construction: ☆☆☆☆☆
These puppies are well made. I like sturdy fabrics, and these fit the bill. They're probably too thick to wear in Central California's broiling summers, but they will definitely work for at least nine months of the year. I am also impressed with the sock leg. It stays in place, but it's not tight or flimsy and feels very well constructed.

If there is a secret tummy-flattening panel, I couldn't see it or feel it, so don't let that discourage you. The first time I wore them, my best friend did think they were very flattering, so maybe Ovation has a secret template for improving fit.

Over All: ☆☆☆☆
Despite wishing they were a bit more stylish and that they sat just slightly lower, I like them well enough that I've ordered them in white. They're back-ordered so I can't tell you how the white compares to the gray - sometimes white breeches run even smaller or are too thin, but if I Riding Warehouse would carry them in another color, I would definitely order a third pair.