Denim Breeches

Those of you who read even somewhat regularly will know I have a few obsessions. I love belts, socks, and breeches above most anything else. The socks are a cheap enough obsession that I can't count it as a strike against me. Belts are also relatively low-priced, so that too isn't such a bad habit. Breeches on the other hand are pricy, and let's face it, you can only wear so many pair in a week.

Even so, I like buying them, and I definitely own more pairs than can be worn before the next laundry day. Right now, I have five distinct piles:

• too small
• gross and ugly
• summer weight
• winter weight
• white for showing

The first pile is filled with breeches that are still really nice, and I hope to get back into them before they go out of style. The second pile is getting smaller and smaller. The third pile consists of lightweight tights as summer lasts for a good six to eight months here. The fourth pile has probably four pairs that belong in the gross and ugly pile, but I'll start moving them once it gets cool enough to try them back on. They're currently at the bottom of the pile. The final pile is pretty self-explanatory.

I have been pining for two particular pairs of breeches - a denim pair and that mahogany pair from Esprit Equestrian Wear. I ordered the mahogany pair on Monday. The denim pair came from the ranch owner. She doesn't wear breeches, but her trainer suggested a full seat denim pair to help her feel a bit more secure in the saddle. The ranch owner ordered a pair from Ariat that are super cute! Sad for her, good for me was that the pair she ordered was just a scootch too snug. After wearing them a time or two, she decided that she just needed more room, so she ordered a new pair and asked if the original pair might fit me! You can bet I shoe-horned my fanny into those things as soon as I got them home.

They are a little more snug around the waist than I would have liked had I bought them myself, but since I can't "return" them, I am living with a wee bit of snugness. Since they fit everywhere else just fine, I am keeping them. I rode in them over the weekend and loved them. They feel better on than they look - I am a bit fluffy around the middle after all, but I don't care. They check off nearly all of my requirements for breeches:

• Comfort/Fit 🌟🌟🌟
• Cell phone pockets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
• Full seats 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
• Price/Value 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
• Cute factor🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I have been wanting a pair of denim breeches FOREVER, so this feels like karma threw me a bone. Maybe now I can toss both of those old and ugly pairs I have and put a few others in that pile. That's my new rule: one pair in, one pair out! Now that I think about it, I could easily put SIX pairs in that old and ugly category.

Does that I mean I get to order six new pairs? Come on, help a sister out!