ISO: Browband Advice

I love sparkly, beautiful browbands on other people's horses. A nice browband adds a touch of elegance and regalness to most any horse. Just not mine. It took me forever to finally buy a browband for Speedy's bridle. Everything I looked at was just too flashy. I finally found the one from Red Barn. It has a gentle curve with subtle pearls and stones. It suits both of us.

I am finally feeling ready to buy Izzy's bridle a new browband. His bridle currently sports a browband with small clinchers, one of which recently broke off. Now that he's proven he can be a show horse, I am thinking that he has earned something a bit fancier. Since subtle is my middle name though, I am not necessarily the best judge of fancy. My fancy is usually someone else's plain jane. So, if I am actually going to really go for it, I need a bit of advice.

Izzy's clinchers browband on the left, Speedy's pearls on the right.

What's the current thinking? Is it better to match your browband to your horse or to your jacket? I ride in a navy jacket (shown above) and don't see that changing any time soon. I like it, it's super comfortable, and it fits well. If I do decide to go for an upgrade, it will in all likelihood be another navy option, or possibly black.

If I go for something that matches my jacket, reason would suggest that I should choose something in blue stones. The problem with that is that I just don't see Izzy in blue. I should back up. As many times as I've looked for fancy browbands, nothing, and I mean nothing has ever tempted me, so I never really pictured him in any color. Until recently that is. 

Swarovski and Tiffany Browband in Montana Blue, Clear, and Pearl.

I was perusing the Dressage Pony Store's website and landed on Valerie's selection of full size browbands. This blue one, a pretty fancy number, started calling my name. At around $100, the price is within my ball park even though it's currently sold out.

The same browband in Rose Gold, Clear, and Opal Crystal

With Izzy's warm coat color, bucksin-esque in late summer, and a deep seal brown the rest of the year, I am wondering if he wouldn't look better in a browband that sported warmer tones? I am in love with this rose gold browband and feel certain that it would look stunning on him. But like I said, my equine fashion sense when it comes to bling is not really to be trusted, hence the plea for advice.

Capri Gold Pale Blue Pearls Alternation

But then I saw this one. It has the golden colors that I think would look fabulous with his coat, but there are also pale blue pearls that might work with my navy coat. This browband sells for $90. I don't love it nearly as much as the one above, but maybe in person it's so stunning that I'd be wowed no matter which one I was looking at.

So, what do you all think? Match the horse? Match the coat? Just how are these things done?