A day later, I find myself browsing through the classic horse melodrama,
National Velvet, shopping for summer outfits and home decorating inspiration. First, I'm caught offguard by the film's challenging confluence of animal barn and guest bedroom. The Pie's itinerant trainer, played by Mickey Rooney, lives in a tidy room which curiously merges with the space of a horse stable (making it possible for Elizabeth Tailor to dash in by horseback for an animated chat about The Pie's prospects for the Grand National).
Most enticing for this vintage shoe nut are Elizabeth "Velvet" Tailor's riding loafers (a genre of shoe which I believe should be promptly reissued by major department stores).
Ultimately, I'm drawn to the wintery barn togs Tailor and Rooney sport during their efforts to revive The Pie from a fatal horse malaise using the surefire curatives of whiskey, blankets and earrubs (since I'm fastforwarding through the the film I'm not bothered by the characters' abrupt transition from summer to winter wardrobes)(four seasons worth of JCREW catalogues stapled together).
It's rare to find archival images of "ardent," female polo enthusiasts. I don't know much about this historic match but I do admire the lady player's classic causal sporting garb.
My favorite ensembles: slouchy cotton pullovers, soft collared polo shirts, wide flared jodphurs, boots and wide leather ring belts. Pony as low maintenance, offscreen accessory.
It's striking to see match action w/out corporate tents and fashionable onlookers in the background.
As a kid, despite not owning a horse, I used to mail away for equestrian supply catalogs. I would browse through the pages of bits, bridles, silks and saddles, kitting out my imaginary Man O War with a full set of racing tack. Over time, horses morphed in bicycles, but I recently found a source for dog collars and leashes made by custom thoroughbred harness goods company, Danzig Bros. I just purchased one of the Amish-made, laced leather collars for my pony sized Weimaraner, Chaz. Designed for the rigors of the track, the lace leather style collar is made from best quality bridle leather and brass hardware. The leather is hand finished and edge polished. I've cycled through a number of dog collars but this is the first one that actually looks like it's going to survive our wet Oregon winters.
