Breeches: The Ultimate Fit Guide Vol. 2

Published on by Amanda C

The first time I did this post was January 2015, and since then I’ve done a blog move in which I lost most of my old pictures (including all the ones in that post) plus I have a mostly different line up of breeches. I figured it was time for a Volume 2. Granted, I just sold 3 pairs a few weeks ago so this probably would have been better to do before that, but… uh… I didn’t think about it til now.

HHPro5
These are already gone. Sorry sticky-butt breeches, you were too sticky.

The only breeches that I still have from Volume 1 are the navy Animo and the two pairs of Aztec Diamond’s. Those are staples. Aside from those, the current wardrobe includes RJ Classics, Winston, Renard et Cheval, Tailored Sportsman, QHP, La Valencio, and two models of Devon-Aire. For the sake of being thorough I’m gonna re-post the Animo and Aztec Diamond at the bottom of this volume too.

As for me, I’m 5’6″ and about as averagely built as one person can get. I wear a 36″ show shirt and a 30 breech, pretty much across the board. The only real fit issue I usually run into is that I’m a bit small in the waist and bigger in the hip/thigh, so things can tend to be either a little gappy in the waist or a little tight in the thigh.

Strap yourself in, because here we go. Sorry about the pics… I did them last minute and SO was grumpy about me interrupting his show to take a million pictures. Also Quinn helped.

RJ Classics

 

1 pair of the Gulf model in merlot size 30, front zip, low rise, euro seat. Retail approx $145

Fabric: 92% Nylon, 8% Elastic

Measurements:
Waist: 16″
Hips: 19″
Rise: 10.5″
Inseam to bottom: 23.5″
Belt loop size: 2.25″

Features:
mesh panel leg
front pockets
euro seat

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 5
Do they stretch out with wear: No
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: Soft
Do they dry quickly: Average
Are they thick or thin: Average, maybe a bit thick
# of wears (approx): about 10 so far (just got them a few weeks ago)
Is there any fading? No
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Pretty well
Any fit issues: The sizing on these is definitely a bit generous. I could size down if I were more comfortable with a tighter fit in the thighs, but I’d rather have a little more space than something akin to sausage casing. The waist is a bit gappy but they DON’T fall down or sag if I don’t wear a belt, which is some kind of rare magic, so the size works.

Winston Equestrian

 

1 pair of white size 30, front zip, low rise, euro seat. Retail approx $300

Fabric: 64% cotton, 29% pa mic, 7% elastane

Measurements:
Waist: 15″
Hips: 18.25″
Rise: 10.5″
Inseam to start of sock bottom: 22″, inseam to bottom: 28″
Belt loop size: just shy of 2.5″

Features:
sock bottom
euro seat
front pockets
silver piping at front pockets

Fair warning, I’ve only worn these around the house so far, to get a feel for them. I won’t really test them out until the next show, so if I couldn’t give an answer to the below questions I left it blank. I’ll review them in better detail after I’ve worn them some.

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant):
Do they stretch out with wear: No
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash:
Do they dry quickly:
Are they thick or thin: Average
# of wears (approx):
Is there any fading?
Is there any pilling?
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Decently. Not as well of some of my thicker/stiffer fabrics (the trade-off for comfort).
Any fit issues: None. These are the holy grail of fit for me, which is why I bought them.

Tailored Sportsman

 

1 pair of white Professional model size 30, side zip, low rise. Retail approx $235

Fabric: 67% cotton, 26% PA, 7% Elastene

Measurements:
Waist: 15″
Hips: 19″
Rise: 9.5″
Inseam to bottom: 23.5″
Belt loop size: 1 3/4″

Features:
velcro leg
front pockets

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 2
Do they stretch out with wear: Yes
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: Soft
Do they dry quickly: Fairly
Are they thick or thin: Average
# of wears (approx): maybe 10? Usually at shows.
Is there any fading? No
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Decently.
Any fit issues: These are fine. I don’t love side zip, and I prefer how these fit after they’ve stretched a bit (which they do). For some reason they tend to catch on my belly button ring a lot when I’m sitting. They’ve been my back-up pair for shows, but since I bought more these will get culled because I HATE VELCRO.

Renard et Cheval

 

1 pair of tan size 30, front zip, low rise. Can’t even find these online so I have no idea what retail is, I think I bought them on eBay.

Fabric: 91% cotton, 6% Poly, 3% Spandex

Measurements:
Waist: 16″
Hips: 19″
Rise: 9.5″
Inseam to bottom: 27″
Belt loop size: 2 1/4″

Features:
strechy panel in lower leg
front pockets
contrast knee patches

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 2
Do they stretch out with wear: Yes
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: Soft
Do they dry quickly: Fairly
Are they thick or thin: Thin
# of wears (approx): maybe 10? Usually at shows.
Is there any fading? Yes
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Not very well
Any fit issues: These are actually a little big on me in general, and they stretch out pretty quickly through the day. If I had them in a smaller size the proportions would probably work for me. The most annoying thing about these is that the pockets are really deep/big and the fabric scrunches up, which looks a bit sloppy. They’re really comfortable though.

QHP

 

1 pair of white Rose model size EU-42, front zip, low rise. Retail approx 100 Euros from Divoza.

Fabric: 58% cotton, 34% nylon, 8% spandex

Measurements:
Waist: 16″
Hips: 17″
Rise: 10″
Inseam to bottom: 28.5″
belt loop size: 1 3/4″

Features:
stretchy panel on lower leg
front and back pockets
euro seat
contrast piping at pockets

Fair warning, I’ve only worn these around the house so far, to get a feel for them. I won’t really test them out until the next show, so if I couldn’t give an answer to the below questions I left it blank. I’ll review them in better detail after I’ve worn them some.

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant):
Do they stretch out with wear: A little
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash:
Do they dry quickly:
Are they thick or thin: Average
# of wears (approx):
Is there any fading?
Is there any pilling?
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Not particularly well
Any fit issues: These fit well in the waist but are a bit tight in the thigh – more a straight cut than a curvy cut. Also just a touch long and big in the lower leg.

La Valencio

 

1 pair of whites size EU-42, don’t remember the model, front zip, low rise. Retail approx 90 Euros from Divoza.

Fabric: Cotton 62%, Nylon 32%, Spandex 6%

Measurements:
Waist: 15″
Hips: 18″
Rise: 10″
Inseam to bottom: 28″
Belt loop size – 1 7/8″

Features:

Stretch panel on lower leg

Front and back pockets
euro seat

silicone grips at knees

 

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 2

Do they stretch out with wear: No
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: A bit stiff
Do they dry quickly: Fairly
Are they thick or thin: Thicker
# of wears (approx): Around 15
Is there any fading? No
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Surprisingly well
Any fit issues: These are a teeny bit long on me too, but I like these breeches and wish I’d bought more than one pair. They’re starting to look a bit off-white after a year of showing.

Devon-Aire Signature

 

1 pair of navy with white piping size 30, front zip, low rise. Retail approx $90.

Fabric: Polyamide 32%, Cotton 60%, Elastan 8%

Measurements:
Waist: 16.5″
Hips: 17.5″
Rise: 11″
Inseam to bottom: 27″
Belt loop size: 1 7/8″

Features:
stretchy leg panel
front pockets
euro seat

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 3
Do they stretch out with wear: just a little
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: a bit stiff
Do they dry quickly: Fairly
Are they thick or thin: Average
# of wears (approx): 20ish
Is there any fading? Yes, more than I’d like considering they’re fairly new.
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Pretty well
Any fit issues: These definitely have lots of extra room in the waist, I have to wear a belt with them or they start falling down pretty quickly. They run long and are big in the lower leg on me. If you’re tall/have big calves, they’d probably be ideal. For me there’s too much fabric at the ankle and it tends to bunch up. Still, I like them better than Pipers.

Devon-Aire Madrid

 

1 pair of navy size 30, front zip, low rise. Retail approx $100

Fabric: Nylon 68%, Cotton 22%, Elastan 10%

Measurements:
Waist: 16.5″
Hips: 17.5″
Rise: 10.5″
Inseam to bottom: 28″
Belt loop size: 1 7/8″

Features:
sock bottom
front pockets
euro seat with piping and contrast stitching

Stain resistant (on a scale of 1 – 5, with 1 being least resistant and 5 being most resistant): 4
Do they stretch out with wear: No
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: Soft
Do they dry quickly: Fairly
Are they thick or thin: Average
# of wears (approx): 20ish
Is there any fading? No
Is there any pilling? No
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Okay
Any fit issues: These sit a bit better than the Signature model on me, likely due to the lower cotton content of the fabric (they don’t stretch out as you wear them or cling or sag). They’re still big in the waist and lower leg, but not as bad since there’s less excess fabric at the ankle.

Animo

Animofront Animoside

1 pair of navy size I-42, don’t remember the model, front zip, low rise.

Fabric: 90% polyamide 10% elastane, Euro seat lining 90% polyester 10% elastane.

Measurements:
Waist: 15″
Hips: 18″
Rise: 10″
Inseam to start of sock bottom: 21″, inseam to bottom: 27″
belt loop size: 1 3/4″

Features:
4 pockets
sock bottoms
lined euro seat for comfort/anti-chafing
silicone knee patches

Stain resistant (scale of 1-5): 4
Do they stretch out with wear: No
Do they dry quickly: Fairly quickly
Are they thick or thin: somewhere between average and a little bit thick
# of wears (approx): A ton. I’ve had them for years.
Is there any fading? Just starting to think about fading.
Is there any pilling? At the back of the knee.
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Fairly well. These are a bit too small on me so they’re less flattering than they could be.
Any fit issues: Other than me being a bit too fat for them in general, no.

Aztec Diamond Equestrian

 

 

1 pair of blue Flight size UK12, 1 pair of black Houndstooth Luxe size UK12, front zip, low rise.

Fabric: 94% polyester 6% spandex, Euro seat lining 92% polyester 8% spandex

Measurements: (blue Flight)
Waist 15.25″
Hips 18.5″
Rise 10.5″
Inseam to start of sock bottom: 18″, inseam to bottom: 25″
Belt loops: 1 3/4″

Measurements for the Houndstooth pair: all identical except Houndstooth are 1/2″ bigger in hips.

Features:
4 pockets on Houndstooth
3 pockets on Flight
sock bottoms
silicone knee patches
lined euro seat

Stain resistant (scale of 1-5): 4
Do they stretch out with wear: No
Are they stiff or soft out of the wash: Soft
Do they dry quickly: Very quickly
Are they thick or thin: thin
# of wears (approx): I’ve had the Houndstooth for 2 years and the Flight for a year and a half, and I wear them both regularly, so a lot.
Is there any fading? No.
Is there any pilling? No.
How well do they hide thigh cheese: Pretty well.
Any fit issues: None, honestly. The Houndstooth are my best fitting schooling breeches. Important to note though, ADE seems to have changed their fit a bit since I bought these. The last pair I got were considerably smaller in the hip/thigh to the point of making them basically unwearable for me. If you’re a bit bigger in those areas, I would size up.

31 thoughts on “Breeches: The Ultimate Fit Guide Vol. 2”

  1. Just wanted to say…I know this kind of post takes A LOT of effort and is time-consuming to put together, but I really appreciate anyone that honestly reviews breeches because we all wear them. I think you hit the nail on the head as far as important pros/cons (like stain resistancy and hiding ‘thigh cheese’ and numerical measurements), so THANK YOU for being honestly critical in your assessment. Whether or not you like a product, I feel like you’re always very realistic about whatever you’re reviewing, which is so much better than some reviews out there like “Tailored Sportsman makes breeches and they come in pretty colors.” Your effort is appreciated 🙂

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  2. thanks for posting this. i have an ample booty and a pretty small waist so i love seeing reviews from people who have similar issues as me. plus its nice to hear about actual durability.

    have you tried the piper mid rise yet? i hate low rise breeches but im intrigued by them.

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  3. Thanks for posting this! So many breeches I want to try so knowing what styles fit what body shapes (even if it’s not mine) is a huge help. I personally love the fit of the Pipers (best fitting pair of breeches I’ve ever worn), but hate how they wear…

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  4. I know we basically have opposite tastes in breech fabric construction, so seeing that you like the Winstons AND what they are made out of makes me want a pair RIGHT NOW. (Wallet says”no” though, at least for this month.) Excellent guide.

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  5. I had the same problem (probably more extreme) with the Aztec Diamond breeches. The thighs were sausaged in and it was a borderline obscene since they were white.

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  7. I love reading your reviews and another thank you for taking the time and effort to post them!

    The new Pipers with the silicone grippy seat are one of my favorites. I have no waist and am really tall so the longs fit me quite well. And they’re a bit higher rise than the regular Pipers so that makes me happy. Definitely not as gappy as the regulars, even on me.

    I also quite like the FITS I bought from you though the fabric is a bit more technical and thinner than I normally like. They are more comfortable in the hotter, muggier weather we’ve been having lately.

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  8. I agree my lady pair of Aztec’s are too small and the same ordering size. I just bought a pair of B Vertigo and love them. If anyone is looking I a brand new pair of Aztec’s to sell. Lol Sz 40 grey

    I love reading your reviews. You and I are virtually the same size so gives me ideas on what to order.

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  10. Thank you for your hard work on this!
    So what would you recommend for someone who is built with no rear end, skinny thighs and REALLY skinny calves (12″)? The ADEs?

    I thought TS Trophy Hunters would work on me, but I fall in between sizes (waist too tight to fit thighs or thighs too gappy when waist fits). Pipers fit well down to the knees and calves which were way too big (and I did not like the fabric, either). Another blogger recommended Pikeurs as she has similar fit issues to me, but those are WAY out of my budget. Any thoughts? (Other folks feel free to chime in, too!)

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    2. I’m similarly built with no butt and super skinny legs, and Equine Couture fit me well. They are cut quite straight through the hip/thigh area and the sock bottoms are snug on my 12″ calves. Most people find they have to size up one size from what they normally wear. TS and Tredstep and Ariat 24’s are baggy on me (yes I’m REALLY tiny) and the Equine Couture 24’s fit me perfectly. ADE’s didn’t work for me last time I tried, but they were the flight breeches about 1.5 years ago, so those might have been the older, more generous cut.

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        1. LOL, thanks very much to both of you! I will definitely be trying some of these! The only tack shop near me doesn’t carry a wide variety so I’ve really been stumped.

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  12. I’ll second everyone else in saying thanks for the breeches review. I’ve recently been on a breeches purchasing binge (please god give me the strength to quit buying horse stuff for at least one month!). I like the look of the RJ’s, but wish they came in more colors, though the burgundy is very pretty. 🙂

    I just bought some UK Sz 8 Aztec Diamond’s (their new breeches – the Amelias) and sadly they are so tight around the waist they are just not going to work for me (I wear a size 28 in TS). I now have the sad duty of either selling them, or shipping them back. Both options are depressing.

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      1. Yeh, one size up would’ve worked fine I think. My vanity was like “you’ll fit into that 8 just fine!” and then my gut was like “hahahaha! yehhhh right”.

        I will say the material is lovely, as are the little details.

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  14. I’m probably dense, but I don’t understand your measurements in this post. The concept of someone who wears a 30 breech having a 15″ waist does not compute! Do you mind a quick explanation please? I’m confused :s

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