JUST DANDY
THERE’S NOTHING like a riding crop and tall pair of boots to make a man sit up and take notice of what you’re wearing. The vaguely S & M reference – OK, not so vaguely – of a woman in control has its roots in the wardrobe of history’s mounted soldier. It didn’t take long for girls to want to get on the horse. And back when chicks still had to ride side-saddle, they soon developed a lust for the take-the-reins clothes as well. This is what power dressing looked like in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
Catherine de Medici, Florence’s reigning diva, and Catherine the Great, the formidable czarina who brought enlightenment to Russia, both adopted men’s clothes to scandalous effect. But we have that original French It Girl Marie Antoinette to thank for making gender-bending stick with all her fashion followers.
“She had a preference for riding in men’s clothes and introduced masculine equestrian tailoring and styling into women’s clothes,” says Caroline Weber, author of “Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution.” “That was still considered scandalous in the 1770s, and by the 1780s, they were saying no welldressed woman should be without at least one riding coat in her wardrobe.”
You may not own a riding coat, but this fall you’ll be chomping at the bit for something with big gold buttons. All stylish Josephines want to look like their Napoleonic better halves. Dolce & Gabbana work this theme with enough buttons and boots to outfit the 22nd infantry, and Ralph Lauren has trotted out a few officer’s jackets with dazzling embroidery.
Madonna, not one to be left behind on a trend, made a comeback from a spill off her horse on her tour this summer dressed in some kicking laceup Yves Saint Laurent boots and a riding dominatrix wardrobe by Jean Paul Gaultier. The horse-loving lady of the manor wears the Ariat riding brand that is featured in this story.
Even Sienna Miller showed up at a promotional appearance for Pepe jeans in London last week wearing her jeans tucked into tall boots with a red harness strapped over a black riding coat. Nothing like a woman in uniform to keep randy Jude Law in line.
* Double-breasted tweed coat, $2,150, at Dolce & Gabbana, 825 Madison Ave., with pie-crust collar blouse, $89, and Kara leggings, $29, at Club Monaco. Frye lace-up ankle boots, $260, at fryeboots.com
* Tevron Chase velvet jacket, $725, with Tevron Chase ruffled blouse, $225, at Saks. Paper Denim & Cloth jeans,
$88, at Shop, 105 Stanton St. Kenneth Jay Lane gold-plated stretch belt, $250, at Mariko, 998 Madison Ave.
* Fendi felt wool military coat, $2,500, at eluxury.com. Deluxe leggings, $38, at Wolford, 619 Madison Ave.
Chloe patent platform pumps, $655, at Bergdorf Goodman.
* Marc by Marc Jacobs double-breasted wool coat, $578, at Bloomingdale’s, with ruffled blouse, $89, at Club
Monaco. Colette Malouf black velvet headband, $50, at Henri Bendel, 712 Fifth Ave. Stretch leggings, $29 at Club Monaco.
* Anna Sui knit jacket with velvet trim, $499, at Macy’s Herald Square, with Red Engine black jeans, $164, at Olive & Bette’s, 384 Bleecker St. Wool cap, $5.90, at H&M. Side-zip knee-high Leiden boots, $160, at Rockport, 160 Columbus Ave.
* Ports 1961 doublefaced cashmere jacket, $675, with striped wool sweater, $175, and scarf, $125, at Ports1961.com. Isli black Swarovski crystal tuxedo pants, $268, at Saks. Leather lace-up boots, $595, at Michael Kors, 974 Madison Ave.
* Jean Paul Gaultier navy wool coat with fur trim, $2,995, at Bergdorf Goodman. Marc by Marc Jacobs black tights, $98, at Bloomingdale’s. Leather boots with burnished gold buttons, $1,550, at Dolce & Gabbana, 825 Madison Ave.
* (Page 35 cover photo) Cynthia Steffe cadet canvas and velvet jacket, $370, at Saks Fifth Avenue, with ruffled cotton shirt, $39.50, at Express. Stretch cotton twill low rider breeches, $99.95, at ariat.com.
Stylist: Prue Lewington; Market associate: Christina Tam; Makeup: Cynthia Rose (CynRose.com); Hari: Mala for Robert Kree Salon, 375 Bleecker St.; Model: Jade from Ford Management New York; Location: Riverdale Equestrian Centre
