Jul 102009
…a topic I know nothing about.
Basketcase Philly writes:
Betty’s breeches are all wrong! The tight stretchy type did not come in until the mid-1970s. She should be wearing the old-fashioned kind with the flared thighs – check out contemporary pictures of Jackie Kennedy, for example.
Here’s Jackie:
Here’s Betty:
They are different styles, but I cannot say that Betty’s tighter style is anachronistic.
Basketcases?
25 Responses to “Riding breeches”
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Betty probably got her forward-thinking trousers at the same shop where Peggy got her forward-thinking pantyhose!
We looked into it and agreed that Peggy's pantyhose were inside the acceptability zone. They were new, and not all that popular, so Peggy is forward-thinking. She also works on Playtex and other female-oriented accounts so she may well have gotten them as a prototype in the office.
As a male MM viewer, I can only applaud Janie Bryant for making the choice to put Betty in the more….form fitting pants. Clearly a wise decision.
Great comment …
a) reason #726 why this blog rocks;
b) i’d be willing to be that Janie Bryant suggested the right style on first go-through. not to state the obvious, but just as quickly someone probably realized that JJ in the 70′s breeches is smokin’ hot. period dress aside, let’s not make betty draper look like gene sarazen.
I believe that the riding breeches worn by Betty were coming into vogue around the mid 20th century.
I don't even have to be male to applaud the riding breeches as a costume choice for Betty. Those were awesome.
The only outfit I liked more was Betty's ambush-the-shrink suit from "The Wheel": little slice of Hitchcock, right there.
Betty's more Caroline Bessette to me…ice queen, white blond hair, very European.
Anachronistic or not, I like Betty's form-fitting riding breeches. One, because of what the other posters said, January Jones looks amazing in that riding outfit. Two, because in my mind, horse riding is a source of individual power for Betty (like that scene where Don comes back to her? I think that would have gone over somewhat differently in any other setting) as well as having strong sexual overtones– Arthur's flirtation with her that she shifts to her friend. It makes sense that she's wearing something that contrasts with her usual voluminous skirts.
Just want to say that I still have my mother’s riding breeches from about 1964 or so . . they are absolutely that form fitted. They came from Miller’s in NYC which was the premier Equestrian store at the time . I’ve seen pictures with her in them and they are not baggy like those Jackie ones.
Carolyne, thanks, that's the kind of period detail I was interested in hearing. Count on our Basketcases to come through!
I have a book called "Jackie: The Clothes of Camelot" by Jay Mulvaney. It has the same picture as the one above of Jackie. The text next to the picture says, "Her riding clothes were ordered from Gordon's, a British tailor specializing in hunting clothes, and the equestrian wardrobe included a navy gabardine coat with double vents, a tan silk coat, Bombay jodhpurs, and breeches in canary yellow and dark brown."
So. Perhaps what Jackie Kennedy is wearing was from London and not what would have been warn in America (or Ossining New York) and/or the clothes Jackie is wearing are more for "hunting" while Betty's are more for sport/riding. I have no idea – as I know nothing about horses – but I thought you basketcases would appreciate the info…
On another note – if you look through the rest of the book (I highly suggest getting it out of the library and taking a look) – the clothes (Jackie's anyway) as we go from 1963 forward are very streamlined… solid colors, shifts, sleeveless, pins are big, hats, gloves – but the attention to the waist and pointy boobs seems over – and simplicity seems key. In any case I can't wait for season 3 – not only do I love the story, the writing, the actors, the performances, etc… but the clothes alone are worth re-watching the episodes on mute. I love the commentary from the season 1 DVD with Janie Bryant as she describes her thought process for each outfit… just genius!
Don't quote me on this, but I think Betty's wearing breeches, while Jackie's wearing jodhpurs. I believe the type of riding one does (dressage, show jumping, hunt, etc.) determines whether you wear jodhpurs or breeches.
God I love this blog – where else would you get this kind of discussion, and more importantly the amazing research people have done.
As for the topic at hand: I am not at all surprised to learn Jackie got her clothes in London. She grew up in a much more "old money" social milieu than the suburban Betty, one that took a lot of cues from England. That may also account for the difference in styles.
Now that I think about it, Tippi Hedren's riding togs in Marnie were similar to Betty's…AND Jackie O's. There's one scene where Marnie's riding alone, just for fun, and it looks like she's wearing the more form fitting type of pants (although I doubt they were as tight as Betty's — I'm sure Janie Bryant took some license there). Then there's a formal hunt scene where she and Diane Baker are wearing the baggy jodhpurs.
Mad Men S2 actually takes a lot from this film. We've talked a lot about Vertigo (still can't believe M Weiner hadn't seen that movie until recently), but I don't know if we talked about Marnie as an influence as well. There are the themes of switched identities, tragic pasts, sexual frustration and dissatisfaction, etc. The "spousal" rape scenes in both pieces, for example, are very similar. In Marnie, Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren are on a honeymoon, of sorts, and he wants to get intimate. They struggle at first, then he yanks her clothes off. She freezes and just stares off into the distance, while he has his way with her. Compare this scene to the one with Joan and Dr. McRapist. It's nearly identical — and equally chilling.
The spousal rape scene in Marnie is devastating. A lot of people to this day refuse to acknowledge that their beloved Sean Connery committed a rape in that film. And that his wife attempted suicide as a result.
Deborah, you are so welcome! I love your site! Thank YOU! You guys do a great job! Oh, and Mom's breeches are camel colored FYI. I have the jacket too. And the hat is at her house I think!
Ok, in the interest of ridiculous detail, I googled Miller's and found this fantastic piece from the Sports Illustrated Archives about the Miller's Equestrian store and it is dated, JACKPOT! from prime Mad Men time: August 21, 1961! If you scroll down there is in fact a great bit of detail from Mr. Miller himself about the different kinds of riding breeches at that time His statement seems to confirm basketcase Stephanie's thoughts that the Jackie type of flared out looser breeches are for hunting, whereas Betty's would be the sport/jumping type.
Enjoy!
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/arti…
According to Wikipedia: Originally, jodhpurs (as worn in and around the city in India after which they are named) were tight-fitting only from the knee to the ankle and were flared above the knee; modern stretch-fabrics have allowed jodhpurs to be supportive and flexible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodhpurs
Betty had probably done a bit of riding when younger but began taking lessons again after Don's promotion. An opportunity to shop for the latest thing!
With Jackie, her jodhpurs were "these old things." I'm reminded of the scene in Philadelphia Story, where jodhpur-clad Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn) rubbed dirt all over the brand new riding outfit of her intended; he'd come up in the world & didn't know the "rules" of her class. (But she ended up dumping him for all the right reasons!)
Tracy was one of the Lords–of Philadelphia's Main Line; Betty was one of the Hofstadts–prosperous for several generations. The Lords had their own stables; the Hofstadt children took lessons at a riding club. The Lords had a pool; the Hofstadts swam at their country club. Don/Dick considered them all wealthy, but Betty saw the more subtle distinctions.
The new breeches were fine for a suburban riding club. And she knew they looked good on her.
Tippi Hedren in "Marnie" (1964):
Tippi Hedren
Rosie, perfect. Those are exactly Betty's breeches.
Right. But it’s 1964. Sorry girls, but Marnie does not solve the problem.
“The spousal rape scene in Marnie is devastating. A lot of people to this day refuse to acknowledge that their beloved Sean Connery committed a rape in that film. And that his wife attempted suicide as a result.”
They find it even more difficult to consider that Connery’s James Bond came close to committing rape against Honor Blackman’s character in 1964′s “GOLDFINGER”. Remember the barn scene?
Ah, yes Roberta, but I think the 1961 SI article provides the detail needed. I loved this part:
Miller’s riding-apparel department is run by Jack Miller—Joe’s brother. A careful craftsman, Jack sports both a mustache and a beard, and he has definite ideas about riding clothes. “Most people think the looser the better,” he says. “That’s wrong. Riding clothes must be tight.” He put aside his tape measure. “The old English breeches makers used to say, ‘If you can get them on, they’re too big.’ That’s not too exaggerated. Tight breeches protect against chafing.”
Could it be our Betty is more stylish than Jackie? Heaven forbid!
That also could account for the blood getting through at the end of S2.
Does anyone know where to purchase the riding bag Betty carries from the stables; you can see the riding crop laying on top inside the bag.
Jodhpurs are usually more comfortable than breeches (no boots) so are worn when you intend to have them on for a long time during the day. The only problem with them is that ,without tall boots, your inner leg will be susceptible to irritation from constantly rubbing against the stirrup leathers. If you intend to be on the horse for several hours (as fox hunters do) you will need tall boots. Additionally, tall boots protect the outside of your leg from injury should the horse rub up against a fence or tree etc. while riding. I have seen a rider's leg after it had been scraped along a fence, picking up a number of large splinters. Not a pretty sight, but it could have been avoided if the rider had been wearing tall boots. Instead, she was wearing jeans that were rolled up to just below the knee. Comfortable but unsafe.
Years ago, before the advent of stretch fabrics, it was necessary to provide ample space in the seat of riding breeches (or jodhpurs) to accomodate the rider's rear end when he/she rode in the "hunt seat" position. That's when the rider is up and out of the saddle and leaning forward while the horse either cantering or galloping along. If that extra room wasn't built into the pants, they would split right down the back! To prevent this, a "flare" is included in the breeches (or jodhpurs) which provides room to expand without splitting the back seam. Then, along about the 1970's or so, along came stretch fabrics. These solved the problem since they "give" when the rider is out of the saddle and so won't split the seam. Consequently there was no longer any need for breeches (or jodhpurs) to have a flare.I would always recommend wearing tall boots for protection when riding. They do cost more but, like wearing a hard hat, it makes riding so much safer.
I would recommend Dover Saddlery of Littleton, Mass. for any kind of riding equipment.