Care Instructions

Victory Pass prefers to use natural fibers: Wool and silk are durable and naturally wicking and anti-bacterial, so wearing them in multiple classes over a week-long show should be no problem. Cotton shirts can be rinsed and hung to dry between wearing if they show soiling or odor.

Jackets/Suit Coats:

Our Coats and Suits are 100% wool. It is possible to hand wash coats, but considering the structure inside the coats, it is best to have them professionally cleaned. Follow the same instructions as jodhpurs: ‘steam press’ after normal wear and forego formal ‘dry cleaning’ unless there is heavy soil or staining.

Jodhpurs:

Our 100% wool jodhs are most successfully professionally cleaned. The imitation suede patches are dry-clean safe. There are no special concerns for cleaning. After any normal wear, instruct your cleaner to ‘steam press’ rather than a full ‘dry cleaning'. Wool pants usually require only 2 dry cleanings over a season. Save a formal dry cleaning for if they show excess dirt or staining, and also before storing the outfit for the offseason. If you prefer to hand wash your jodhpurs: hand wash tepid with a mild detergent and light hand agitation. Hang to dry and steam press to remove wrinkles.

Shirts:

Unless specified, shirts are 100% cotton and can be washed at home. If you have shirts professionally cleaned, ask them to be 'laundered' rather than dry cleaned. Hand wash warm, hang to dry. An oxidizing (non-chlorine) detergent is best for any heavy stains.

If you prefer to machine wash, button the shirt placket and cuffs completely and turn the shirt inside-out before loading into the machine. This will help protect buttons from impact with the washer. Wash in the delicate cycle and hang to dry. Steam press using up to medium starch, if desired. Most shirts have genuine mother-of-pearl buttons. It is possible, but rare, that these crack or chip in a washing machine or during dry-cleaning; in the rare occurrence buttons break, they can be replaced easily. The bottom button on the placket is intended as a spare.

Vests:

Most vests are 100% silk and can be washed at home. Hand wash cold (or tepid) with a mild detergent (i.e., Woolite or Dreft), but do not wring, light hand agitation while wet should be enough to loosen any dirt or soil. Lay flat to dry and steam to remove any wrinkles. If you prefer to dry clean, note the buttons are mother-of-pearl: If your dry cleaner cannot assume liability for broken buttons, rest assured they can be replaced.

Prolonging the Life of your Show Clothes

Show clothes are made with high quality materials and fine construction to last indefinitely. However, we as people can change with time. The most common reasons show clothes wear out is due to poor care or undue stress on the fabrics. To prevent upsetting rips and tears, adopt these practices:

Fit:

Try your complete show outfit on 1 to 2 weeks before an upcoming show to ensure everything still fits. If they don't, you have time for alterations.

Victory Pass jodhpurs are designed with up to 3” excess at the center back waistband and 1.5” excess in the out seam of each leg. Any reputable alterations professional can quickly let out (or take in) the waist or legs. The ‘bell’ hem of the jodhs has 3” additional length, which is best let out and reconstructed by an equestrian tailor. Because of the side zipper entry, the most un-alterable area is the seat, especially across the center back seam. Regularly inspect the seat for wear: A popped seam can be re-sewn, but ripped fabric is impossible to repair. In some situations, a minor tear in the seat can be patched and reinforced by an equestrian tailor.

Vests have up to 1.5” additional width in the side seams, but the front panel (due to the curved bottom hem) is a fixed length.

An equestrian tailor can fully replace the backing of the vest with a larger panel, which can add width to the overall garment.

Shirts are fully resolved (without excess), but Victory Pass shirts include an additional 1" of sleeve length tucked into the cuff. As a young rider grows taller, this can be let out.

Day and Formal suit coats can be minimally altered: hems and sleeves are adjustable within reason, but the shoulders and chest of a jacket are largely fixed.

Storage:

Transport and store your clothes in a hanging garment bag. Be sure the bag is long enough so that coat hems do not 'crumple' at the bottom of the bag. Once you are finished in the ring, change out of your clothes and hang them back in their protective bag. Once you are home, inspect your garments immediately and clean them as soon as possible.

Be careful and take precautions in storing your show clothes to protect against vermin. They are most often drawn to body soil and food particles left in the clothing. Excessive sweat into any garment can discolor the fabric and invite vermin. DO NOT eat while wearing your show clothes. Do NOT leave your used show clothes in the hamper. Hang them immediately after leaving the ring and clean them as soon as possible.

Have your show clothes thoroughly cleaned before storing them over the off-season. This is the time to have jodhpurs and coats dry-cleaned. Store the clean clothes in a hanging garment bag with a single mothball. DO NOT store show clothes (or any clothes) in a plastic dry-cleaner’s dust cover for extended periods. Such plastic film covers can protect garments from mishap as you bring them home from the cleaners, but you should eventually uncover the clothes and place them into your hanging garment bag. If you store clothes for long periods in plastic, it can discolor or even adhere to the clothes.

As you unpack your clothes from storage, hang them outdoors to air out (to rid of any remaining mothball odor). Inspect them for holes or any signs of wear and try them on with sufficient time for any necessary alterations.

It is Victory Pass’s sincerest hope that you have many successful shows in your outfits. With this recommended care, even if you decide to retire your clothes, you should extract the most residual value at consignment.

Command the Show Ring!