Stable to Street Style: One Jacket, Two Looks

We equestrians all know that our riding gear beats our civilian wear hands down for warmth, but sometimes the jacket you wear at the yard, just won’t cut it in “public”. I’m a big fan of garments that can look good but are also practical, and I think I’ve found the perfect jacket for transitioning from the stables to town for lunch, shopping or dinner (or all three) without having to compromise on style or warmth: the AA Platinum Messina jacket.

Part of the elegant Alessandro Albanese collection, the AA Platinum Messina filled with ethically sourced down has all the flair you’d expect from an Italian label, with all the weatherproofness that comes with being part of the Horseware powerhouse.

For a bitingly cold day in the yard, wear the Messina with these bonded fleece winter breeches from Horze, Ariat’s winter armour Bromont Pro Tall H2O Insulated Boots and Under Armour’s UA Balaclava with Coldgear technology and complete with a balaclava-hood to keep the back of your neck and your face windproofed.

Encase your hands in Roeckl’s Westlock gloves – made for cold wet days and touchscreen compatible – and you’re good to go. The Messina insulates so well that a good cold weather top like the Under Armour pictured is all you need underneath if you’re riding and doing general yard work. A particularly nice details is the zipped double vent at the back – it drops to about mid-hip so this is a perfect solution to prevent it getting caught on your cantle.

For a lunch date or a shopping trip it’s perfect dressed up with luxurious dark velvet skinnies like these by J Brand, a chic fitted top like this Roland Mouret Carron, accessorised with your favourite bangle and a simple watch, clutch and relaxed heels. Lots of pockets also mean you can go without a handbag if you have a love/hate relationship with your bag (as I do.)

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen several Instagram Stories in praise of its warmth over the past few very cold weeks in Ireland, as I navigate Dublin’s cobbles, pigeon attacks and windy-alleys on the way to work. It’s a jacket I can highly recommend as one of the warmest and most complimented in a non-equestrian context that I own. Get yours here. 

Alex Calder