Stewarding at county show - anyone done it? Dress code help needed!

Natch

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As title really, I am stewarding at a county show this summer, in the equine section, and am having a minor meltdown at the stewards' dress code.

Gentlemen should observe the custom of wearing dark suits and bowler hats, as an aid to identity and authority. Lady Stewards should be suitably attired for the occasion (we would suggest that trousers are not suitable attire) with a hat of your choice but this is not obligatory.

So I live in trousers, and have no idea what suitable attire for the occasion looks like, but apparently the only hat I own (a stetson) is not appropriate attire ;)

So, um... help! My suggestion of wearing hacking jacket and blouse/skirt combi has also not gone down very well (I don't think). Which means that I'm going to have to buy the whole outfit brand new, and so its a bloomin good job I have a few months to plan!

I'm also on a pauper's budget, not prepared to wear heels when I'm on my feet all day, and generally a bit gutted about the realisation that I'll need to buy a new outfit, and those photos I can find of stewards suggest that I won't want to bother to wear it ever again for anything else! :o Short of dropping out, anything you helpful ladies and gents can suggest?
 
Based on what I've seen Lady Judges wear a level down at riding club while I've been stewarding, I'd say:

- calf length or longer dark a-line skirt with some kind of blouse and semi fitted cord/tweed/linen jacket, all in blue or earthy shades (at least you could recyle the jacket with jeans later)
- flat shoes (if hot) or smart knee high boots (if cold)
- and a hat (try smart bowler style sunhat if its nice or a Lead Rein Mum hat if its cold?)

I'd try M&S sale rail, charity shops and/or ebay, good luck!
 
Echo sidewaysoncob. Hit the charity shops big time. On the other hand if it is a summer county show pretty likely to be raining so just dig out the waterproofs.

Hope you enjoy it. Let us know what show it is nearer the time - we may be there.
 
Thanks, that helps a lot. I was sort of thinking lead rein mum! Its the Royal Norfolk show, feel free to come and say hi, I'll be the one looking slightly nervous and uncomfortable wishing I was in jeans ;)
 
Lead rein mum / tweedy / granny chic is the look you are after - I get all my judging outfits from eBay and charity shops :-)
 
Yep think lead rein mum! Oh and don't steward in the WH ring unless you are a daemon at mental arithmetic!

I'm with Kat on that. I stewarded for Workers once, *never* again - my brain just won't do adding up on a Sunday morning stood in the middle of a field :)
 
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