# What to wear...



## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

Could someone please help me out on this?

We are supposed to show at local club matches the next 2 weekends-Layla isn't ready & neither am I, but I figure we need to jump in somewhere! I asked to 2 trainers that I work with what I should wear to show her and got very conflicting answers. 

I have a very nice black pin-striped suit that I wear to llama/alpaca shows, the coat is long (almost to my knees) and has pockets. I always wear a dickie that matches whatever animal I am showing at the time.

I emailed 2 of the club members that are running the show about this, the first one said to wear whatever I would wear to an AKC event (my suit?) and the other said to come in jeans and a nice sweater!

What do you wear to a match?


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## Carraig (Jan 4, 2008)

Many people go casual to a match. But if you feel that strongly, I would maybe hold off on the suit, but still wear something nice. A long, calf length skirt and nice sweater is dressy but not too overboard. Even a pantsuit would be nice.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

thanks for your help, i'm about ready to call off the whole thing at this point! the weather is supposed to get bad this weekend, i really have no idea what i'm doing, layla currently has a mohawk butt from her bath today, and her entire head is greasy from the meds we are putting in her ears for yesterday's rash. i don't know, it'd be good for us...


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Wash the greasy ears with Dawn dish detergent (rinse really well). (Honest...it works to get greasy fur clean, and will not hurt their fur). Blow out her butt and go. :lol:

Do you have a pantsuit? That would be good. Or nice slacks and a blazer. Oh...and flat shoes. Or very close to flat. Plus some with traction (rubber soles). Running around in leather soled shoes can be dangerous to your health!!

Don't get too worried. I was at a show without a dog last year and had on jeans and a blazer. An AKC judge who happened to be showing two of his females and his handler was tied up in another ring asked me to handle one of his girls (he was handling the other). I said "but I have jeans and tennis shoes on". He said....."so?" :lol:



Good luck!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Not to hijack the thread, but WHY do women wear skirts to show in the ring? Wouldn't it make more sense, more practical, easier to move in, to wear slacks? The skirts distract the heck out of me when I watch a show.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

thanks for the info, the suit i have is pants & a long coat, i just don't want to look way over dressed and then be the one that does everything wrong! layla will stack fine & will be still when examined, but she won't perk up at all. if i use food she won't stand still, and when she stands still her tail just hangs there. when i hold her tail, she turns her head to look at me, with a weird look on her face, after this i think i'll stick to obedience!


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Maybe its because skirts with the high slits distract judges too.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I generally encourage new exhibitors who are using matches to prepare themselves for sanctioned shows to wear what they will wear in that venue. This allows them to get used to moving in those outfits, and can also get puppies and young dogs used to them, as well, ie if that ong jacket flaps when you move, a dog might just decide it needs to be grabbed! (I learned the hard way a bazillion years ago when I showed a puppy for the first time in a loose, long skirt. She had FUN trying to snag it on the down and back!!!


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

thanks for the info! i did end up wearing the suit with the long jacket. i felt so dumb. i was one of only a few people dressed up, everyone else wore jeans and jogging suits! even the 4 people i talked to about what to wear (and told me to dress up) were there in sweats! i'll know better next time. 

Layla was more concerned about licking the judge than what i was wearing! she could care less about me being there, hopefully the match this sunday will go better.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> thanks for the info! i did end up wearing the suit with the long jacket. i felt so dumb. i was one of only a few people dressed up, everyone else wore jeans and jogging suits! even the 4 people i talked to about what to wear (and told me to dress up) were there in sweats! i'll know better next time.
> 
> Layla was more concerned about licking the judge than what i was wearing! she could care less about me being there, hopefully the match this sunday will go better.


Do not feel dumb. I believe that as a matter of pride, and respect for the judges, an exhibitor should always look neat and professional. Even at a match I do not think that sweats are acceptable. As I said, the dog as well as the exhibitor should be comfortable with clothing that might not be worn in a day to day situation, and if a new exhibitor, using matches to simulate a show environment so you know how to set up, what to take, etc, is a great idea.


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## GardenPaws (Nov 28, 2007)

You can trust PG.... I was at the show in Detroit last Saturday and she looked very nice. BTW PointGold I was going to come up and introduce myself but I couldn't find you after the class. I asked someone if that was you handling your dog in the ring and they said yes, but by that time you were gone. You looked great and your dog was beautiful dog!!!! 
On the subject of dressing I hope I won't offend this person if she was at that show but I offer this as constructive criticism. She wore a mid length full skirt with wide VERY shiny black boots. The outfit was very nice but I never saw her dog it was so distracting. Even the the men I was with noticed it. I show in obedience and I always try and were slacks near to the color of my dog but that's for a whole different reason.


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