Cob Jockey

Dear people reading this on work computers: save this one for later.  We're taking a time out from my backlog of posts about shows and meeting bloggers because there's a big sale right now on a product that has made my riding life better lately - and it's underwear.

I feel like I'm crossing some sort of blogging line by reviewing underwear, but I promise this is 100% riding related.  I started this quest mainly to look good in breeches/tights, cause that's what's important, right?

(These have to be the weirdest product review photos I've ever taken.  I'd say 'don't judge', but I'm about to put pictures of my butt in breeches on the Internet, so clearly, I am not afraid of being judged.)

Confession time: I hate thongs.  I make myself wear them with work clothes and breeches in order to look socially acceptable, but I really find them unpleasant.  So I recently went on a review-reading mission to see if science has conquered the non-thong, non-boyshort VPL problem.

My stumbling led me to a corporate attire columnist who personally tried and reviewed all of the top no-VPL options out there, and she came to the conclusion that the Soma Vanishing Edge line (various styles) is where it's at.  Their defining feature is a silicone edge that keeps them in place without seams on the edges.

I got a pair and immediately put it to the test with the absolute worst VPL highlighters out there: my skin-tight Irideon riding tights, size childs large.  Survey says?

I took a butt selfie.  Oh my, it's so weird in here.

There's a faint line going up to the hip, sort of on the side, that's only just barely visible in the skin tight Irideons.  And it's completely invisible with any of my work pants, or my beige or white show breeches.  They would definitely be no VPL in your standard Tailoreds or Tredsteps or Pipers with more structured fabric and cut than the Irideon tights.

So sorry.

I was also wearing them here (these are my beige show breeches, Tredstep Symphony No...3? 4?:


And I have no pictures of my butt in white breeches from the show two weeks ago, but I wore a light beige pair under my white breeches and they were completely invisible.  Have a gratuitous cute pony photo, I promise I'm done with the butt shots:


Pros:

1. No VPL - seriously.
2. Comfy material
3. Comes in tons of styles, cuts and colors: from up-to-your-belly-button to sleek and sexy low-rise bikinis, with and without lace.
4. Easy keepers: machine wash warm regular cycle, tumble dry. 
5. Comfortable after long rides in both my jump and Dressage saddles

I'm posting this today because Soma has a 5-for-$37 sale going on right now if you're interested in trying them, making them around $7 (they're regularly $16-$19/pair).  I was able to combine the sale with a 20% off coupon and get them for $5/pair.

What's your secret weapon when it comes to avoiding VPL?  Or do you even care?  Is this the weirdest thing you've ever read? Back to regularly scheduled content tomorrow...