Riding Habit c. 1937

Curator: Hmm, what's my first thought looking at this? Sturdy, somehow. Like a tree. Editor: That's interesting. We're looking at "Riding Habit," a fashion sketch circa 1937. Attributed to Arelia Arbo, it offers us a glimpse into the design process for a very particular type of garment. Curator: A riding habit, okay. Brown, tailored closely at the waist, flaring out dramatically. Makes me think of restraint and control. But maybe I'm projecting! Editor: No, not at all. Consider the social context; riding was a very specific leisure activity, heavily gendered and classed. A tailored riding habit signified belonging to a certain elite. The sketch highlights form and fit as much as the decoration. Curator: You're right, it’s less about ostentatious display and more about function disguised as form, and vice versa. I love the tiny details - the frilly trimming contrasting with the severe shape. Editor: Absolutely, and if you look closely, the technique itself speaks volumes. There’s a very precise rendering of the full design next to the ghostlier preliminary sketch on the right. A progression, isn’t it? From concept to near-completion. Curator: And you can almost feel the imagined body inside. Stiff and proper on a horse. Do you think Arbo intended it to be purely practical, though? I see a hint of elegance in the lines, a flair of artistry… Editor: The practical and the symbolic always intertwine! The very act of designing, sketching, refining… these all elevate the riding habit beyond mere functionality, placing it firmly within the realm of fashion and, ultimately, cultural expression. It also has that beautiful handmade quality... a real sense of a person at work with their hands. Curator: So, in a way, it represents an aspirational idea of feminine power expressed within the bounds of decorum. That’s a lot of baggage for one simple riding outfit. Editor: Indeed! Looking at "Riding Habit" today, we're seeing both a piece of clothing design and a reflection of a bygone social order—a snapshot of privilege and aesthetic sensibility caught in a fleeting pencil line. Curator: What a perfect time capsule, right? You see the shape, I see the story. Editor: Together we weave the past!