Jody’s Thoughts on Juniors: Dress for Success – Beyond St. John

There’s a Latin proverb: “Homo ex vestimentis iudicatur” or, “A man is judged by his clothes.” An ancient Roman could assess the wealth, status, and social class of any individual based solely on their attire. The cut, drape, fabric, and embellishments to a toga or tunic announced you before your first “salve” (hello).

Things haven’t changed much in 2,000-plus years!

In most modern cultures, books are judged by their covers. What we wear is a declaration of who we are. Designer labels/logos scream affluence. Old sweats and a well-worn hoodie send a different and distinctive message about the wearer’s priorities.

The AKC Junior Showmanship regulations stipulate: “The Junior should be suitably dressed for the occasion, wearing clothing that will not hinder or detract from the presentation of the dog… The judge should not evaluate the dress of the handler… but rather that an effort has been made… Juniors should be clean, neat, and well-groomed. They should wear clothing that is comfortable to handle in and appropriate for dog shows.” In theory, a Junior in clean jeans, a freshly washed tee-shirt and a pair of sneakers meets these requirements. I’ve seen kids wearing this outfit win Best Junior Handler; however, only a handful of times in the thousands of shows I’ve attended!

Ours is a sport of tradition. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Conformation ring. Men wear suits and ties or dress pants, sports coats, and ties. Only in the most extreme weather conditions will they don rain attire or remove their jackets. Women wear skirt suits (and occasionally pant suits), dresses, and skirts with tops or blazers. Basically, the unofficial standard for apparel in the Breed ring is business or business casual, except for the “big shows” (Westminster/AKC National Championship/Breed Nationals) when the major bling comes out.

How does all this apply to getting a nine-year-old newbie Novice Junior to the ring appropriately attired? The rules are woefully short on specifics! What follows are the clothing guidelines I provide my students and parents. Remember, all youth sports and most activities have specified, or de facto, “uniforms.” The Juniors’ ring is no exception.

Some general notes:

When outfitting a Junior at any level, avoid buying new! Thrift stores, Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, and specialized Facebook pages have options appropriate for any level of a Junior’s show career. Buy new only if your child has a hard-to-fit body type. I recommend a minimum of five outfits for spring/summer and five outfits for fall/winter for girls; three to five suits for older boys.

Fit is key to a polished image. Don’t buy clothing too large. Yes, the child can grow into it—but until then, they’ll look sloppy and frumpy. Buy for now. Sell when it’s outgrown.

Dress age-appropriately and suitably modest. Young women, no cleavage or cut-outs and, please, no “boob bait!” Skirts should come to mid-knee. Anything longer runs the risk of flapping in the dog’s face when moving. When you bend and touch your toes, no one should be able to “see London or France!” Double-check in a mirror. Clothing should be well-tailored but not excessively form-fitting or snug. Pencil skirts are the current style, but they can restrict movement. If your dog’s best speed is a run, find a style (modified A-line or pleated skirt) that allows the freedom to move. Reality: an outfit that flatters YOU is more important than what’s currently in style.

Also, girls, wear stockings/tights with your skirts and dresses except during the extreme heat of summer. Always have an extra pair at the show. For Juniors girls, knee socks or ankle socks are cute and practical, as are tights.

For shoes, ballet flats with rubber soles for preteen/teen girls are best, and for younger girls, Mary-Jane style. Straps are ideal. I’ve seen more than one girl literally run out of her shoes! For boys, the standard is dark lace-up shoes with rubber soles.

Pockets are your friends! You can’t have too many pockets for bait, brushes, poop bags, phone (NOT in the ring!), judging schedules, etc. Pockets can be added along the seams in skirts/dresses. Small color-coordinated bait pouches with secure flaps work in a pinch.

Keep a spare outfit in your car, always! It’s useless having clothes at your hotel should a fashion disaster occur. Pack a sewing kit with lots of safety pins and a stain pen with your show equipment. I promise, one day you’ll need them! Though they’ll roll their eyes, have your kids try on everything before you pack for a circuit. What fit a month ago may not on the day!

Your outfit’s color should complement your dog. A “color wheel” will help find compatible hues. Solid colors or small checks/stripes are ideal. Avoid large distracting prints. Jewel tones or primary colors provide a visually pleasing backdrop for most dogs. Pastels are appropriate for summer. I don’t recommend black for most girls other than Seniors. It creates a more mature and sophisticated picture. Remember… if you appear older, judges subconsciously expect more from you!

Keep jewelry to a minimum and understated.

Boys, skip to the next paragraph! Girls, let’s talk underwear. For little girls, consider bike shorts or dance trunks under skirts and dresses. Juniors often aren’t aware of what they look like kneeling/bending in dresses. Trunks save a lot embarrassment. Older girls, if wearing knits or more tailored skirts, you’ll want a body-shaping undergarment to smooth lines and prevent “bulges.” Please, no exposed bra straps! As to bras, make sure you’re wearing ones with good support, especially if you’re larger and have a running breed. Sports bras work well.

For 9-11-year-old boys, I like the sets sold near Eastertime consisting of dress pants, a dress shirt, a tie, and a vest, all in complementary colors. For this age group, I don’t require actual suits except for Finals. When older, two blazers and two pairs of dress pants, with four shirts and ties, can get a boy through a full circuit, but… fact: young boys attract dirt. My Junior boys wear regular playclothes to prep/groom their dogs. When done, we send the boys to put on their show clothes. When judging’s done, show clothes are removed and rehung. By Intermediate, most boys can be trusted to stay clean. Also, tie tacks keep neckties from flopping forward onto dogs.

Boys have fewer options to express their individual style than girls. Shirt color, tie patterns, pocket squares, and socks offer opportunities. Go a little crazy, but not so crazy that, when going around the ring, all a judge notices are your neon green socks with aliens on them. And yes, I had a Junior make that questionable fashion choice!

I suggest dressing young Junior girls a bit nostalgically: matching skirt/sweater/shirt outfits, jumpers, cute dresses with blazers. Think, “How would grandma dress her?” Gymboree, Monkeywear, and Bonnie Jean offer adorable and suitable sets. Think young and cute with a touch of sporty. Please, no pageant-style floofy party dresses… not even at Finals! Cute is great; cutesy, not so much. I advise against suits until a girl’s body starts to mature or if you can find one that’s age-appropriate.

For Intermediate and Senior girls, skirt suits, skirts/dresses with blazers, or light summer dresses in summer with varying degrees of bling are staples. St. John suits are the fashion right now, especially at large show; however, these are prohibitively expensive, even used. And the knit fabric is not flattering to many body types. Don’t be seduced into thinking they’re mandatory! For example, Tahari and LeSuit offer some gorgeous outfits suitable for Finals. Several of my girls have made it through to last cuts in Florida and Westminster, and none were wearing St. John.

As to the pant suit question, are they acceptable? Acceptable, yes, though not commonly seen, especially in Open classes. I admit I was strongly opposed to this fashion for a number of years. More recently, I’ve had several non-binary Juniors and this issue was, understandably, important to them. My philosophy now: “If you want to do it, do it.” However, the same rules apply; pant suits must be age-appropriate, figure flattering, and comfortable to move in.

Finally, hair. It must be secured off the face. Wispies and stray hairs cause kids to constantly brush at them, causing highly distracting fidgeting in a sport judged on “efficiency of movement!” I like to see French braids, ponytails, regular braids, and buns for longer hair. For shorter hair, clips and headbands serve the purpose. Be liberal with the hairspray! Imagine doing up a Poodle’s topknot. Not a hair out of place, even in a windstorm! Guys, it’s much the same for you. Product is your friend. No hair flopping in your eyes. Think as neat and tidy as school picture day.

Having said all this, though, at the end of the day, my advice when it comes to show ring attire is that you should look as sharp, polished, and ready to show as your dog. That’s what helps make a winning team!