Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The NFR Shopping Experience

There's no doubt, the shopping at the NFR is beyond compare. This year, L and I made it to 3 of the major shopping spots...I think there are 2 or 3 that we didn't have time to get to. We didn't get to The Sands and the NRS store in the MGM Grand was closed by the time we got there. I'm sure there are more...

Shopping spot #1 was The Convention Center - Which is the original cowboy Christmas shopping spot and by far the largest (of the ones we went to). It's also the most expensive. Downright outrageous, if you ask me. We spent 4 hours at the CC before becoming overwhelmed by the glitz and glitter. We only saw about 1/2 of the booths, but I doubt we missed much because so many booths carry the exact same stuff...bling, bling and more bling. I know I have a serious case of OLS (Oh Look, Shiny)...but it was too much for even me. I was fairly bling blind by the time we got out of there....maybe it was sticker shock?

A word of advise...If you ever go to the CC...EAT before you go (we learned that last year)...and take a bottle of water or something to drink WITH you. A bottle of water (or soda) will cost you almost $3 in there. The food prices are outrageous, isn't that great tasting and finding a place to sit and eat is difficult.

Other than that...you will see a lot of cool stuff and there are contestants placed all around who are there to sign autographs. Last year we went on the last day and I got killer deals on a lot of items. This year, we went earlier in the week and there were no deals to be had yet.

I did find these to-die for custom hats...and I need you guys to tell me which one you like better...The feather...
This one I like exactly like it is...the tan feather on the brown hat. It's a nod to my Native heritage and when I lived in North Dakota, my nickname was One Feather. LOL

Or the crossed-pistols...
I'm sure Mikey is squeeeing (LOL)...but the pink would narrow the accompanying wardrobe a bit to much, so if I pick this one, I would have the pistols done in shades of gray and silver on the black hat. Maybe not as flashy, but could be worn with a wider variety of colors.

It's a tough decision because I like both. The crossed pistols are kind of becoming my 'thing' because my up and coming generation of horses' names all start with Fast Draw...so it's kind of fitting.

L insisted she loved this hat on me...
And I think it's cute...but it's not a contender, even on a different colored hat or with different colored threads.

As much as I would l.o.v.e. not to have to choose one or the other (between the feather or the pistols), these custom hats run a little over $600 apiece. Normally I would not even consider such an option, but I have such a hard time getting a hat to stick on my head when I am running barrels, even with them practically stapled to my head. I need ONE hat that Moon cannot rip off of my head when he kicks in the afterburners. Apparently I have an oddly shaped, peanut head because it's nearly impossible to find a factory hat that is small enough and stays tight after I have it broke in.

Shopping spot #2 was at The South Point Casino and Equestrian Center. This was a much smaller shopping spot. We got through it in just a couple of hours and we thoroughly perused each booth and visited with many of the vendors and artists. I picked up this blingy, black and yellow headstall for Frosty for a mere $80 (it was originally $120, was on sale for $100 and the vendor gave me another 40% off)...

Most of the vendors said they had, had a good week in sales so far, but I think that was because they were willing to deal. If you asked what they could do for you, they knocked some off of the marked prices without looking disgruntled or getting snippy.

Shopping spot #3 was the Mandalay Bay Casino. This was a good sized place to shop...yet not so huge you couldn't make your way through before becoming exhausted. Again...the vendors were willing to deal on prices a bit and many had 'specials' going on. I pretty much dropped my cabbage right off the bat on this alligator headstall and breastcollar set...

It was one of the nicest red and black sets that I saw the whole time...and since red and black is the colors for my husband's motorcycle club I figured I better get it. I am thinking Spooks will look awesome in this set...but it may look good on Shooter as well in years to come. Red is kind of tough. I don't usually do it on my horses...but yet, on the right color of horse...it can look really sharp. I didn't get a screaming deal on it, the set cost $300 with tax, but I saved about $50. I was trying to haggle the guy down a little bit more, but the newly crowned WPRA World Champion Breakaway Roper kept butting in trying to get the guy to show her a saddle. I thought about punching her in the mouth, she was just a twig of a thing..but she looked kinda tough...like dried up jerky tough. I opted to take the discount the guy was offering and keep my dignity and my fur jacket intact. ;-) LOL

Other than a few little Christmas items, that was it for my shopping this year. I pretty much refuse to give $75-100 for a pair of jeans or $40-60 for one of those blingy, slinky shirts (besides they are o.u.t. at the rodeos next year... I guess to many adult women couldn't figure out how to keep their damn boobs inside their clothes when wearing them, so the WPRA said, Everyone is back to collar and cuff shirts).

I looked at some Boulet boots, but no one had the pair I liked in my size. Checked out some saddles...wasn't really interested in anything without being able to try them on Moon. Not interested in new pads...I'll be going with Ed Wright's Ortho pad when I decided to buy another one. Looked at Iconoclass boots for the horses, but can get a better deal on them locally...so that was pretty much it.

Oh, I guess I can't forget my 'Vegas' shoes...

Marshall Rousso's in the Monte Carlo has the best fitting high heels I have ever found...at least ones within my budget, so I am obligated to buy a pair every time we are there. This year I snapped up the zebra print ones, but they didn't go with the dress I wore on Friday night like I had hoped they would, so I had to buy the sparkly, black ones...Ooohhh Darn! (can't you just hear the disappointment in my voice? LOL...NOT!!!)


23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh I am in love with the zebra heels. Must have!

Mikey said...

Damn girl! Lol, you knew I'd like that pink and you're right. But whew, $600 for a hat is a tad steep. At least with what I do to them..
Glad you had a blast, my friend insists I come next year, so perhaps I'll see ya there.

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

I love all those hats, tack and shoes. Of course, I'd break an ankle wearing the shoes, but...

in2paints said...

Looks like a dangerous place for me to be! I would drop way too much money... looks like you got some great deals, though!!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

BK-The zebra shoes are definitely my favorite. I'm gonna have to 'do lunch' with one of the girls soon so I can wear them.

Mikey-I know right? I was thinking she said they were a little over $300...but that was the 1/2 down so they would do the order. (gulp)...I dunno if one of these are in my immediate future or not at that price...but the Charlie One Horse hat I liked was $275. Geez! Last year I was impressed with the deals to be had...this year I was gasping at the prices on a lot of stuff.

NM-I may break my ankle as well. I'm sorely out of practice at wearing heels, but I cannot seem to stop myself from indulging in them.

GunDiva said...

I was just at the Monte Carlo a couple of weeks ago and saw Marshall Russo's. I stood and gaped at the shoes that I could NEVER wear for fear of killing myself. Heck with my ankles, I'd break my freaking neck. :)

cdncowgirl said...

I have the same hat problems!! I have found that the Cruel Girl hats are my best bet. I can't justify $600 on a hat that is rarely worn, at least you'll have rodeos to wear yours at ;)
For my 2 cents, I like the hat with the crossed pistols, and even more so in the neutrals.

omg don't you just hate it when other customers are rude & pushy when you are being helped ahead of them?

And I love this:
"blingy, slinky shirts (besides they are o.u.t. at the rodeos next year... I guess to many adult women couldn't figure out how to keep their damn boobs inside their clothes when wearing them, so the WPRA said, Everyone is back to collar and cuff shirts)."
It was voted at our provincial AGM that we no longer have to wear cuffs & collars, just as long as whatever shirt we wear has long sleeves and isn't a hoody or sweatshirt.

My hubby would thoroughly approve of your new shoes lol.
Those black sparkly ones, is that 'snake skin' print on them?

Shirley said...

Sounds like an exhausting day shopping, but fun- I like the feather hat, love the flow of the lines in it. I don't like the scrolling on te pistol hat, but do like the pistols. The scrolling makes it look like a pirate hat. The pistols with a feather instead would be nice.
Love the sparkly shoes! I so could wear those.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

wow! those are some shoes! I am sure you could have taken the twig no problem .My cousins hubby Luke won 3rd in the average at the World series of Team roping (I beleive at South point)these are the folks we went with last year. Dang missed you and that! Next year girl! Oh and I like the hat with the feather

Funder said...

Definitely the one-feather hat. I don't know why but it looks superb on you.

Love the other loot! Man that is a sharp breastcollar, but I'm totally addicted to indestructible easy-clean biothane. How much does it cost to get a breastcollar with a cleaning fairy?

Mrs. Mom said...

I vote for One Feather too ;)


Girl, with THOSE heels on you might be as tall as me!! LOL


Glad you had a great time!

Aldercreek said...

Apparently we have very similar taste - That hat store looks like the JW Brooks booth, where I ordered the tan hat with the brindle cowhide border and crystals on the brim and hatband. It was a lower quality hat, so it wasn't quite as expensive as the ones you were looking at. And my husband bought a new pair of Boulets. We did by several jeans and shirts too, we took advantage of the Wrangler and Roper buy 2 get one free deals. I love shopping at NFR, I just wish I lived closer so I could fill up a whole carload, instead of only buying what I can fit in my suitcase!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Aldercreek-I did not realize you could order less expensive hats. Darn! I would have been all over that. I don't really need a 20X Beaver to rodeo in, but I thought that was all they had available. Well, hopefully they will be at the Denver Stock Show and I can find something more in my price range. The $600 hat definitely had me squeamish.

Cdn-Yes, the black heels have a snakeskin print. Not normally my favorite, but I caved...the 'sparkles' got me. LMAO

Allenspark Lodge said...

I would vote for the one feather one, too. Shucks about the shopping prices; guess we didn't miss anything there this year. I got some smokin' deals on my long leather reins and GunDiva's headstall last year. Glad you had fun.
Bionic Cowgirl

NeighGirl said...

I love the pink pistol hat LOL.
BTW, I am having a photo contest over at my blog, the theme is horses. I would love it if you would enter,I have read your blog for awhile now and you do have some nice pictures on here:)
NEighgirl
whinnyandwhimsy.blogspot.com

Crystal said...

I have got to go down one year just to see all this shopping!! Bad time of year to go buy stuff though, but not that I would likely get it for Christmas anyways.

Not usually a high heel fan, but I love those two pairs, dont know where I would wear em, but Id find a place ;)

Cut-N-Jump said...

My vote is for the feaher hat too. It just fits, without being too over the top and too overdone.

Not a fan of the heels. Hell if I wear anything taller than my ropers- it hurts! Without falling on my ass.

Laura said...

I think I like the feather hat better, if I had to pick one...but the gun reference is neat for your horses... tough choice!!! :-)

I sooo need to down south to a big show/event like that some time for the shopping! We just don't have stuff like that here!

Nice heels too - I'm so short I look kinda like a kid playing dress up if I wear big heels, so I don't bother much anymore. :-)

Leah Fry said...

LOVE the red and black!!!!

Vaquerogirl said...

I liked the pistol packin hat. Since you ride those 'gun' named horses, and you are fasting than a speeding bullet, it seems appropriate. And I have a $800 hat that I show in- so it's ok to spend the money on it for that! Just don't wear it out to the barn to work in the rain!
I'd never wear the shoes, but they are (squeel) cute!
Sounds like so much fun!

AKPonyGirl said...

Since it's a custom made hat, can they come up with a combination of the two? I like the feather but agree that the pistols scrolling makes it look to piratey.

We found good shopping (of the livestock variety) at the North American. Not as blingy as the rodeo crowd but more stuff than all of Alaska combined.

Unknown said...

Wow I love them all - the feather is my favorite though - you know alot of other folks will end up with the gun hat, the One Feather is unique.

Man it was great to see all this cool stuff. THanks for the pictures - it was like I was there, even though I can't afford to go to that stuff anymore.

trump said...

Merry Christmas to you and your readers, I'm just stopping by new blogs that i think are interesting. And then ill put some of those on my favorites list to visit again. Happy holidays folks and wishing everyone a healthy new years as well. Richard from a Amish community in Pennsylvania.