Proper riding clothing should not
- be a fashion statement. ✓
- fit snugly but comfortably, and should not balloon out while you are riding.
- make you visible
- protect you from weather and injury.
Answer: A. be a fashion statement.
Proper riding clothing should not be treated as a fashion statement; it is riding gear first, chosen for safety and visibility.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says riding gear is more than a fashion statement. It lists the real jobs of gear: shielding you from weather, helping prevent injury, and making you visible. So clothing picked mainly because it looks stylish misses what the handbook says gear is for. The answer fits that idea: proper riding clothing should not be a fashion statement.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. fit snugly but comfortably, and should not balloon out while you are riding. — A snug, comfortable fit that does not balloon out is a desirable quality, not something proper riding clothing should avoid.
- C. make you visible — Making you visible is one of the purposes the handbook gives for riding gear, so it is not something to avoid.
- D. protect you from weather and injury. — Protecting you from weather and injury is exactly what the handbook says riding gear is designed to do, so it is not something to avoid.
Remember it
Dress for the ride's risks, not the mirror: gear earns its place by protection and visibility.