Today I want to share my British country clothing guide with you. Whether you’re looking for traditional English clothing, classic British country wear, or tweeds and wellies, this blog post has it all. It will show you how to dress for the British countryside and what’s different about dressing for the great outdoors compared to style in the city.
British Country Clothing
If you’re wondering about traditional British clothing, this guide will help. Dressing for the countryside is very different from dressing for the city, both in terms of practicality and fashion.
When I first started spending a lot of time in the British countryside, I learned the hard way that what to wear in London isn’t the same as what to wear outside of London.
From shoes to jackets, I needed to update my wardrobe to fit in and dress like a local.
Thankfully, after years of spending most of my weekends (and many of my weeks) in the Scottish Borders, I learned the ins and outs of British country clothing. I even modeled for Barbour once.
I hope my experience helps provide you with a better understanding of how to dress for the countryside.
Traditional British Clothing: An Overview
British country clothing features a unique mix of tradition, practicality, and style. Sturdier than city clothing, the outerwear tends to put an emphasis on waterproofing and durability over stylish cuts and materials.
The color scheme is also more muted. As you might imagine, traditional British country wear tends to come in a natural palette of greens, browns, blues, and other earth tones.
Brands are different, too. The places I shop for city clothes and country clothes are completely separate, and I wouldn’t dream of going to the same stores for both types of clothing (more on this later).
British Country Jackets
Since they’re some of the most important British country clothing items in terms of both style and function, I’ll start with jackets.
There’s no right or wrong to what jacket, coat, or covering to wear, but my country wardrobe consists mainly of tweeds, waterproof rain jackets with fleece linings, and waxed jackets.
Each one comes into play on different occasions. Tweeds work when I’m among a shooting party on a grouse moor or pheasant shoot. If you’re in the UK, you can get a tweed jacket here. If you’re in the US, this one is perfect.
Rain jackets and waxed Barbour jackets are ideal for country walks. The latter are iconic, and seemingly everyone has one. If you’re in the UK, you can get a waxed jacket here. If you’re in the US, you can get one here.
British Country Boots
When it comes to shoes, British country clothing is equally practical. The shoes I wear most in the countryside are wellies and boots.
While I once associated the British countryside with Hunter wellies, I learned from my British friends that the preferred brand is now Le Chameau.
Le Chameau wellies are also better because they have a neoprene lining that means they’re warmer than other kinds of wellies. It makes a big difference in winter, when standing outside for long periods means my feet get cold easily.
If you’re in the UK, you can get Le Chameau wellies here. If you’re in the US, you can get them here.
As far as boots go, I wear everything from hiking boots to ankle boots and high boots in the countryside. If I’m on a walk, it’s hiking boots. There’s enough mud in the countryside that even my running shoes get ruined if I wear them on walks.
If I’m out in towns and villages, I go with regular ankle boots or high boots, depending on the weather. If it’s the peak of summer and the sun is out, I wear sneakers, flats, or whatever else I feel like.
British Country Shoes
When I’m indoors, I mostly wear slippers and flats. There are great British slippers I never knew existed until I moved to the UK.
I love French Sole’s velvet ones, not least because they have fun designs. I have way too many flats from Cordings in London, too. They come in great colors.
British Country Shirts
As far as British country clothing shirts go, layers are key. The weather can be cold year-round, and rain is often a daily reality. Snow is common in winter in some parts of Britain, too.
I usually start with a T-shirt and layer on a cashmere sweater if it’s spring, autumn, or winter. If it’s summer, I go with a lighter sweater or long-sleeve shirt.
When I’m indoors, I often wear a big sweater over all my clothes since it can be nearly as cold inside as it is outside in certain places.
British Country Vests
Over my sweaters and shirts goes a vest. I don’t need one all year, but I wear them most of the time. I have a few different ones, including two quilted vests.
My British friends all wear Schoffel vests, which are jokingly called Fulham life jackets in London. Like Le Chameau wellies and Barbour jackets, they’re part of the uniform for many people.
If you’re in the UK, you can get a Schoffel vest here. If you’re in the US, you can get a quilted vest here.
British Country Trousers
As far as what to wear on my legs, I’m usually in jeans, hiking trousers, or waterproof trousers. Jeans are my staple for everyday life and going into towns and villages.
When I’m out on a walk, hiking trousers and waterproof trousers are more flexible and rainproof. I even have a pair of hiking trousers that zip off at the knee, which can be useful on sunny days.
British Country Socks
I mentioned shoes already, but when it comes to British country clothing, socks are also important.
Until I moved to the UK, I didn’t know there were such things as welly socks. But after my first attempt at wearing wellies without them, I realized how important these high socks are.
Welly socks are special socks that go way up to the top of the boots and don’t migrate down into your shoes as you walk. They make for a much more comfortable experience than wearing normal socks with wellies.
If you’re in the UK, you can get a pair of welly socks here. If you’re in the US, you can get a pair here.
I also have special hiking socks for my hiking boots. They’re double-layered to prevent blisters, and they go up to the middle of my calves to prevent ticks, nettles, and other unwanted things from getting to my skin.
I also have lots of wool socks that keep my feet warm in whatever shoes or boots I’m wearing. I’m never far from being wet or rained on in the British countryside, so I always keep extra socks around.
British Country Hats
To top it all off, British country clothes include a variety of hats. I have a waxed baseball cap I like to think represents my American-British identity.
It also protects me from both rain and sun, so it’s ideal for most days. If you’re in the UK, you can get a waxed cap here. If you’re in the US, you can get one here.
Flat caps are also common British countryside fashion accessories, and many men and women wear them in the hills and highlands. If you’re in the UK, you can get a flat cap here. If you’re in the US, you can get one here.
Warm winter hats are practical when the weather is cold, too. I have a variety of cashmere hats I keep in my jacket pockets and take out when the weather turns.
What’s Not Traditional British Clothing
As far as what doesn’t work when it comes to British country clothing and accessories, there’s one thing to avoid: an umbrella.
I learned this the hard way when I was about to go outdoors in Scotland on a rainy day. A British person gently informed me that umbrellas aren’t the done thing in the countryside.
As a Californian, I was bewildered. Why wouldn’t one use an umbrella when it’s raining? Because this is the British countryside, that’s why.
I learned to wear my waterproofs, put my hood or hat on, and ready my stiff upper lip. Now I’m used to it.
British Countryside Outfit Ideas
If you’re interested in British country outfit ideas, you can find a lot of inspiration on social media platforms like Instagram and visual search engines like Pinterest.
They’re full of British countryside fashion photos and ideas for how to dress for the country. A quick search can help you find good examples.
British Country Clothing Brands
If you’re wondering where to shop in London or other places for British country clothing, there are a lot of options.
In London I usually go shopping for traditional British clothing in St James’s. I’ve picked up sweaters at Beretta, flats and shoes at Cordings, and wellies, socks, and other clothes at Farlows.
Other shops on Jermyn Street and St James’s Street are good places to pick up classic country attire, too. And that’s to say nothing of stores in other parts of the city like Barbour and Dubarry.
If you’re not in the UK, there are plenty of websites where you can order British country clothing online, including Amazon.
British Country Clothing
I hope this British country clothing guide has helped you figure out how to dress for everything from the hills to the highlands.
Even more than that, I hope it helps you stay warm, dry, and comfortable wherever and whenever you visit the countryside in the UK. Happy travels!
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