If you're Really Rural, how do you mix practicality and style?

[ElspethFlashman]

Last year I moved from the Big Smoke to The Sticks. More tractors than cars go past my house and there's mud and puddles absolutely everywhere.

My wardrobe has gone to pot. A fleece and baggy jeans with a raincoat and wellies. I suspect half the time I look like an actual Man now. Good god. But my previous wardrobe of thin pretty things (and thin pretty shoes) seems absolutely useless.

Is my future fleece-lined? Stylish country bumpkins of MN, how do you do it? How do you stay warm and dry and practical whilst still looking vaguely modern?

Agree with Annas — you’d look like George from Glenroe.

Rural Scotland here. Layers are key, and I've ended up with a series of lovely jumpers which all go well with skinny jeans and boots. Vests and good quality socks are also your friends.

I've bought quite a few bits from here OP, it's good for getting some ideas. www.ahume.co.uk/ladies-c17

Wish I could say what would (does) happen round neck of woods of friends I stay with a lot but would be immediately outing - rouge farmers would simply make life miserable - theyve been known to with ‘incomers’ being what is definitely considered to be pretentious there. !!

Rougue not rouge

Oh yes, and I do own an expensive tweed jacket (a family cast off!) but I do not under any circumstances wear it here as I'll look like I'm trying to look like a horsey person.

@pondwater - 😂😂😂

Jesus, George from Glenroe - flashbacks!

Oooh just saw the duffle coat suggestion....i do have a nostalgic fondness for a nice toggle....

Might be nice on non-rainy days. Hmm....

Get thee to the House of Bruar.

Semi-rural here! I'm a great fan of Seasalt rain wear , especially the tin cloth range - a waterproof fabric which doesn't look too shiny and in my experience, because they tend to be lined with cotton, aren't that sweaty.
I also like wearing a gilet either to add extra warmth under a waterproof or by itself when it isn't raining - places like uniqlo and Gap make them in much more interesting colours than country stores.
It might also be worth considering light-weight walking boots - they can be quite on-trend, and you can tuck your jeans into woolly socks.

I was so glad to move back to civilisation. I had a ceremonial burning of all the fleeces and I still have a fear of the colour olive.

When you get to summer you can switch to the country summer uniform of shorts and wellies. Something to look forward to

Ah yes, gilets.....which autocorrects to giblets, btw.

My holy grail is an Indoors Gilet. I would like one in classy Navy, with a beautiful gold zip and great pockets, and no collar, that looks really expensive but is light and thin enough to wear pottering about a draughty house.

They're mostly made of either horsey quilted nylon that makes that swishy noise whenever you move, or really thick fleece with a massive collar that refuses to lay flat and gives the dreaded double collar when you put a jacket on over it. Outdoors Gilets in other words.

I'm going to keep searching..... It must exist!

Today I have made an effort and am wearing skinny jeans, quite smart biker boots from Zara with wool socks, and a thin sparkly jumper with several layers underneath for warmth. So far so good. And I look female!

2 things that you need are good coats and good boots. To be stylish, warm, and waterproof will take some tracking down and probably be pricey.
I have some fab leather ugg boots that look better than a dubarry style boot but are still warm and waterproof.
Theres a jacket brand I've seen on here before but not mentioned yet on this thread that was lovely - warm and waterproof but very pricey that I covet. Will come back and post if my memory sorts itself out. Weirdly I think it was popular with London city types but would have been perfect for me in the countryside.
To be fair I don't want to look like everyone else here in their 'country' gear - I want the benefits of practical but look nice, stylish and a little bit different.
Layers - lovely warm ones, merino wool and silk posh stuff for next to skin. Natural fabrics like cashmere and more merino for thin but warm and snuggly.
Unfortunately I am finding what I want is pricey but slowly building it up!

drowningincustard I think you mean Protected Species.

Hiking boots are very trendy right now too OP and likely to continue to be over the next year.

I'm in semi rural England with a rugby mad DS. Leather uggs are fabulous. Seasalt tincloth raincoat for spring/summer, Landsend down coat for cold winter days and a Mountain Warehouse ski jacket for wet and cold days are my go tos. In fact I rate the Lands End down collection so highly I have a gilet which can be worn alone or under my long down coat. Double down. Amazingly warm. Turtle doves cashmere wrist warmers are great for draughty houses or out and about under jumpers. Layer up with thin knits to avoid bulk. Joules quality isn't what it was... Seasalt is nice and also practical. Dress, dark coloured tights and boots plus edge to edge cardigan would be my spring look I think. Not keen on shirts or blazers personally.

ArkatEee - thats the one - I just had another look at their website and I love this coat in the brighter red colour. To be fair it might not be the warmest - probably more a spring/autumn than a depth of winter coat...
www.protected-species.com/our-products/waterproof-commuter/

Hanging out here for tips. I have no ideas and have all but given up.

I was so glad to move back to civilisation. I had a ceremonial burning of all the fleeces and I still have a fear of the colour olive

That's what I would do if I could move back.

Personally, I favour a blue boilersuit to alternate with my green one, with black boots from the farm shop (Dubarry are really rather Surrey...) : but we are rural rather than semi-rural. If it helps, though, think of them as the rural version of a jump suit...

I did get the Ugg Wilcox a couple of years ago when they were slashed in price and we all went nuts on here buying them. Sadly they're half a size too big and I slide around in them a bit but I still love and wear them. I'm saving up for the right size!

Shoeaholics still have them on sale but not quite as cheap. The other styles that seem to be super popular are the Simmens and Niels styles (I think the Simmens may be discontinued? Very few left)

Frustratingly they don't seem to really do much beyond the clumpy biker boot in the leather. I'd love a shearling lined neat little western boot with a mid heel.

Would love some Uggs! I have a copycat pair that are really only fit as house-slippers. They do a nice job of keeping feet and ankles warm. Would love waterproof Uggs for outdoors.

Definitely going to follow-up some of these tips.

Uggs Simmens are what I have, and they’re very comfy. Also some Merrell Captiva waterproof boots that are like wearing slippers and clean off very easily.

I also have a couple of Protected Species coats, and whilst they’re very lovely and v practical for commuting and rainy spring days, I actually only ever really wear mine in the city. At home I wear Didriksons parkas, a ratty Peter Storm anorak or an ancient Fat Face Barbour rip-off. To echo a previous poster’s point, it’s not so much where you live that’s the issue, it’s what you’re doing there!

I spend any time not in the office around horses. My staples are skinny jeans and long brown leather boots I can ride in and get muddy but also decent quality that I get compliments on them from non-horsey people. Top half is usually a long stretchy vest or long sleeve top with a chunky knit over the top or hoody.

I have to say that M+S is your only man for warm knee high brown boots. They seem to do them every year and are very generous in the calf so you can really tuck jeans in and wear decent wool socks.

I really should use mine. I'm realising I have some of this stuff already, I had just fallen into such a confused rut.