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School run inspiration for cold rural life

68 replies

kmini · 18/10/2019 22:10

I miss my old London days where I actually had a (slightly) glamorous wardrobe.

These days I work from home and then only time anyone sees me is on the school run during the week. For 6 months of the year given I live in the north east - I'm basically trying not to be cold and get wet. So only coat, jeans and shoes are on show and I'm already bored (and its only October!).

Give me your inspiration for what you wear so that you dont feel entirely dull during winter months.

OP posts:
chartreuse · 19/10/2019 08:13

I understand, I work from home too and the school run might be the only time I'm outside in winter but I still want to wear nice clothes.

Try brands like Chinti & Parker, Wyse London, jumper 123 for nice cashmere jumpers. M&S cashmere is basic but good quality, try the men's dept for a more slouchy fit.

For a more stylish take on Uggs, I buy boots one size up from my usual size then buy sheepskin insoles ( one with foil on the underside are best).

M&S have great thermals, I think they are called heatgen. They also do great leather, cashmere lined gloves.

For hats and scarves, Cos and H&M both do cashmere beanies and Cos has great, generously sized scarves. For rainy days & other stories have some great bucket hats at the moment.

Coats, buy the best you can afford and look after it, it will last years. I have a max Mara down coat, going into its 3rd winter now. I have lots of others including a Burberry trench for rainy days, but the max mara is the workhorse. Maybe a parka, Wool rich do great quality parkas look on eBay or keep an eye out for discount codes there will be loads around coming up to Christmas.

Can you tell I feel the cold?!

fuzzymoon · 19/10/2019 08:15

Rainbow - regardless of what topic this has been put under the OP asked for advice to make herself feel nice as she enjoys clothes there was nothing about impressing others. There's a huge difference.

snottysystem · 19/10/2019 08:27

I just wear what I would normally wear

I like duvet coats with hiking boots* & big scarfs - Acne make lovely scarfs. Brora have nice beanies. Not a fan of parkas.

Fake fur/teddy coats & trainers or boots.

For a smarter look a midi or maxi wool coat.

*not real hiking books.

snottysystem · 19/10/2019 08:27

no idea why half my message is in bold!

kjhkj · 19/10/2019 09:23

I wear fur lined riding boots, skinny jeans, cashmere poncho (high ply and really warm) and cashmere fingerless gloves over leather gloves, cashmere beanie. I think I look nice but I'm also really warm.

carrie74 · 19/10/2019 09:34

I find having a fabulous coat helps lift the mood. Only suitable for dry days unfortunately, but a fake fur or teddy coat would be my choice.

Stravapalava · 19/10/2019 10:01

We're semi rural and school is on a hill, so the playground gets cold!

We get a lot of skinny jeans & leggings, long or calf length boots, sometimes with furry linings. Wellies for the horsey people.

Oversized woolly jumpers / hoodies.

Big woolly scarves, knitted beanies and gloves.

Most mums wear a type of outdoor / technical waterproof parka style coat or a teddy bear type coat on non rainy days. Or a thin padded jacket type thing.

Brands - we get a real mix. From ASDA George to Dubarry / Barbour. No one is looking at anyone else's fashion, we're all too busy chatting or trying to shepherd many children up / down the hill without getting injured!

kmini · 19/10/2019 10:04

Thank you for all your replies.

I adore clothes - but budget and opportunity to shop somewhere with lots of choice (other than online) is always restrictive. So really interested in brands- particularly warm coats that are fashion forward (sorry bit of a cringe word) but country- ish. I'm not really a country girl - more a londoner that's ended up in thr country - so nothing too country if you get my drift. Generally joules, most of Barbour and wellies/dubarry look don't really float my boat ( no disrespect to anyone that does, they are just not me).

Any other brand recommendations welcome.

Its definitely about what makes me feel good not about being a fashion show on the school run. Thanks for those who recognised that from my post!

For me working from home, having little DCs and living in a very rural location - means I dont have many opportunities to 'dress up' - so the everyday needs to be fun and making an effort is important. I dont want everyday apathy to term into middle aged frumpiness!

So keep them brand recs coming and thank you again for your replies

OP posts:
kmini · 19/10/2019 10:24

@JMAngel1 and @chartreuse - both very helpful replies!

OP posts:
snottysystem · 19/10/2019 10:36

Londoner here & I have never even looked in Joules, Fatface etc as I don't think it's my thing (no offence to those that do).

Whistles, Uniqlo, Zara are good for puffer coats, look on ebay if new is too pricy. This is a nice one & that JL range is pretty good.

https://www.johnlewis.com/kin-puffer-coat/green/p4739390

Cos also good & their stuff often looks twice the price

https://www.cosstores.com/engbp/women/coats-and-jackets/coats.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInPWcroKo5QIVB7LtCh2ZLAE6EAAYASAAEgKh2vDD_BwE

Boots - Ganni for inspiration but you can find high street interpretations, Topshop normally good at this.

https://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/category/shoes-430/boots-6909314?currentPage=5

CountFosco · 19/10/2019 10:57

You're in the NE, it's not that cold. Just went out this morning without a coat (cozy jumper though). And I'm assuming you're not that rural or your kids would be on a school bus so don't think you need particularly technical clothing.

Look at a few blogs and see what you think. Midlifechic is in the NW and is a very classic dresser and has talked about dressing for 'not London' so might be worth looking at what style of clothes she wears (her outfits of the day are good for seeing how she dresses for e.g. dog walking).

I just wear whatever I wore to work, I sometimes change shoes if I was wearing something particularly flimsy that wouldn't cope with the mile to school and back. And maybe add a jumper if I've just had on a silk blouse at work. If I WFH I only change if I've worn my pyjama bottoms all day (I don't sleep in them but they are super cozy).

Brands I think are good include Hush, e.g. I have a lovely felted wool dress from there that is super warm (not this one but similar, I wear it with woollen tights and ankle boots with a leather jacket and big scarf. Or their harems are lovely and comfy, I wear mine with white trainers, cashmere jumper and whatever coat I fancy (I have mainly wool coats but also my leather jacket and an old Boden tweed jacket for winter. I do have the dreaded Joules raincoat but that is reserved for the 2 or 3 days a year when the heavens open and I go fully practical with my green noras and an umberella).

What coats do you have? If you have e.g. a parka, a leather jacket, a classic styled wool coat and then one properly waterproof coat that is thin enough to wear in the summer but has room for a warm jumper in the winter then you're sorted for any occasion. Then trouser shape and style of your choice in blue, black, grey, khaki. Shoes: one sensible pair of heavy duty walking shoes, ankle boots in your preferred colour, pair of white leather trainers (M&S do excellent dupes of some of the more designer brands), maybe a pair of knee high boots as well in your preferred colour. Maybe a few wool or cord dresses and woollen tights (much warmer than jeans)? And then whatever tshirt and jumpers you like in whatever colours you like. Don't think 'I need to dress country', I come from the far north of Scotland (NE of England is practically the equator for me) and at home you see everything from those who dress like they did 30 years ago to those who are super stylish or eccentric. There is nowhere in the UK where the weather is so bad that you have to ignore fashion and purely dress practically for doing something as mundane as the school run. Presumably your DC will be in uniform?

Elllllle · 19/10/2019 13:35

I reckon go to the Zara, H&M, whistles and hush websites and just order a whole lot things in a whole lot of styles to try. Have fun with it! Stay away from boring cashmere jumpers, sensible coats/boots and technical anything unless you reeeaaallly feel the cold.

Also to those posters with the sneery replies, I get the feeling OP is not trying to impress anyone, she just likes clothes, works from home, and wants to feel good.

kmini · 19/10/2019 17:34

Thank you @Elllllle - that's exactly how I feel. However even if I was wanting to 'impress' people - it shouldn't matter, it's more about ideas and sharing insight!

OP posts:
Musicforsnorks · 19/10/2019 17:38

I’m sure style&beauty sometimes veers into AIBU territory. There’s a lot of thread police and disagreeable nonsense about lately.

AuntieStella · 19/10/2019 17:46

Get good thermal underwear, as that will widen the range of things you can wear be still be warm enough. I love Uniqlo's Heattech range.

Equimum · 19/10/2019 17:54

Hmmm, I completely get this, but after a couple of years of wrecking nice leather boots wading through leaves and mud on a rural (through village) walk to school, I have invested in some Aigle Parcour wellies and a decent wax jacket. Round here, this is pretty standard, as most people combine school run with dog walking, horses etc, but I was NOT going to become one of those people!

My advice, therefore, would be to make sure that take practicality into consideration when trying to choose something that makes you feel good (and I know that that is not always easy!).

FreeButtonBee · 19/10/2019 18:06

I’m in London but feel the cold badly

Big down coat. Currently have a Nobis one (40% off in the sale, not full price).

Cashmere snood - much easier to manage than a scarf. It’s tidier and no stray hanging bits to drag in a puddle. I have a lovely deep green colour for a bit of contrast.

Hard to get out of skinny jeans in winter but I’ve embraced the long crazy socks. Esther Walker has got me onto bright football style socks worn slouchy.

Warm boots. I have knee high suede ones which are v flat and then a pair of sorel boots which are clumpy and cosy. I might go for some nice brown leather ones this year if I can find any nice ones for my fat legs.

Add a neat fitted beanie and some warm gloves and done.

Walnutwhipster · 19/10/2019 18:16

I could never be considered a fashionista but I love my Dubarry Galway boots, skinny jeans and goose down D&G knee length coat. Job done.

kmini · 19/10/2019 18:32

Nobis are gorgeous - but expensive Confused

OP posts:
beingchampion · 19/10/2019 18:47

Well I used to change my boots for 'school shoes' - loafers from m&s - and make sure that there wasn't too much shit on my jeans. Only used to be out of the car for a few minutes to collect the little darlings so a fleece jacket was enough. I am neither stylish nor beautiful and only notice this post for the 'rural' bit for which I qualify. School was split between other scruffy farmers, normal people and those who tried so hard to look 'rural' that even I noticed, definitely keep far away from joules & barbours.

Wear your glamorous 'London' clothes if you still have them, be bright and happy, wear whatever makes you feel wonderful, you don't need to look to others for inspiration. Be your own personal daily fashion show - it's allowed!

LoveGrowsWhere · 19/10/2019 19:04

TKMaxx is your friend. They have continental brands. I have a totally waterproof Swedish mac which is a good fit & nothing like a mountain warehouse offering. Their cashmere jumpers come in a variety of colours. I love my muck wellies which are thermal ( say down to -30) & comfy.

Musicforsnorks · 19/10/2019 20:40

I always think dubarry’s look great, I just don’t wear skinnies anymore so mine are sitting, lonely, wondering what they did wrong.

Wax jackets, agile, etc do necessitate wearing skinny jeans. Most of the country style stuff really doesn’t go with skirts, wide pants or current trend stuff.

I wonder what the country set will start to wear if skinnies truly do die a death?

I’m perplexed to be honest cos I hate tight pants but love country wear.

Apart from joules, it’s good quality, but it pisses me off.

Musicforsnorks · 19/10/2019 20:40

Agile not ‘agile’

Musicforsnorks · 19/10/2019 20:40

Ok I give up!

ballsdeep · 19/10/2019 20:41

I don't know how anyone has time to look or care about the school run look? Surely it's a rush job there, drop them off then off you go? Or am I missing something?