Struggling with wardrobe ever since moving to the countryside!

[wawawewa]

Recently moved to the countryside - very rural - and finding that my city wardrobe just doesn’t work here! I have a lot of clothes, but they’re mostly modern/minimalist cuts, a lot of black, and materials that don’t lend themselves well to a spontaneous walk and pub lunch.

I do have practical clothes as well, but I’m struggling to find that inbetween - something I can put on for a walk around the village or coffee date with a friend and feel stylish in but not conspicuously out of place. And comfortable, of course!

While I have some of the basics - wellies, cable knit jumpers, THAT gilet - I feel like leaning too much into the classic country look would be putting on a costume; same goes for anything too floral, gingham-y, or frilly, or the long flowy dress look. There are some women around here who do it really well - they manage to mix and match and create a put together yet modern and slightly whimsical look - but I wouldn’t know where to start!

I’m not concerned about fitting in as such, it’s more that I feel like I’ve shown up to a beach holiday in ski gear - it’s simply the wrong time and place for my current wardrobe.

That said, I also don’t want to go out and buy a whole new set of clothes - I suspect I probably have the basics already and just need to find a way to accessorize and elevate? Essentially make jeans and a jumper a bit more interesting?

Does anyone have tips on how to swing this? What am I missing!?

When I lived in a proper agricultural village the summer uniform for the ladies was shorts and wellies. And everything they wore was sludge coloured.

Do not follow this style advice!

What about these kind of trousers with a nice top and comfy shoes for walking in. You can mix them up with some strappy sandals for the pub or barbecues etc. a nice print jacket would jazz it up a bit if you don't want to be too country but also not like city smart.

I'm in rural North Yorkshire and it's jeans, checked shirts, schoffels etc with Chathams in the summer and Fairfax and Favor in the winter, although I've gone rogue and got Dubarry boots as my legs are too fat for F and F!!

If you Google Ask Charlie how, then Charlie Gray is pretty good at polished country and works with quite a few brands that may suit.

I live in rural Somerset and wear fancy clothes all the time because I want to. Sometimes I get funny looks, sometimes not 😂

When I lived in a Somerset village I mixed precious Droopy & Browns pieces with things from the farm shop down the road and my partner’s cast off Harris tweed jackets. It was a long time ago, and I scarcely noticed what other people were wearing!

But that’s pretty much what I’d want to be wearing for country life now. I’d probably be replicating the Droopy & Browns look at Cawley Studio, and similar places.

If I'm going for a walk it would generally be outdoors brands like Rab, Berghaus etc. For shopping / lunch etc in winter would be jeans and a jumper, in summer skirts and dresses with sandals. I'm in the south west so boots and a proper waterproof feature very heavily in my daily wear because it's always raining. Today I am wearing gym leggings and a waterproof because it's throwing it down. Basically fashion goes out the window. A nice trench coat and a brolly won't cut it in sideways rain.

What is THAT gilet?

I’m genuinely astonished that you need a separate wardrobe for living rurally. Just wear jumpers and jeans with trainers! You don’t need special designer country wear. How very odd.

I was wondering the same.

@wawawewa ?

Just wear jumpers and jeans with trainers!

I don't own jeans or trainers and only 2 jumpers (loads of cardigans)

I grew up in the countryside. I left at 18 and don't ever want to go back there but like MayIDestroyYou if I had to go there I'd get by on a Droopy Brown/Cabbages and Roses /Palava vibe. With tweed. Tweed's fine.

Sometimes in Midsomer Murders they have arty/crafty/eccentric characters who I could copy. Or the summer fetes - there's a summer fete in almost every episode of Midsomer Murders. I've got lots of clothes I could wear to them.

Same. Rural NI. I do wear jeans and walking boots a lot tbf because: dogs, fields and we spend 8 mths of the year navigating mud and tractors. I still dress how I would in London to go out for coffee, food, meet friends. Sometimes I stick out a bit, probably. Nobody's thinking that much about me or my clothes.

I moved to the country and I mostly wear jeans/trousers and tops/jumpers, same as I did in the city. Admittedly I wear a waterproof North Face jacket and walking boots rather than my nice camel coat and leather boots but that was the main change.

Schoffel!! 😁

Perhaps @wawawewa wasn’t that interested in answers, anyway?

Thank you. Since when a gilet becomes a fashion item? Hadn’t noticed any being worn in the semi-rural area I live in, but will probably spot them everywhere now.

I think it's more of a staple than a fashion item. When I was YFC County Organiser, I used to refer to the AGM as 'the night of a thousand Schoffels...'!

There was a man locally who used to cycle through my village wearing a pink tutu, pink tights and pink ballet shoes with a tweed jacket, shirt, tie and flat cap 😂

I live in the cotswolds and I find these few bits have really helped tie stuff together, some are super expensive but you can get dupes (also doesn't sound like budget is a massive issue);
Fairfax and favour boots - solid and chunky enough for cutting across a field to the pub, stylish enough to look nice in the pub
Padded jacket - mines from Holland cooper which can be a bit "dress up like the country" but I think any brand does, get one with some shape. Replace with gilet when warm.
Get some nice tops to go with jeans, I'm 90%of the time in jeans. Nobody's child had some lovely flowery trimmed blouses, layering is also good here, white shirts underneath tops add a bit of an extra thought through vibe. For winter a white shirt under a posh jumper (cashmere vibes but doesn't need to be cashmere)
For summer I like all the coords and linen type trousers.
Jewellery and a nice bag also lifts things and makes them look less casual.
There are a lot of floral/milkmaid style dresses in the high street now anyway, I know you said you didn't want to wear them and look like you're in costume but I do think because they're in the shops anyway, it wouldn't look too false
Colour wise i like neutrals but also love navy as a softer alternative to black and recently got lots in pale lemon which is nice over Ecru coloured jeans and linen trousers with sunglasses to look summery.