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The trench coat is a British fashion icon that’s been worn by everyone from brave World War soldiers to Sex and the City’s Samantha JonesThe trench coat did not originate in the trenches, says Amie Elizabeth White, but it was greatly influenced by the World Wars, and was sported by a host of film and TV stars.
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If these jackets could talkWith its new AW25 collection, Barbour has drawn upon its 130 years of classic British style to create clothing that will take you everywhere with timeless elegance and honest practicality
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What’s better than a date with Ali MacGraw? Tending to your waxed jacket, according to Steve McQueenThis is the story of the world’s most useful jacket — and a staple in Britain's countryside homes.
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Vested interest: The history of the waistcoatFavoured by Byronic bluesmen, Eton pops and rotund royalty, the waistcoat and its later iterations are an integral part of the Englishman’s wardrobe, says Simon Mills.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: A snob's guide to welliesWellington boots are a signifier, says Sophia Money-Coutts, of whether you are 'proper country' or not.
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Fall the right way: Country Life's shopping guide to the very best this autumnFrom tweed to tartan, scented candles to sandwiches, here's how to spend your money this autumn.
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These boots were made for walking (up Mount Everest, 101 years ago): How identical twin brothers plan to test George Mallory's shoes against modern-day mountaineering kitShoemaker Crockett & Jones has crafted a replica pair of George Mallory's boots for one half of The Turner Twins to wear in the high-altitude Himalayas.
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The origins of the Oxford shoe and why it will never go out of style‘Oxfords, not brogues’ are words to live by, but what do they actually mean?
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Manolo Blahnik on Margot Robbie, Marie Antoinette, fashion and footwearThe shoe might feel inconsequential as an item of fashion, but as Marie Antoinette, Andy Warhol, Margot Robbie and Manolo Blahnik demonstrate, it's anything but....
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‘The atomic bomb of jewellery’: Why the brooch is back in fashionOver the centuries, the brooch, invented to fasten garments, has become a glittering gem, a coded communication–an art mastered by Elizabeth II and a way to express personality.
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‘City gents in bowler hats beat on our shop windows shouting “immoral!” and “disgusting!”’: The rise (and rise) of the mini skirtWhat the mini skirt lacked in length it more than made up for in meaning.
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‘People would rather buy 20 synthetic jumpers than a woollen one that would last them a lifetime’: The British wool trade todaySheep shearing was king in the middle ages, writes Lotte Brundle, but the rise of synthetic fibres put the industry in a woolly position. How is it faring now?
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Marie Antoinette: How the most fashionable queen in history transformed French styleMarie Antoinette’s passion for furniture and genius for bagatelles, however evanescent their purpose, filled the French royal palaces with beauty and charm, as a new show at the V&A Museum shows.
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From fast cars to fashion, the horse is the ultimate luxury symbolKim Parker canters through the luxury world’s enduring love for all things equine.
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Time to join the fan club: the history of this summer's must-have accessoryAs summer temperatures continue to soar, fans — long considered a fashion anachronism — are back in the style spotlight.
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Maria de la Orden’s consuming passions: Dark chocolate, Hockney and the diamond accessories that remind her of her familyThe Paris-based designer of sophisticated clothing gives Country Life a peek into the things she loves the most.
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From James Bond to Centre Court, how terry towelling took the world by comfortTerry towelling — whether it be clothing babies, adorning a poolside Bond or mopping tennis players’ brows — altered domestic life forever.
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No strings attached: A brief history of swimwear, from heavy skirts of linen linked to women's drownings, to the skimpy two-piece named after a nuclear weapons siteFrom knee-length numbers to a scandalous suit denounced by the Pope, the colourful history of swimwear has been brought to life by a glamorous London exhibition.
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What do 19th century rowers, Queen Victoria and Giorgio Armani all have in common? They helped to popularise the world's most versatile jacket — the blazerEveryone from royalty to rappers seems to have one in their wardrobe. Harry Pearson lists the merits of the blazer, a true sartorial team player.
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‘I get all twitchy when I see people wearing something that really doesn’t belong’: A watch for every summer occasionThere’s a watch for every social summer occasion, from the Mediterranean to muddy festivals. Chris Hall selects some of his favourites.
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How to stand out from the crowd in the most British of outfits — morning dressMorning dress has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, but breaking with convention can be chic.
