Life & Style
How to live your best life, from timeless fashion, jewellery and watches, to cars, food and drink and dogs
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James May on the M1: BMW's best-ever bad carIn this article from April 2004, then Country Life motoring columnist James May pays tribute to BMW's first mid-engine supercar from the 1970s.
By Country Life Published
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'Sorry, I can't reply to your email right now, I'm drifting a McLaren in Finland'Charlie Thomas learns how to go sideways in a McLaren. Because how else are you going to spend an afternoon?
By Charlie Thomas Published
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Reader event: A rare glimpse into the world of Elizabeth GageSponsor Content Created With Elizabeth Gage
The iconic jeweller Elizabeth Gage is opening up her workshop to a small group of Country Life readers in an intimate event on Wednesday, May 13.
By Country Life Published
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'If it is going to work anywhere, it is going to work here': Meet the makers of English olive oilWith English wine going from strength to strength, could our own extra-virgin olive oil be the next homegrown success story?
By Giulia Crouch Last updated
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The countdown to Spud-ageddon is on: Why potato farmers are in perilPotato farmers are experiencing a downturn in demand so significant, they’ve wound up with a surplus of spuds. Will Hosie investigates why and what you can do about it (spoiler alert: eat more spuds).
By Will Hosie Published
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From Bentley dog baskets to Ferrari everything, there is more to cars than just four wheelsWhen it comes to fashion and cars collaborating, the list is diverse, long, and seemingly only getting longer.
By Guy Bird Published
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'One drew a longer queue than the members of One Direction': The irresistible old English sheepdog is now under threatAs the Dulux dog marks 65 years, the old English sheepdog remains one of Britain’s most recognisable canine icons — yet this much-loved breed is now under threat.
By Florence Allen Published
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'We are here to champion British farmers who produce wonderful milk, meat, vegetables and eggs': The Country Life team's favourite farm shopsMore and more of us are choosing to buy produce directly from farms.
By Will Hosie Published
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Glovebox: What do you get the person who has everything? A Land Rover Defender inspired by The HamptonsAnother regular day in the Defender restomod community.
By James Fisher Published
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‘When it comes to flat caps, size really does matter’: The hat that's crowned the heads of everyone, from Middle Age peasants to Oscar-winning greatsIf there is one piece of clothing inherently and undeniably British, it is the flat cap, says Amie Elizabeth White, who traces the hat's history from the Middle Ages to modern day.
By Amie Elizabeth White Published
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The ancient and aristocratic dog breed loved by Queen Victoria and Sir Walter ScottOnce used to hunt wolves and bring down red deer in the Scottish Highlands, the Scottish deerhound is one of Britain’s oldest and most noble breeds. Today, it remains a gentle giant — elegant, devoted and unmistakably aristocratic.
By Victoria Marston Published
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Porsche Cayenne: Pablo Escobar's off-roader is now a genuine all-in-one talentAdam Hay-Nicholls finds that Porsche's ugly duckling has transformed into a rather beautiful swan.
By Adam Hay-Nicholls Published
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Here’s where to go for a really interesting and, dare we say it, cool drink in London's Zone OneThe pub is out and the wine bar is in. These hidden gems are pouring some of the capital’s most interesting and delicious vintages — and you don’t have to go to Hackney for any of them.
By Emma Hughes Published
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'Hard times breed sumptuous cars': The costly stars of the last-ever London Motor ShowMore than 50 new cars made their Earls Court debut at the 1976 London Motor Show — its last appearance in the capital before it moved to Birmingham in 1978. In this article from the November 25, 1976, issue of Country Life, writer John Taylor revealed some of his favourite launches.
By Country Life Published
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'A flash of skull-print sock is my equivalent of a six pack': A snob's guide to socksTo show your socks or to hide them away? It depends on who you asks, finds Sophia Money-Coutts.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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The glory — and the grind — of winning a Michelin star, by Gordon Ramsay, Michel Roux Jnr and Tom Parker BowlesInitially associated with tyres, Michelin has become synonymous with the coveted laurels awarded to the world’s best restaurants. To mark the centenary of the first stars being awarded, David Ellis looks back on a century of fine-dining dramas.
By David Ellis Published
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White diamonds are believed to wield spiritual power. Today, the largest one to appear on the UK market in more than a decade goes under the hammerThe last time a similar stone was sold was in 2017, when a ring purchased at a car boot sale for £10 sold for £656,750.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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'Some of the guys and girls out there haven't slept in 36 hours' — With Defender in the dunes of DakarCharlie Thomas reports from one of the world's most gruelling endurance races.
By Charlie Thomas Published
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'The unicorn of the dog world': Why the Glen of Imaal terrier is the best dog you've never heard ofResembling a wolfhound after a boil wash, the Glen of Imaal terrier is capable of executing the ultimate charm offensive, finds Lucinda Gosling.
By Lucinda Gosling Published
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The diamond necklace that lost Marie Antoinette her headHow a cardinal’s attempt to court royal favour precipitated one of the most celebrated scandals of the ancien régime.
By Jonathan Self Published
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Meet the men trying to revive our pubs — and farms — for the price of oneWhen James Gummer, Phil Winser and Olivier van Themsche opened the Pelican in 2022, the pub became the sexiest place to see and be seen. It now forms part of a consortium boasting seven properties and an enviable farm-to-table model, which its founders believe can help revive the English countryside.
By Will Hosie Published


