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Suit yourself: I’m a 49 year-old man-about-town and I’ve never owned a suit
When Hugh Smithson-Wright turned up to Country Life's annual Gentleman's Life party sans suit, it sparked a passionate conversation about why the formal fashion just isn't for everyone.
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Meet the British perfumers squeezing landscapes into scents
The nuances of modern perfumery now allow a single drop to evoke an entire landscape. Amie Elizabeth White explores the native houses hitting the right notes
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Country Life's luxury editor's gift ideas for gentlemen
Christmas gift ideas for all of the men in your life, from fathers to husbands, to boyfriends to brothers.
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Country Life's luxury editor's Christmas gift ideas for leading ladies
The Country Life Christmas gift guide is back and it's bigger than ever. Here's what to buy your mother, wife, sister or girlfriend (or all four).
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Kilt status: A history of the iconic Scottish skirt, from wartime wrap to punk protest
Everything you need to know about the kilt — apart from what to wear underneath one.
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How fashions finest would dress an Airedale, Dalmatian, corgi and more if only they had the chance
We’ve matched some much-loved breeds to the designers that share their history, temperament and vibe — because why not. Illustrations by Tug Rice.
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Savile Row might be the beating heart of bespoke men's tailoring, but it was named after a woman
Savile Row is the home of the bespoke suit, but its history is a lot more colourful than you might expect.
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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 Jones
The 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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What’s better than a date with Ali MacGraw? Tending to your waxed jacket, according to Steve McQueen
This 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 waistcoat
Favoured 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 wellies
Wellington 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 autumn
From 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 kit
Shoemaker 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 footwear
The 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 fashion
Over 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 skirt
What the mini skirt lacked in length it more than made up for in meaning.
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From fast cars to fashion, the horse is the ultimate luxury symbol
Kim 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 accessory
As 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 family
The 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 comfort
Terry towelling — whether it be clothing babies, adorning a poolside Bond or mopping tennis players’ brows — altered domestic life forever.
