Another coronavirus episode: British country fashion is all the rage

What do you do on dreary lockdown Saturdays? Are you going for a walk? Maybe even go hiking, even when it rains. Seen in this way, the corona pandemic also has less dire consequences: Because we currently want to go outside regardless of wind and weather, we like to cover ourselves with weatherproof and rural-looking clothing.

To be more precise: the English, conservative country look is popular among fashion fans – and that also in the city. The revival of the entire so-called Brit Chic is not brand new, but has accelerated in the past few months.

Above all, one associates the wax jacket and especially tweed with rural Brit Chic. “It stands for high, robust quality and timeless elegance, both of which are very typical for fashion from the island,” explains fashion consultant Andreas Rose from Frankfurt. Linen, high-quality cotton and leather are also typical fabrics in English country house fashion.

Silk blouse with a tweed blazer

Since this style thrives on its contrasts, it also includes silk and other flowing materials – such as blouses, neck scarves, headscarves and skirts. They give the robust outdoor look for the terrain a feminine and at the same time noble finish.

This is also tip number 1 from type consultant Valeriya Licht from Berlin for wearing the British country house chic: the combination of coarse and feminine-looking fabrics. “For example, you can combine a silk blouse with a tweed blazer and casual jeans,” says the fashion expert. “Or a leather blazer with tweed trousers.”

What is new about the current country look is not only the inclusion of elements that are otherwise unrelated to style, such as jeans, but also other colors than usual. The basic palette of the British look are natural tones such as green in many variants, beige and brown. In addition, there is now the bright azure blue as a contrasting color, says Inka Müller-Winkelmann, purchasing advisor from Schildow (Brandenburg).

Overall, the pale natural tones are often loosened up with such accent colors, even within a pattern, says Müller-Winkelmann. For example, with the check pattern called houndstooth, which is so popular in Great Britain, coral or orange can frolic on a beige background. “Country is getting bolder,” says the shopping advisor, summarizing the current trend in fashion.

Wellington boots with a fine circle skirt

Andreas Rose sees it that way too – and more. The fashion advisor identified influences from other fashion styles. “So rubber boots are now worn with feminine clothes – even in the city.” Sometimes the stylish rubber boots – by the way from a luxury label – are also the only country element in a look, for example when they are combined with a circle skirt and a shirt.

In addition to the noble rubber boots, the Chelsea boots are part of the look. For a long time, the ankle-high boot was purely a men’s shoe, but today women also wear Chelsea boots, often with contrasting-colored elements such as the typical elastic insert in colored or colored soles.

By the way, country fashion also includes a piece of clothing that we no longer see as such, but as one of the standard elements of urban office workers: the trench coat. The tailor Thomas Burberry developed the coat for British soldiers in World War I, and it is particularly robust when it rains. That and its suitability for everyday use in so many situations has made it a popular piece of clothing around the world.

Belly free in a cardigan

Now there is more to British country fashion than just the outdoor look for rainy, windy days, with which we particularly associate it in the current situation. An important element of style for under and indoors is the cardigan.

He also bears the label “very British” and is currently receiving a make-over. Like many tops and sweaters, it is currently often worn in a short version, “which ends above the navel and which is worn without a shirt or blouse underneath,” reports fashion consultant Rose.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210401-99-56364 / 2 (dpa)