I felt dowdy when I left London – until I discovered these stylish country looks

To see Lucy’s new looks, click here

Last year my family and I moved from southwest London to the outskirts of York in North Yorkshire – and the way I lived my life changed entirely.

I swapped commuting into an office in the city for working from home as a freelancer, emerging only to drive my children to school or occasionally catch the bus into town. I traded work drinks and industry ‘dos for quiz nights at the pub and dinners with friends in draughty houses where getting to the kitchen involved a trek across a muddy farmyard. I acquired a dog who needed walking every day. My husband and I took up Scottish reeling as a cheery way to brighten up the long winter months (don’t laugh).

The needs of my wardrobe changed equally dramatically. I was no longer putting together outfits appropriate for running from meetings to a social life. My primary concern had become warmth (at this time of year anyway) and practicality. The only opportunity I had to show off an outfit became the playground at school drop-off – and then I usually had to go and walk the dog afterwards anyway, which meant practicality once again won the day.

Worst, I lost my inspiration: no more tube journeys to admire a look and work out how to copy it with what I had already; no colleagues to compliment on a new purchase and wonder if it would look good on me too. I packed away my pleated skirts and tailored trousers. My smart loafers grew dusty. My working wardrobe became a capsule of an old pair of jeans and one of an increasingly disreputable pile of bulky knits. Clothes I’d previously reserved for occasional weekends in the country became the mainstay of my wardrobe. I felt dowdier by the day.

It made me sad. I’ve never been a fashion maven, but I like clothes and I love dressing up. I didn’t want to become the sort of person who is happy wearing a fleece and no makeup.

So I called Alexandra Fullerton. A former fashion director at Glamour magazine, she has quit London for the wilds of Norfolk and now works as a stylist. Crucially, she also has a dog, so understands the fight against mud.

The good news, she told me straight away, is that “Britcore” is a huge look at the moment. “Everybody wants to look like the Queen at Balmoral,” she said. Dior’s show last spring was all kilts and tweed, and this has filtered through to the high street, where barn coats and heritage checks are all over the place. Which means embracing a country look isn’t just practical, it’s also fashionable.

I don’t, however, want to look like a Sloane Ranger, or the Princess of Wales in her early days. It’s a look in these parts: Fairfax & Favor boots, skinny jeans, tasteful grey cashmere, pearls, some sort of Stetson-type hat. Yes I have a pair of Le Chameau wellies and I’m not averse to a bit of cashmere, but I want to retain a bit of my old self – the one whose favourite print is leopard, and who’d rather wear faux-leather leggings than a pair of skinny jeans. Veering into kilt territory, meanwhile, could go horribly wrong – I still have traumatic memories of the red kilt and bright green jumper combo that was my school uniform for six years.

But country-appropriate dressing doesn’t mean dressing up as someone else, says Fullerton. “It’s all about making the person that you are on the inside align with the present on the outside,” she explains. “You’ve got that little bit inside you that you do want to rebel – you don’t want to look like everybody else at the reels (red cords and flatties, no thanks), you want them to know that you’ve had this life out of Yorkshire. You’ve got to have an edge.” Although just a little bit, we agree – don’t want to scare the horses. A leather collar on a country coat: yes. A full leather trench at a point to point? Definitely not.

I have detailed to Fullerton four scenarios I’d specifically like help with: what to wear that’s practical but stylish when; walking the dog; watching my kids play sport in the pouring rain; going to a dinner party in a cold country house; and working from home without looking like a bag lady.

Starting with the great outdoors, Fullerton recommends I go straight to the heritage brands for outerwear. After all, Barbour, Holland Cooper, Purdey and the like have not only been doing this for years, the clothes they make are designed to be worn outdoors in the freezing cold while hanging around on a grouse moor somewhere. A proper long waxed jacket will keep me dry; a tweed field coat will be warm, waterproof and chic. Going for a slightly larger size than I usually would not only looks more stylish, but also means I can layer underneath – a lightweight thermal under a jumper; a thin puffer on top of that under the coat.

What about the bottom half? Skinny jeans make me feel too trussed up these days. I prefer a baggier trouser, but that’s totally impractical for welly tucking – and if I’m wearing a short welly, they just drag. Do I need to return to the skinnies, or – horror – embrace athleisurewear?

No, no, no, says Fullerton; “there’s an option between the leggings and jeans”. One is to go for cord or velvet trousers, in a straight or narrow leg – M&S does the former every year, in a multitude of colours and slightly different shapes. That also breaks up the jeans + jumper formula. Can I wear my new favourite barrel-leg jeans with wellies? Absolutely, says Fullerton – a slightly baggier pair tucked into jeans looks more modern anyway, or with a shorter welly I just need to wear some chunky socks to fill any gaps and keep my legs cosy. Hat-wise, a baseball cap – in suede or waxed leather – is a much cooler option than a trad fedora, or a baker-boy style cap.

I spend a good proportion of my time indoors, however, working in my tiny study and trying not to keep my little electric heater permanently on (it costs a bomb to run, dries my skin and makes my hair go madly static). I default to tracksuit bottoms, a big jumper and very worn sheepskin slippers – not exactly an inspirational office look.

“You can very easily spiral into misery and depression when you’re doing that,” warns Fullerton. “If you’ve got lovely things, wear them. Keep that happiness in your clothes.” That means pulling out the lovely cashmere cardigan in favour of the moth-eaten jumper, or investing in a beautiful pair of velvet house slippers, sticking a sheepskin sole inside and wearing them with a fun pair of socks. Again, layering is key, for warmth – “but make it lovely”. A layering top doesn’t have to be a bog-standard thermal: Fullerton advises looking to places like Boden or Me+Em for their layering tops which come with a frill at the cuff or neck, and then throwing a waistcoat on top of a jumper or cardigan for an extra layer of warmth.

This could also be my moment for a kilt – but worn with a chunky jumper and with a stout pair of boots to add a bit of a punk edge: an easy look for indoors or outdoors. And “put jewellery on, and lipstick, and have your nails done. It’s just that little bit of elevation.”

One of the scenarios that seems to cause me the most grief nowadays is what to wear to go out. I pull out my old out-out clothes and put them back again – they look brash and overdone up here, or once again, not warm enough to tackle a November dinner party that involves a bit of a walk.

Velvet, says Fullerton, is my new best friend: it’s warm, it’s glamorous, and if it gets mud on it, it’ll brush off when the mud dries. A velvet dress can be layered with a thin thermal; a pair of velvet trousers paired with a pretty blouse (and a camisole underneath) makes it look like I’ve made an effort while actually just being a variation on jeans and a nice top.

At the end of our two-hour Zoom session I’m feeling much cheerier, and positively inspired. Yes I may have to make some investments. And those tailored trousers can probably stay packed away for now. But I feel as if I’ve got myself back again. Now I just need to go shopping.

The Looks

Look one: Out for dinner

I’d normally default to a wide trouser in the evening, but that often feels like too much material to drag around. These velvet Boden trousers are a great alternative – warm and comfortable, but still feel like me given the print. The blouse makes the leopard pop, but is super-easy to wear (and would look great with jeans); the quilted jacket adds warmth and glamour and flat shoes are always easier when it comes to picking your way across a farmyard.

Leopard velvet trousers, £120, Boden; Organic cotton shirt, £55, Nobody’s Child; Velvet quilted jacket, £460, Mondo Corsini; Gold Mary Janes, £29.50, Marks & Spencer

Look two: Dressed up

I don’t normally wear a lot of black, but this silk velvet dress is a dream. Sumptuous but simple, cosy but chic, all it needs is a nice pair of earrings and practically any smart shoe in my wardrobe. Perfect for a bit of Scottish reeling.

Ava black velvet dress, £420, Mondo Corsini; Mesh Mary Janes, £29.50, Marks & Spencer

Look three: Working from home

Cord! So soft! So forgiving, so cosy! I’ve fallen in love with these Toast trousers and want to wear them every day (bonus points that they’ll look great tucked into my wellies). Layering my cardigan with a pretty vest and a scalloped-edge thermal feels like a little bit of luxury, and beautiful socks are a much more luxurious option than ratty slippers to keep my feet warm.

Wool cardigan, £155 and cord trousers, £145, both Toast; Thermal top, £25 for 2, Marks & Spencer; Layering vest, £55, Me+Em; Socks, £12, The White Company; Shoes, Lucy’s own

Look four: Working from home

A fuller jean feels more comfortable and modern than my old skinnies; these feel a little bit rock chick. Adding a pretty shirt softens them, and layering up with lots of cashmere plus a bit of sheepskin means I’m positively toasty – no need to switch that heater on in this outfit.

Tapered jeans, £175, Me+Em; Cotton shirt, £59 (on offer: £47.20), Monsoon; Sleeveless cashmere vest, £110, Boden; Cashmere wrist warmers, £49, The White Company; Faux shearling gilet £210, Wyse; Falke Wool blend socks, £22, Toast; Shoes: Lucy’s own

Look five: Out and about

Bad school kilt memories thoroughly expunged with this. It’s not something I would previously have dreamt of trying, but Alex has turned me into a kilt convert. It’s warm, it’s cosy, I can walk in it and paired with these fully waterproof Grenson boots I feel equipped for pretty much any scenario.

Wool kilt, £149, Celtic & Co; Cashmere jumper £260, Hush; Leather boots, £380, Grenson

Look six: Watching my kids play rugby

I’ve got a Barbour but I rarely wear it – it’s not big enough to layer things under it properly and it’s too short to keep me really dry. This one ticks both boxes, and the longer length makes it feel super-stylish. A baseball cap is my new go-to for keeping my head warm and dry, and it’s a lot more flattering on the face than a beanie.

Barrel-leg jeans, £95, Whistles; Cashmere jumper, £275, Wyse; Cap, £15, Marks & Spencer; Waxed coat, £349 and boots, £44 (Lucy’s own), Barbour (both)

Look seven: Walking the dog

Ok, so these are technically leggings, but when they’re made of soft stretchy cord they feel more like trousers, and they tuck into wellies beautifully (and come in lots of different colours). A proper field coat from gunmaker Purdey is a big investment, but it’ll last forever and will look as chic on the streets of London as it does on a Yorkshire moor.

Cord jeggings, £19.50, Marks & Spencer; Cashmere jumper, £260, Hush; Merino wool field coat, £1,495, Purdey; Scarf and boots, £180, Le Chameau, Lucy’s own