Fashion's Falling Hard for the Preppy Countryside Trend

I say this in earnest: the primary call-to-action of the fall 2024 trends is to go touch grass. The fashion industry wants you to get off your phone and go outside—or, at least, dress the part of an outdoorsman in burly barn jackets, riding boots, tartans, and tweeds. The niche, down-to-earth way of dressing for fall harnesses the English country style trend—a fashion aesthetic that draws from the rich heritage wardrobe of a Royal at Balmoral (but without the stuffiness or politics of the aristocracy) and a dash of Bella Hadid's horse-girl cool.

Ironically, the ready-to-get-my-hands-dirty look particularly resonates with city slickers as a fashion-induced fresh air fix. Per shopping platform Lyst's 2024 Q3 report, searches for "barn jackets" are up 225 percent this quarter, with minimalist brand Toteme's corduroy-trimmed country jacket being the fifth highest-ranking product of the season. Carhartt's rugged $90 staple and Prada's weathered $4,900 workwear jackets are equally in demand, too; both rugged options proliferated recent Fashion Month street style—as if attendees had barn chores at 9:00 a.m. and a runway show at 10:00 a.m.

Even at Milan Fashion Week—seven days synonymous with classic Italian craftsmanship and anti-fad fashion—guests dined alfresco in water-wicking wax jackets and rain boots that could be worn to clean the stables and care for chickens.

What’s most refreshing about the recent rural countryside trend is that it’s actually wearable. As I write this very article, Marie Claire’s senior fashion news editor, Halie LeSavage, sits next to me wearing a long denim skirt from Alexa Chung’s collab with Madewell, an eyelet blouse from the Kate Middleton-endorsed brand Sézane, and mahogany brown boots with a sensible block heel. J.Crew’s long barn jacket in plaid hangs at the ready on the back of her chair for when she steps out of our Midtown Manhattan office.

Countryside attire is much less ostentatious than the peacocking typically seen outside of Fashion Month's runways (two words: no pants). But LeSavage, a self-described “later-in-life horse girl,” says she wasn’t inspired by British Isles style when getting dressed, per se, but rather the idea of accessible, “easy-to-put-together polish” that encompasses the aesthetic’s ethos. “I like how [the outfit] isn’t trying too hard—it feels very natural but specific in that it won’t age out [as a trend] in two years,” says the senior fashion editor.

She's exactly right. Given that English country style consists of elements already central to the season—fall boots and outerwear that can stand up to Mother Nature—it's a trend with undeniable longevity. Regarding her recent horse girl-inspired Reformation collection, Kacey Musgraves expressed a similar sentiment: "[Horse girl style] looks good on every single person, and I am so f–cking glad to see people catching up and having their own fun moments with it," the country-pop star told Marie Claire.

And you might already be shopping the equestrian-adjacent aesthetic without even knowing: Lyst also reports that searches for tweed, tartan, and Aran sweaters increased significantly on the site throughout early fall and are only gaining more interest as the season unfolds. But if you’d still appreciate some pointers before you start shopping with the English countryside in mind, the street style of Fashion Month Spring 2025 is a worthy guide. Ahead, fall outfit ideas and outdoorsy, on-trend items to shop await.

The English Country Style Trend in the Wild

A swinging silhouette takes a hard-working fall jacket out of the fields and into Fashion Week—or, wherever you plan to wear it.

A sweater vest and trousers take on fresh feel with slightly contemporary tweaks—like a baggy, barrel-leg silhouette and thick, must-touch textures.

You can complement a sturdy chore jacket with tall riding boots, but a pair of rubber rain boots is a more unexpected, and therefore exciting, option to consider.

Here's how to do fall fashion without teetering into the too-on-the-nose, nudge-nudge-wink-wink, pumpkin-spice territory: a dark plaid dress paired with a trusty trench coat.

When in doubt, call on the easy sophistication of suiting. A brown wool blazer and coordinating pencil skirt is a great candidate to add to your roster of fall work outfits.

Sometimes, the coat is the outfit. In the case of this well-dressed Milan Fashion Week guest, a thick black and white houndstooth coat does her look's heavy-lifting (though her bright blue denim skirt is worth mentioning, too).

The key to a monochrome outfit is to keep the colors in the same tonal family—they should be sisters, not twins. Here, a fashion week guest takes inspiration from the fall 2024 color trends and styles a green-flecked turtleneck with an olive skirt.

As it was prophesied by Marie Claire's fashion director-cum-style-oracle, Sara Holzman, fall 2024's hat trend is out in full force. This MFW guest opted for a horse-girl spin in Prada's velvet riding cap—which would pair very well with the checked, horse-girl-approved coat from Kacey Musgraves's collection with Reformation.

Vintage hair scarves were a key accessory trend of the summer and, as evidenced by this retro-inspired London Fashion Week attendee, have longevity for fall 2024, too. A scarf in Burberry's heritage House Check won't do you wrong.

Another outfit idea to add to your workwear rotation: a yummy turtleneck, black boxy blazer, and trousers that are—and this is the key—tucked into a sleek pair of riding boots.

Unsurprisingly, given its pattern with historic ties to Great Britain, tartan was a common sight in the London Fashion Week street style. This guest opted for a cherry red and black lady jacket, offset with a bright pop of silver buttons.

If you can't decide between textures, find a piece—like Rails's Cody blazer—that combines them. It's two varying looks and materials for the price of one.