My Country Style Outfits for Winter

Let’s face it. Winter is just a bit blah and ho-hum. It’s grey. It’s cold. And in Tasmania, we have to pile on the layers to keep cosy. Over the past few years, I’ve been developing a wardrobe of simple country-style outfits I can wear out in the paddocks and back to the house… or even down to the cafe for lunch! As so many of you keep asking me about what I wear, I thought I’d share my country-style outfits for winter. My wardrobe consists mostly of dresses (shock, horror) and probably doesn’t look practical at all, but let me explain my thought processes.

The Reasoning Behind My Country Style Outfits for Winter Choices

As you probably know, I currently work away from the farm for part of the week. I’d love to be at home full time, but while we are building our farm business I’m the main income provider. I’ve never been one to dress in ‘professional office wear’ and prefer a more dressy casual look when I’m at school. I prefer skirts and dresses over pants and jeans. Despite moving to the farm, I’ve stuck to this. Dresses are still my preferences. That said, I do own jeans. And active wear is a staple in my wardrobe too.

For me, dresses are very practical. I can dress a dress up or down, depending on what I wear with it. And despite the fact it’s cold here, once I have thick tights and a thermal top under my dress I’m very warm. For me, the neck and feet are the dictators of my heat level. As long as they’re toasty I’m good to go.

Another Good Thing about Dresses

They carry me through summer. (If I can call the Tasmanian season that). I can take off a layer, change my footwear and it’s suddenly country-style outfits for winter are for summer. If I add a different scarf or outer layer, I have created a new look. But the thing I love most about wearing a dress is that it’s an outfit in one. I don’t have to coordinate with anything.

All the dresses I purchased recently are made of cotton and are very well made. The gingham and black ones are made of recycled materials! I bought them from ASOS. If you’re in an older age bracket, I’m just here to let you know it isn’t all clothing for 20-somethings. There are outfits for almost everyone and good brands.

So, around the farm, I can wear leggings and boots with a big cardi or jumper over the top. To go out, I put on a more fitted merino cardigan and a dressier pair of loafers or lace-up boots. One thing I’ve become very adept at since living on the farm is online shopping. I have stores I love and I know exactly what I’ll be getting. That’s why I go to Styletread for most of my shoes. I haven’t bought shoes in a physical shop for around ten years now.

The Layers

By now, you have the idea that layers are HUGE and basically a necessity where we live. The weather is extremely unpredictable. We can have a sunny autumn day and the next will be snowing or even a heat wave. In fact, this can happen in one day!

Many people in Tasmania swear by the black puffer jacket. It’s almost a uniform here and for that reason I hate them! I prefer to try and look well put together, in my own style, and by wearing natural fibres. I don’t want to be wearing a feather doona all day. So, my country-style outfits for winter involve layers I can remove and add.

Typically it goes like this:

• A thin thermal long-sleeved top or bamboo long-sleeved tee (depending on how cold it is) I buy these from Kathmandu and Boody
• Wool tights. I buy these from Snag. BEST TIGHTS ever. You can customise the fit to suit your shape which is one reason why many of us don’t like tights.
• A boho country-style dress or pinafore
• An apron (if I’m at home)
• A merino cardigan. Gosh, I have so many of these. In all the colours. I love them. They wash so well and are the warmest. I typically wear these to work. On my days off I wear chunkier cable knit cardis.
• A scarf. Usually wool or a wool/linen blend. My friends will tell you I am the queen of the scarf. I am never without one in winter.
• Boots. Depending on the day the style can range from Blundstones to lace-ups to dressy ankle boots. I love boots because I can put a pair of woolen socks on and they can’t be seen.
• A coat. I rarely do it up but having a woolen coat is my answer to refusing to wear a puffer vest!
• I go through a pair of woolen gloves a year too.