After two years of pandemic-induced sofa slogging and fashion purchases consisting solely of fleece-lined cotton, our family decided to move from the peaceful suburban outskirts of Washington, D.C. to Cambridge, England. In preparation, I invested in several pairs of skinny jeans, two different pairs of wellington boots, and a varying selection of Barbour jackets. My understanding of British fashion came mostly from Instagram mumfluencers, Burberry advertising campaigns, and my British husband’s experience of growing up in the countryside. 

Shortly before we left America, I visited my best friend in New York and even there - the home of Carrie Bradshaw herself - most women were clad in Lululemon and olive green parkas. Athleisure is the pinnacle of the average American woman’s attempt at fashion, while dog-hair-covered leggings paired with your husband’s stained college sweatshirt was the culturally-accepted, low-end norm. Skinny jeans equated to really dressing up, and ‘Mom Jeans’ felt just a bit too trendy. 

Upon arrival in England, panic began to set in. Even the produce aisle in Waitrose boasted more high fashion than it did ripe avocados. My regular trips into London confirmed my newfound suspicions: British women are extremely stylish. People-watching in Cambridge and London permitted me to observe these fashionable women as they went about their daily lives. I admired their long chiffon dresses, their stompy boots, their statement coats, and their jewellery. All of the sartorial experiments I had seen on magazines and fashion blogs were alive in the streets of these beautiful cities. Women with silver hair wore tight leather leggings; girlfriends out to lunch wore Chanel-inspired floral trousers. I felt like David Attenborough observing birds in their natural habitat, watching their plumes reflect in the winter sunlight. 

Coats seem especially key to the British woman’s wardrobe. As an ardent royalist, I have chronicled the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe for nearly a decade, and can finally understand why she needs so many coats (including approximately 21 nearly-identical black ones). My Barbour jackets, while incredibly practical for Sunday walks in the countryside, felt boring by comparison. I quickly invested in an ankle-grazing, camel-hued coat from Zara, which has served me endlessly. As the Duchess of Cambridge will attest, it instantly ties together an outfit, whether worn with trainers or heels. 

My footwear certainly required a rethink. Cars are king in America, but the parking provisions and cobbled streets of the UK lend themselves more to walking. Women in London and Cambridge aren’t tripping over high heels along the Victorian pavements, nor are they sporting uber-practical trainers. Instead, I noticed women wearing boots, both stompy and elegant, flat pumps, loafers and designer trainers to traverse the city streets. A trip to Russell and Bromley provided a pair of black suede riding boots and mid-heel ankle boots, ideal for the winter months, while my favourite trainers and a pair of leopard-print flats rounded out my shoe wardrobe. Wellingtons reign supreme in the countryside, with the brand of your wellies saying more about your lifestyle than the car you drive. For whatever it is worth, we wear Le Chameau. 

British model Lucy Williams wearing the sort of stompy boots and statement coat the writer so admires (@lucywilliams02) 

Another fashion observation I could not ignore were the trousers. With skinny jeans being declared dead, then revived, then dead again, I couldn’t help but notice that their status in the UK is a moot point. As I surveyed the women around me, I noted that the most stylish were eschewing denim, with not a single pair of skinny jeans or distressed Mom jeans in sight. Instead, the fashionable set are filling their wardrobes with printed trousers, a tapered leg, long dresses and leather leggings. It seems that trends once reserved for the young and daring are more impactful as we age - the older you are, the more fabulous and flattering a pair of fitted leather trousers appear. 

It has also been fascinating to compare the great British shopping institutions with those in the US. John Lewis and Marks and Spencer provided the mega-department store experience I was accustomed to in America, most similar to US-based Macy’s or my beloved Nordstrom. Iconic British high street brands Reiss, Whistles, Boden, and Jigsaw became my new friends. And when in doubt, I’ve learned that H&M and Zara will always be there, no matter what country you live in, for a catwalk-inspired piece or wardrobe staple. If they’re good enough for the Duchess of Cambridge, they’re good enough for me.

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