Kate Middleton's Best English Country Looks

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Much has been said of the royal family's style—the tiaras! the ball gowns! the glamour!—but at Country Living we're partial to the House of Windsor's more relaxed looks, the kind of casual attire better suited to weekends at Balmoral than state banquets at Buckingham. The English country aesthetic—think of it as the sartorial equivalent of a Land Rover Defender—is rooted in practicality (waxed canvas jackets, rubber wellies) with a particular emphasis on iconic British heritage brands such as Burberry and Barbour. (Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly so attached to her Barbour Beaufort jacket that when the beloved heritage brand offered to replace it with a newer iteration, she asked to have her original 25-year-old version rewaxed.) While there's no shortage of royals who have effortlessly embraced the country aesthetic (Princess Diana's famed sheep sweater comes to mind), in recent years, it's the Princess of Wales who has best showcased the rugged-meets-refined English country look. That, of course, comes as no surprise seeing that Kate's a self professed country girl at heart. (She's said to feel most at home at Anmer Hall, the family's country estate in Norfolk.) In honor of Kate's 42nd birthday on January 9, grab your English walking stick and take a leisurely stroll through her go-to country style staples. Princess of Wellies, anyone?

Tasseled Riding Boots

Sustainability-minded Kate doesn't shy away from a repeat wear, and her Penelope Chilvers boots are in frequent rotation on country outings. For a farm visit in Ireland, Kate paired them with dark jeans and an olive green belted Friel utility jacket.

Get the Look: These leather-and-suede riding boots serve up a similar combo of fashion and function for one-third of the price.

Waxed Canvas Coats

During a visit to London's Robin Hood Primary School (to celebrate a gardening campaign), Kate sported a Barbour Defence waxed jacket (a wardrobe staple!) with a black turtleneck tunic by Temperley London.

Get the Look: This jacket by Orvis makes for a great everyday piece, or try this utility jacket from stateside country outfitter L.L. Bean or this find from Amazon.

Muted Earth Tones

See? The Penelope Chilvers boots make another appearance here. This time around they complement brown Zara pants and an olive green jacket by Fjällräven that can also be found on Amazon!

Get the Look: The green Vermont barn coat evokes a similar country-casual spirit.

Fair Isle Sweaters

And here the boots are again. This time they're paired with a cozy lambswool sweater from the British brand Brora, designed in collaboration with TROY London. William's puffer jacket is by Ralph Lauren.

Get the Look: Try this Fair Isle-inspired sweater or this one, both by L.L. Bean. For Will's look, try this bargain.

--Gratuitous Kate Photo--

There's honestly nothing more to say about this look but we just wanted to take a moment to admire our fair Katie sitting on a hay bale.

Tweed Fabrics

During an appearance at King Henry’s Walk Community Garden in Islington, Kate wore the tweed "Bracken" coat by Dubarry of Ireland, a heritage brand also beloved for its outdoor-friendly footwear.

Get the Look: While not tweed, this olive green peacoat evokes a similar sort of pastoral polish.

White Linen Blouses

During a trip to Bhutan, Kate paired a green vest from Really Wild with a Jaeger linen blouse, classic Ray-Ban sunglasses, and—you guessed it—her trusty Penelople Chilvers riding boots.

Get the Look: This cinched-waist vest serves up a similar silhouette and layers well over a simple white linen shirt or bow-tie blouse.

Khaki Parkas

While visiting the Farms for City Children charity, Kate wore Zara jeans and a Troy London waxed parka.

Get the Look: For a similar tan parka, head here.

Superga Sneakers

When not rocking riding boots, Kate can be found in her white or green Superga sneakers—paired here with a chambray shirt, Massimo Dutti pants, and a Fjällräven padded vest.

Get the Look: This $33 vest from Wal-Mart comes in 16 colors.

Tweed Blazers

For a more buttoned-up take on country style, Kate reached for her Really Wild belted jacket and dark skinny denim jeans.

Get the Look: This houndstooth blazer feels equally smart, as does this one and this one and this one.

Tie-Neck Blouses

A bow-tie blouse (here, the "Bella" shirt by Barbour by Alexa Chung) brings a bit of polish to an otherwise outdoorsy ensemble.

Get the Look: A tie-neck top like this or this would look similarly chic layered under a classic canvas barn coat.

Burberry Checks

In honor of Remembrance Day, Kate accessorized her green plaid quilted jacket by Burberry with a poppy.

Get the Look: There's only one Burberry, but this tartan plaid jacket hits a similarly striking note.

Corduroy Collars

This corduroy trimmed coat is part of Barbour's collection with Alexa Chung.

Get the Look: This L.L. Bean pick comes pretty close!

Tartan Trenches

It's not all toned-down neutrals out in the country. Here, Kate embraced a little more color courtesy of the Marlborough trench by British brand Holland Cooper.

Get the Look: Tartan-lovers should also check out this full-length tartan coat or this plaid option.

Muck Boots [Combat?]

Kate's no-nonsense footwear is rumored to be the combat ankle boot by See by Chloe.

Get the Look: This fleece-lined footwear is a strong substitute. (For a similar jacket, try this. For the jeans, try these.)

Quilted Vests

Seeing green! Kate's Ganni vest, worn during a visit to Glasgow, Scotland, was made of 100 percent recycled polyester

Get the Look: Check out this vest from Kate-beloved brand Barbour or this more affordable find on Amazon.

Gingham Button-Downs

Here, Kate revisits her Troy London waxed parka with a navy sweater and a timeless gingham shirt from Gap.

Get the Look: This tan parka won't steer you wrong. Pair it with this gingham button-down and, preferably, a dimpled grin.

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