Style & Fashion
The luxury pages of Country Life feature some of the most exlusive clothes and accessories for men and women – not many publications cater to both. In addition, every week online we find some of the most beautiful things to buy for yourself, or a loved one. Often made by some of the oldest, and most loved British brands, these pieces are the best we can find, whether it’s a classic trench coat or a Christmas party dress.
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The Utterly Inessential Crufts Shopping List: The toys, treats and trends that your dog deserves this year
Alexandra Fraser rounds up the top dog accessories on the market right now in honour of Crufts this weekend. After all, who deserves a treat more than Man's Best Friend?
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The Utterly Inessential Storm Shopping List: An umbrella for two, a jacket which doubles as a tent and the recipe for fluffy cinnamon buns
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Spring flowers, rugby shirts and sterling silver Marmite lids
Alexandra Fraser takes a look at a few things set to brighten up the end of your winter, from a non-denominational rugby shirt to a £145 sterling sliver marmite lid. No, we're not joking.
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The Utterly Inessential Valentine's Shopping List Part II: Pink gin, heart-shaped earrings and a dog bed for the true love of your life
Every year, we round up the top gifts one could possibly give without going over-the-top-crazy for Valentine's Day. Fortunately, this year our Utterly Inessential columnist is in love. Unfortunately, her heart still belongs to gin. You can't win them all.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Helping you to maintain 'New Year, new me' for at least another month
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The Utterly Inessential Sales Shopping List: From Britain's finest shops to refreshing your house in the name of charity
Utterly Inessential is back with the things which you‘d rather have received for Christmas itself, but have resigned yourself to purchasing in the January sales.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: The billionaire's advent calendar and a perfect barbecue for mid-winter al fresco
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The transformative power of a really beautiful pair of socks
Good socks aren't just a practical necessity — they can be far more than that, as Ryan Palmer and Dave Pickard of The London Sock Company told Giles Kime.
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The Utterly Inessential Cosy Shopping List: Wrap up warm, winter is almost here
Teeth chattering? Legs shaking? Can't feel your fingers? Winter is finally here (almost), and so is the cosiest edition of our weekly shopping list to date.
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The Utterly Inessential Travel Shopping List: Everything you need for winter sun or hitting the slopes
Last week's Country Life showed you all the best places to travel for a holiday now that the summer is over, from swimming with horses in Montego Bay to curling up in a chalet in Courmayeur. Now that you've booked your trip, Alexandra Fraser shows you all the things which may make your journey a little bit easier, a little bit more luxurious and a little bit utterly inessential.
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The Utterly Inessential Kitchen Shopping List: Antique copper pans, lemon-coloured cookers and the sort of stool you'd imagine Hemingway sitting on
Sure, you could go down to Homebase, Ikea or B&Q. But where would be the fun in that?
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: A pet candle with a secret, an American culinary road-trip and the inevitable waterproof
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The Utterly Inessential Autumn Shopping List: Cheese subscriptions, cosy blankets and everything else you need in the run up to winter
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Everything you need for the last weekend of summer
Alexandra Fraser rounds up the last few things you absolutely don't need this summer, as we reluctantly turn towards autumn jackets, broken brollies and 'do you have any tables inside?'.
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The Utterly Inessential Bank Holiday Shopping List: A few simple pleasures to indulge in over the historic August long weekend
It's the weekend we've all been waiting for since Christmas. In three short days, everyone in the UK (except the parents of young children, God bless you) will wake up at 7am, glance at their phone clocks and peacefully drift back into their downy pillows with large smiles on their faces. It's here, it's really here – the August bank holiday.
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A centuries-old altar cloth from a rural English church turned out to be the 'lost dress' of Elizabeth I, and it's set to go on public display
An altar cloth that turned out to be part of a gown belonging to Elizabeth I is going on display at hampton Court after undergoing an extensive conservation treatment.
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The Utterly Inessential Beach Shopping List: From ocean-inspired drinks to a Dragon paddleboard for the entire family to enjoy
Bored of being in the office? Well, this weekend is your chance to drop everything and jump on a train down to our gleaming coastline. Alexandra Fraser rounds up a few of the utterly inessential things that you should probably, potentially, but definitely not absolutely, bring with you.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Solid chocolate ice cream, a trackable passport cover and a £7,000 silver ice bucket
In this week's round up of utterly inessential items to amaze and beguile, Alexandra Fraser takes a look at a solid chocolate ice cream cone, the world's most expensive (probably) ice bucket and the ultimate solution to losing your passport in the airport.
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Curious Questions: What does your flat cap say about you?
You might think a flat cap is just something to keep your head warm and dry. And in some circumstances you'd be right – but there's a minefield of meaning out there, according to Rob Crossan.
