What To Buy This Week: Town to Country

A weekend braving the elements requires a coat that’s capable of fending them off in appropriate fashion, as well as something that’s suited to the transition from town to country. This double-breasted design from Hardy Amies (part of an exclusive collection for Mr Porter) treads that line impeccably. In a sumptuous pure cashmere melton with a particularly indulgent handle, the earthy olive colour suits either urban or rural environs and is easily dressed up or down. A modern take on the timeless Chesterfield, the coat features a narrow wrap, trim peaked lapels and chunky pocket flaps. It’s half-lined and softly constructed for a contemporary feel. Note also the gorgeous mottled horn buttons, Hardy Amies house lining and delicate topstitching throughout. Simple, elegant and yet robust, it’s the ideal companion for an escape from the big smoke. £650.00, www.mrporter.com.

Every overcoat of course needs a similarly luxurious scarf for company, and if survival in the wilderness is the order of the day, then what better than to wrap-up in a Sartorial Survival Mega Square? The product of our recent collaboration with Turnbull & Asser and Mo Coppoletta, the Mega Square takes the form of a super-sized pocket hanky-come shawl. In a voluminous superfine cashmere and silk blend with handrolled edges, it can be worn in any number of ways and is almost impossibly warming. It is the square’s remarkable printed illustrations however, which will really make this the scarf for the season. They demonstrate a multitude of survival techniques for the intrepid explorer - whether bandaging a bruised limb, securely transporting a bottle of vino or even conducting a picnic in rakish fashion - the square has instructions for whatever your weekend away might care to throw at you. £295.00, www.TheRake.com/shop.

Another superb transitional piece that is both practical and effortlessly cool, this denim and shearling bomber from Ami feels perfectly considered. A contemporary ode to the sheepskin and denim workwear jackets of the 70s, this particular design refines the formula with a precisely balanced cut and clean lines. In an indigo blended wool and cotton denim that is both warming and durable, the detachable sheepskin collar is easily popped to fend-off the wind, or else removed should temperatures increase a little. The zip works in both directions for comfort and the denim-covered cuffs and hem are elasticated in classic bomber jacket tradition. With two patch-and-flap pockets that somehow succeed in reforming a utilitarian design feature into a dressy finishing touch, this is a sophisticated and intelligent smart-casual autumnal staple. £530.00, www.amiparis.com.

Let’s not mess about, the Edward Green Galway is nothing less than a modern shoemaking icon – one of the house’s longest carried and most popular boot styles, its success speaks for itself. A rugged piece of design, the Galway is in many ways the quintessential country boot; fitted with double oak bark tanned leather soles for solidity and made-up on the house’s elegant almond toed 82 last. New for autumn/winter ’16, this take on the Galway is slightly dressier, clicked in Edward Green’s dark oak antique calf (rather than the country calf normally used) with soft suede ankles – cut only from the best un-split skins. Even so, the boots remain as solid and dependable as ever, with firm calfskin uppers and supple suede ankles that provide just the requisite amount of support for wandering through rugged country lanes or scrambling over bracken on a shoot. £1045.00, www.edwardgreen.com.

Now, hip-flask purists might be about to brand me a heathen, but bear with me. Mount Gay’s excellent new XO Cask Strength release is about as luxuriant, complex and deliciously warming as a spirit can be, quite frankly I’d drink quarts of the stuff for breakfast if it were socially acceptable. Deep and rich with notes of toffee, oak tannins, layers of full-flavoured dried fruit, banana top-notes and a gloriously sweet, warming finish it is just the thing to warm one’s cockles on a cold winter’s morning with its punchy 63% proof kick. A strictly limited release, the XO Cask Strength celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Barbadian independence and a portion of the sales of every bottle sold will be donated to the Barbados Museum and Historical Society to support its efforts to record and preserve the extraordinary cultural history of the island. The undisputed king of sipping rums, it is available in good liquor stores now, or for the benefit of UK based readers, you can find it in Selfridges. £150.00, www.mountgayrum.com.

Of course, no escape to the great outdoors would be complete without the requisite umbrella-come-walking cane. Genuinely rakish umbrellas are few and far between; one might seek out Talarico in Naples or James Fox on London’s New Oxford St, but beyond that, luxurious options have historically been rather limited – until now. Finally, there is a third way care of the latest creation of G. J. Cleverley, a unique solid-stick umbrella, produced to the highest technical standards and designed to withstand even the harshest of downpours with aplomb. Featuring a ten-piece canopy underpinned by gunmetal hardware, the umbrella’s fabric is a textured poly-cotton blend woven by an Italian silk mill situated in lake Como, an innovation that lends a subtle nostalgic touch to the design. The handle is covered in Cleverley’s signature Russian reindeer hide, a feature which is not only unique, but which also connects the brolly back to Cleverley’s roots as a shoemaker. The Russian Reindeer Hide Umbrella can be ordered through Kirby Allison’s Hanger Project and an extendable travel-friendly version is also available. $750.00, www.hangerproject.com.