UK: Are you losing the plot over allotment chic?

‘Allotment chic’ hasn’t happened overnight as global fashion houses such as Dior and Hermes recently enlisted garden designers to create their fashion week runway installations.

By Lara Owen
The Sentinel5
Jun 2025

THE GOOD LIFE: ‘Allotment chic’ isn’t just for the green-fingered among us

WHEN cottage-core rose as one of the most popular aesthetics post-pandemic, all things “British country garden” became in vogue.

Now ‘allotment chic’ is the style to sport, with chore jackets, dungarees and linen shirts becoming the laid-back go-to looks for fashion-forward thinkers.

‘Allotment chic’ hasn’t happened overnight as global fashion houses such as Dior and Hermes recently enlisted garden designers to create their fashion week runway installations.

‘Allotment chic’ is different to the classic cottage-core styles we’ve seen before. It is a more laid-back approach to fashion – dressing as though you’re actually going gardening – not sitting to smell the roses.

“It’s more a gentle nod to the practicality and inherent beauty of the gardener’s world,” says fashion expert, celebrity and personal stylist, Deborah Sheridan-taylor. “It’s like the equivalent of composting in cashmere. It nods to gardening life, without getting your hands dirty.”

THE STAPLE STYLES
“Well-cut dungarees with plenty of decent pockets, or oversized dad jeans hiked up with a chunky leather belt – a vintage hand-me-down Fair Isle jumper adds a real touch of authenticity,” says Deborah. “A utilitarian plaid overshirt, and if you’re feeling flush, a pair of Le Chameau wellies – [they’re] expensive but utterly timeless and a definite forever item in your wardrobe.”

COLOURS AND FABRICS
The palette of ‘allotment chic’ is just that of what you see in an allotment: kale greens, soil browns, stone greys and potato creams.
“Natural fabrics are key,” says Deborah, “linens, organic cottons and perhaps some good wool or hemp. Textures should feel like they’ve earned their keep – the kind of finish that resists trendiness. If you’re going for new, brands like Margaret Howell, Toast and Universal Works sit comfortably in this space – quietly stylish, considered, and enduring.”

HOW TO WEAR IT IN THE CITY
“To city-proof the look, take the essence – natural fabrics, muted tones, comfortable shapes – and refine them,” says Deborah.
“Pair a classic moleskin jacket with a crisp cotton blouse peeking from under a chunky jumper – think Fair Isle again – wide-leg linen trousers in a muted shade, a beaten-up leather belt and a ‘worn-in’ pair of brogues. Add a vintage silk scarf tied with insouciance, and a woven basket bag to complete the look.”
When translating a trend, it’s all about making it work with your existing wardrobe, in order to look effortless.
WHAT NOT TO WEAR

While trends and ‘cores’ are always fun to indulge in, they can run the risk of looking like a costume. To avoid looking like you’re dressing up as Monty Don, the experts say it’s all about balance.
“The main thing is not venturing too far from your own personal style,” says Schoffel’s product development manager Georgia Mortlock. “By adding small nods to the allotment chic aesthetic, while maintaining your own personal style favourites, the look will be natural and effortless.”

“The danger is veering into pastiche,” says Deborah. “If you wear it all at once – flat cap, florals, wellies – it can easily tip into theatrical. “Instead, focus on one strong piece and balance it with modern basics. Perhaps you just stick to a particular tone or fabric element. Make your choice, keep it simple and stick to it.”

Read the complete article here.

Source: https://cityfarmer.info/uk-are-you-losing-the-plot-over-allotment-chic/