What to Wear to Sunday Lunch at a Country Pub
Written by Artemis Clo
There are few better ways to spend a Sunday than a walk, a roast and an hour too long by the fire. Knowing what to wear to Sunday lunch at a country pub is mostly about comfort, with just enough polish that you feel like a guest rather than someone who wandered in from the garden.
What to wear to Sunday lunch: cosy but put-together
The perfect Sunday lunch outfit starts with a good jumper. It is warm on the walk, relaxed at the table and looks smart in a candlelit corner. A cable knit crew neck jumper in a classic fit is the safe bet, while a cowl or roll neck adds a little drama for the same effort. Our jumpers collection has textures and colours for every mood.
Choose a jumper you can wear with a shirt or fine top underneath, so you have somewhere to go when the fire gets going. Country pubs vary wildly in temperature, from draughty by the door to tropical by the hearth, and the only sensible answer is a layer you can take off without fuss.
Colour helps too. A deep green, a berry red or a soft camel looks right at home among the beams and the brass, and photographs warmly in low light.
Think of a country pub outfit as smart casual Sunday lunch dressing: one notch above what you would wear to the supermarket, one notch below a christening. If the lunch is a birthday or a family gathering, add a nicer top or a pair of earrings. If it is just the two of you and the dog, the jumper and jeans are perfect as they are.
Jumpers to start with
A few pieces that fit what you have just read.
Cable Knit Crew Neck Jumper, Classic Fit
Cable Knit High Neck Jumper with Rolled Edges
Waffle Knit Cowl Neck Jumper
Something with a forgiving waistband
Let us be honest: there will be Yorkshire puddings. There may be crumble. Whatever you wear on your bottom half should be as comfortable after pudding as it was before the starter.
Well-fitting jeans are the default pub lunch outfit for good reason. A pair of high waisted button fly jeans with turn-ups looks smart with a jumper and boots. If you would rather have something softer, look for trousers with an elasticated or shirred waist in our trousers collection. A knit dress with thick tights is another excellent option, warm and easy all afternoon.
Avoid anything that needs to stay perfectly pressed. Pub benches, dogs and gravy are not kind to pale, delicate fabrics. Darker colours and a little texture forgive a great deal, including the friendly spaniel who wants to share your seat.
Shoes and a coat for the walk
A country pub lunch rarely happens without a walk, either a stroll from the car park or a proper circuit across the fields. Dress for that walk and the lunch will take care of itself.
Boots are the obvious choice from autumn to spring. Faux-fur lined ankle boots with a side zip are cosy for a cold day and slip on easily when you get back to the car. Our boots collection has flat and heeled styles that work just as well inside as they do on a lane. If the walk is properly muddy, take wellies and change in the car park: no landlord will thank you for a trail across the flagstones.
Your coat should be practical and still look good on the hook. A hooded style is ideal for the British weather, and the long reversible hooded coat gives you two looks in one. Browse our coats and jackets for quilted, hooded and longer styles.
What to wear to Sunday lunch through the year
A winter pub outfit is all about knitwear, boots and a warm coat, plus a scarf you can loop over the back of your chair. Our guide on how to layer for British weather covers the art of staying warm without overheating indoors.
In spring and autumn, swap the chunky knit for a lighter jumper or a shirt with a cardigan, and keep the boots. In summer, a pub garden lunch calls for a cotton dress or easy trousers with a light top, flat sandals and a cardigan for when the sun goes behind a cloud, which it will.
And if your Sunday lunch is part of a weekend away, our list of what to pack for a weekend in the Cotswolds will help you fit it all into one bag. Then book the table, order the roast and do not even think about skipping pudding.
Next, from our boots
Something from a neighbouring rail, for the same moment.
Orthopaedic Lined Ankle Boots with Buckle Strap
Faux-Fur Lined Ankle Boots with Side Zip
Suede-Look Western Ankle Boots with Pull Tabs
Your questions, answered
Is there a dress code for Sunday lunch at a pub?
Almost never. Country pubs welcome walkers in muddy boots and families in their Sunday best alike. Smart casual is the sweet spot: you will feel at home whether the table next to you is in wax jackets or in pearls.
Can I wear a dress to a pub lunch?
Of course. A knit or jersey dress with boots and thick tights is one of the cosiest options there is. Just bring a coat for the walk, and avoid anything too floaty if there is a stile on the way.
What should I wear for a Sunday lunch with family?
Something comfortable that still looks as though you made an effort, because there may be photographs. A good jumper, jeans or easy trousers and smart boots strike the right note for most family gatherings.
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