It might just be the most civilized tradition I’ve ever encountered.
With fall upon us, I can’t help but think back to last November, when I found myself in the English countryside as the guest of some dear friends for a very proper pheasant shoot.
Now, before you get the wrong idea, I don’t hunt. I don’t kill anything, actually. I even rescue spiders. But that didn’t stop me from enthusiastically accepting an invitation to a proper English pheasant shoot. I was there for the tweed, the tartan, the breathtaking countryside, and what quickly became my favorite tradition of all… Elevenses.
If you’ve never experienced Elevenses, you’re in for a treat. Around eleven o’clock, everyone gathers in the middle of the countryside around the backs of Land Rovers for hot tea, coffee, champagne, sloe gin, warm sausage rolls, Scotch eggs, pork pies, and plenty of laughter before heading back out. It might just be the most civilized tradition I’ve ever encountered, and I was completely smitten.
We stayed at the amazing Bittescombe Lodge & Deer Park.
That weekend sparked this collection.
Think timeless tartans, handsome leather, sporting antiques, game plates, antlers (strictly decorative in my house), cozy throws, wellies, and all the little details that make an English country home feel beautifully collected. It’s less about the hunt, and much more about the style, the hospitality, and gathering around a table with people you love.
I’ve also rounded up some of my favorite highs and lows: a mix of splurge-worthy forever pieces alongside wonderfully affordable finds that capture the same English country spirit. Because the most interesting rooms (and wardrobes) are never built on one price point. They’re built on a great mix.
As for me? I may have skipped the pheasant hunting, but I never miss the treasure hunting.
Happy hunting.
XO,
Hillary
