Winter belongs to family

A January story of cold days, warm layers & countryside traditions

January in the countryside has a very particular kind of quiet. 

Not the soft quiet of December festivities, nor the bright optimism of early spring – but a deeper, steadier stillness. The fields rest. The air bites. The light sits low and golden, touching the hills with a kind of old-world calm. 

It’s in this quieter stretch of winter that families often fall back into their own traditions – the Sunday walk that never misses a week, the muddy dog who insists on coming along, the familiar route down the lane where nothing ever changes and yet somehow everything feels new. 

And for many families, these rituals begin in the hallway, at the coat rack, as everyone reaches for the layers that will carry them through the cold. There’s something comforting – almost ceremonial – about it. The handing out of caps. The tugging on of gloves. The quiet battle with a zip that doesn’t want to rise. The laughter when one child inevitably loses a sock. 

It is in these moments – the in-between – that winter family life truly happens. 

At Walker and Hawkes, we’ve always believed that country clothing isn’t just about keeping warm. It’s about making memories in garments that last long enough to see children grow, dogs grey, and landscapes shift with the seasons. January gives families time to be together in all their perfectly ordinary glory, and time to appreciate the pieces that help them face the weather as a team. 

Let’s take a wander through what winter looks like when the whole family is wrapped up in the timeless charm of tweed, wax, wool  and classic British design. 

The father’s layer: strength, warmth & the Barlastan jacket

Every family has that one person who opens the door first. The unofficial path-checker. The one who steps outside, squints up at the sky and decides if it’s a hat day, a scarf day – or a “we’ll be fine without it” day (even though that’s almost never true in January). 

For him, winter days begin with the reassuring weight of the Barlastan Jacket. It’s a piece built for weather that doesn’t play fair – thick, structured, and uncompromising. The Derby Tweed, tightly woven and treated with a fabric protector, shrugs off sleet and mud with the same quiet confidence it’s shown for two decades of British craftsmanship. 

There’s something undeniably classic about the way a man stands in a Barlastan – hands in the hardwarmer pockets, collar slightly raised, a dog waiting at his heel. It’s  countryside heritage, but not the nostalgic kind. It’s the kind that works hard, keeps warm, breathes well, and allows him to carry on leading the family walk with the same presence he always has. 

And beneath it?

A Merino wool Stanmore jumper, soft but substantial, its cable and diamond stitches carrying whispers of Aran heritage. A garment that holds warmth without weight – ideal for fathers who spend half their time walking ahead and the other half waiting for the rest of the crew to catch up. 

A flat cap or ear-flap Harris Tweed cap finished the look – practical, quietly refined, unmistakably British. 

He steps out first. 

The cold meets him. 

And the day begins.

The mother’s layer: style, strength & the Hazelwood jacket

There is no elegance quite like winter elegance – a woman walking into a cold day wrapped in tweed, scarf tucked in neatly, hat angled just so. The Hazelwood Jacket is made for that kind of elegance; classic, practical, warm without being bulky, beautifully feminine without sacrificing strength. 

It’s a must-have for the outdoorswoman who handles January weather with grace. 

The waterproof interlining. 

The hand-warmer pockets. 

The wind-stopper cuffs that make the cold feel like something she has already outsmarted. 

The Hazelwood creates that lovely balance – sturdy enough for muddy fields, refined enough for a country pub lunch afterwards. Paired with a Merino Wool Merston jumper, soft as a whisper yet warm as a memory, she looks as ready for the walk as she does for whatever the day becomes after it. 

Add the Harwell Merino Wool Hat, and suddenly she looks like the very picture of winter countryside style: effortless, warm, and quietly striking against the frost-bitten backdrop. 

She closes the door behind her. 

Pulls her scarf closer. 

And the family follows her down the path. 

The children’s layer: adventure-ready warmth in Noah jackets & Greyson gilets 

If the adults bring style and steadiness to a winter walk, the children bring chaos – the joyful, muddy-kneed, puddle-seeking kind of chaos that makes January bearable. Their enthusiasm turns even the simplest route into a grand expedition: every stick a sword, every field a kingdom, every puddle an irresistible scientific experiment. 

And this is precisely why parents depend on clothing that can survive absolutely anything. Enter the Noah Jacket, the junior version of our classic tweed outerwear.  

Waterproof. 

Windproof. 

Thick and warm. 

Made in Britain from the same Derby Tweed as the adult Barlastan and Hazelwood. 

It’s a jacket that lets kids be kids without parents having to worry about the cold catching up to them. The roomy fit makes it perfect for layering, and the protected coating means muddy splashes and sudden showers are dealt with in an unbothered, wipe-and-carry-on fashion. 

On milder days, the Greyson Gilet takes centre stage – freeing up arms for climbing, running, exploring, collecting stones, or whatever else children deem essential to the day’s mission. Warm, protective and impossibly cute when paired with a matching children’s flat cap, it’s the kind of piece that invites compliments from every one who passes by. 

Children don’t just wear their county clothing – they live in it. 

And their winter adventures are all the better for it. 

The little things that complete the walk: hats, gloves & jumpers 

January proved long ago that accessories are not optional. 

They are essential, beloved, and frequently borrowed by whoever forgot theirs. 

Hats

A family lined up in hats – whether that’s caps, wide-brimmed hats, knits, Walker and Hawkes offers every style, practicality, colours and weather appropriate option. 

Gloves

For men and women alike, a good pair of gloves turns fingers into happy toasty ones. A well-made pair makes all the difference when the air starts to sting. 

Jumpers

A cosy jumper is that crucial second layer (and the pub’s best friend). Breathable, durable, non-itchy, and steeped in Aran knitting heritage – that’s the Walker and Hawkes style. They’re the kind of jumpers that last through years of winters, photographs, and hand-me-downs. 

It’s these small pieces that turn a cold walk into a family ritual. 

A Ritual that feels like it belongs to you – and only you. 

When the walk ends, the warmth continues 

The best part of a family winter walk isn’t always the walk itself. 

Sometimes it’s the return. 

Boots by the door. 

Jackets hung by the radiator. 

The dog shaking mud across absolutely everything. 

The kettle goes on. 

Faces flush back to pink. 

And the house slowly fills with warmth again – both the literal kind and the kind you feel somewhere behind your ribs. 

Country clothing is made for these moments just as much as it’s made for the outdoors. For shaking off the cold. For settling back in. for turning an ordinary January day into a memory that will look rosier and more romantic the older it becomes. 

Why family clothing matters – especially in January  

Because the world feels softer when everyone’s warm. 

Because a good jacket helps you say yes to more adventures. 

Because once you’ve invested in pieces that last, winter becomes something to enjoy rather than endure. 

Because families deserve clothing that moves with them, protects them, flatters them, and becomes part of their story. 

January may be the coldest month. 

But with the right layers – and the right people – it becomes the cosiest, too.