Dear Reader,

Brown fashion was my concern yesterday. I'd been invited to Ladies Day at Cheltenham – which typically fell on a savagely blustery, rain-strewn grey Thursday. It had sent me into an apoplexy of sartorial stress because brown is not a feature colour in my wardrobe. And then a jaunty hat is required if you're going to do it properly. And don't get me started on tweed; I love the idea of it, but it's just not for me. Luckily though, because I edit a magazine called Country & Town House, I know perfectly well the people who can help me out. Jade Holland Cooper is the self-styled queen of Cheltenham. In fact, every time I open the C&TH Instagram feed, she's there showing a masterclass in nailing the pulled-together-by-the-racetrack look. I tip my baker boy cap to her: she's built a multi-million-pound empire on this stuff. But I'm a mix-and-match kind of girl, so I also dropped by Really Wild in Sloane Square, owned by another formidable woman, Nadja Swarovski. The rails are a Cheltenham girl's dirty dream and I scurried out with a Jess Collett trilby. Now, with the right tools, it was up to me to make them mine so I can feel like me. And that's what style's all about: feeling like yourself, even when you're dressing for the moment.

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

Watch The Other Bennet Sister

Last year may have been the 250th anniversary of her birth, but Austen fever is far from waning. As Netflix works on a new version of Pride and Prejudice by Dolly Alderton, the BBC is delving into Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel The Other Bennet Sister to tell a revisionist origin story about the lesser-known Bennet, Mary. North Yorkshire rising star Ella Bruccoleri takes the title role, with Richard E. Grant and Ruth Jones as her inimitable parents. While the story opens on familiar terrain, it soon whisks Mary into a radical beyond. Taken under the wing of her uncle and aunt, Mr (Richard Coyle) and Mrs Gardiner (Indira Varma), Mary becomes a governess to their three children and finds two love interests in the form of Mr Hayward (Dónal Finn) and Mr Ryder (Laurie Davidson). Bruccoleri’s Mary isn’t an Austen heroine that will feel familiar. She is fraught with a sort of ‘self-hatred’, the actress reflects, reciting the adage that ‘Elizabeth Bennet is who Jane Austen wants to be, and Mary Bennet is who she’s scared she really is. It’s essentially her journey trying to find love, human connection, independence and, I think most importantly, self-acceptance.’ Sunday, 8pm, BBC One.

Prioritise comfort in your home design

When designing our homes, it’s easy to get swept up in trying to replicate picture-perfect Pinterest boards. But instead we should be focusing on how we want our spaces to make us feel, argues Hatta Byng in our latest issue. ‘Of course beautiful things give us pleasure and make a room inviting,’ she writes. ‘But as designer Rita Konig urges in her course for Create Academy, we must start with being honest with ourselves as to how we will use a room and what sort of life we lead. You may have visions of yourself sipping cocktails with friends on your white linen sofas in an elegant drawing room, but if you live in a small flat with two young children who are also using the space, it is not going to work. It will be deeply disappointing when sticky hand prints appear on the sofa and you are tripping over bits of Lego more often than you are enjoying a dirty martini. When I ask designer Lucy Hammond Giles – who to my mind creates very beautiful, special rooms – if there is ever a case to put aesthetics before comfort she replies emphatically “never”.’ Read the full piece here.

Going Out

Book Harry Styles tickets with Engage

If you’ve got Harry Styles’s new album on repeat right now, book to hear it performed live this summer. The British star returns to Wembley Stadium in June with a record‑breaking run of 12 spectacular shows, and there’s no better way to experience it than with premium hospitality through Engage. Enjoy exclusive access to VIBE by Engage, the vibrant Pitch View East lounge, where you’ll be treated to complimentary beers, wines, soft drinks, and a welcome glass of champagne, paired with a wide-ranging buffet served ahead of the live performance. After the show, keep the magic going at the after‑show party featuring a DJ to round off what’s sure to be an unforgettable night. With reserved seats overlooking the stage and outstanding service throughout, this is the ultimate way to elevate your concert experience. Secure your place now. Shows from 12 June

Have lunch at Heckfield Place

What’s on the menu at Heckfield Place’s Hearth? Whatever’s good. Biodynamic farming consultant and Head Grower Jane Scotter works closely with Head Chef Max Roberts to craft a menu that celebrates seasonal produce cooked simply and beautifully in the fire that gives the restaurant its name. Watch Max and his team at work in front of the hearth in the cosy restaurant featuring views down to the property’s gorgeous lake. Right now seasonal beetroots, turnips, collard greens, kale and land cress are all bringing something to the table, alongside local catches and farmhouse favourites. The todoli citrus, tomato and walnut salad is to-die-for, the lemon sole melts in the mouth and the gnocchi is a buttery indulgence. And of course, the all important bread and butter starter sets the tone beautifully. Share a rhubarb and apple crumble for pud and take a post-lunch stroll through the hotel’s superlative grounds; England really is a green and pleasant (and bountiful) land. Open for Saturday lunch and weeknight dinners. heckfieldplace.com

See Self Esteem in Teeth ‘n’ Smiles

London’s West End is always a bustling hub of activity – and this weekend, there’s even more reason to visit the capital’s theatre strip. David Hare’s rebel play Teeth ‘n’ Smiles returns to the West End for its 50th anniversary today, with Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka musician Self Esteem) stepping into the role of struggling rock star Maggie Frisby. Following the singer on a booze (and fury) fuelled night at a Cambridge college ball, Teeth ‘n’ Smiles tells the story of a great band’s collapse amidst the decline of 1960s counterculture. Revived for another round on the West End – with additional music and lyrics by Taylor – it promises to be a hit. ‘I’m deeply honoured to be bringing Teeth ‘n’ Smiles back for its 50th anniversary,’ said the singer. ‘I love to challenge myself in new forms and I can’t wait to slap you round the face with Maggie.’ Running 13 March – 6 June, tickets from £28.95. teethnsmilesplay.com

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Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

Set within 90 acres of manicured grounds on the edge of one of Worcestershire’s most coveted villages, this historic estate was built in the 1730s for the first Lord Sandys. Notable visitors include the Duke of Wellington who stayed after his victory at Waterloo (in a now historically preserved room), plus King George IV. 

On the market for £13.5m, sothebysrealty.co.uk

Competition Time

1. Win a stay at five-star London hotel The Adria in Kensington

2. Win a year’s supply of collagen from Revive Active plus a £100 SpaBreaks voucher

3. Win a two-night stay at Le Farnatchi, Marrakech, with flights included

Psssst…

Custom prenups, liposuction and Ibiza holidays: just some of the things A-listers attending the Oscars on Sunday will be taking home in their goodie bags – rumoured to be worth well over six figures each. Have a peek inside here (plus, here’s what the celebs will be eating at the afterparty).