Over or unders
Alexandra Henton picks the best gilets for a day in the field
There was a time when the heady hues of scarlet, cherry, ruby and claret coloured the countryside, when red strides strode around the Game Fair, Burghley, point-to-points and race meetings. But as vermillion lost out to lime green and sky blue, the Schöffel gilet slipped into the vacuum. Ruddy faces gave up matching slacks and zipped up their fleeces.
In a swift online poll, voters opted for the Schöffel by a furlong (its design, quality, colours and style make it thoroughly popular both on and off the field). But the field boasts a number of great alternatives, too. From quilting (most of us of a certain vintage will have owned a Puffa jacket during our formative years) to fleece and tweed, the gilet acts as an essential sporting underlayer, a useful counterbalance to the British weather and is, therefore, a crucial piece of kit.
Here is The Field’s pick of the best gilets to wear this season.