When I think of elegant country style, Ralph Lauren is certainly a tastemaker who comes to mind: the rich hues, the plaids, the equestrian theme, the florals, the hunting dogs, the paneled walls, the Range Rovers, the casual layering, the blue and white stripes. Effortless chic. Unstudied elegance. Rugged and refined.

At the 50 year mark (some of us are right there with him and grew up wearing our polo shirts with flipped-up collars), here are some facts that you might not know: It all started with a tie, the first Ralph Lauren store wasn’t in the US, but on Bond Street in London, Robert Redford wore Ralph Lauren in “The Great Gatsby,” and Ralph Lauren has outfitted the US Olympic Team and players at Wimbledon.

A newly revised and expanded edition of the book WWD: 50 Years of Ralph Lauren is now available.

Here are some favorite images that have a certain autumnal mood and lend themselves nicely to our ECS tableau.

Happy Friday!