A FARMER has swapped her overalls for gladrags after taking a step into the unknown.

Patricia Barnes has opened business Hats and Gladrags on Hexham’s Fore Street to provide the area with party wear, prom gowns, men wear and wedding hats.

And it is a completely different world to what she is used to having run a farm in Cumbria with her husband.

She said: “Working here means it’s dry, it’s clean, it’s not windy, it doesn’t smell and I don’t get kicked! It’s very lovely.

“It’s nice to play being a proper female rather than pottering around in jeans all day.”

With two teenage children in Queen Elizabeth High School, Patricia was looking for a business to start up after she and her husband bought a ‘retirement farm’ between Wark and Stonehaugh.

The farm was derelict when they bought it and the couple set about renovating the area and bringing it back to a working farm.

Once the work was completed, Patricia looked around Hexham town centre to see what the area was lacking in order to get an idea of which business to go into.

She said: “I am fairly obsessed with hats, I absolutely love the things, and Hexham doesn’t really have any party wear or prom wear so I thought this was a great idea.

“Being a farmer’s wife, I always wore jeans and I didn’t get much of a chance to play dress up so it’s nice to have all these wonderful dresses.”

Hats and Gladrags sells, and rents out, prom wear, ball gowns and menswear, as well as vintage clothing and handbags.

It also sells hats for special occasions, and costume and silver jewellery.

In addition, Patricia also upholsters chairs and then sells them on.

Patricia said: “We’ve had teenagers right through to people in their 70s buy things, so there is a variety of items for people of all ages.

“Vintage clothing is very much in fashion right now, and I’ve had lots of encouragement from my customers.”