What I Wore for a Few Days in Edinburgh
Packing light for a cold city.
For the past few years, my partner and I have chosen not to buy each other physical Christmas gifts, but to go on a nice trip somewhere instead. Neither of us needs anything and if we ever want to buy something throughout the year, we’re fortunate enough to be financially able to do so.
But between busy work schedules and general life, what does feel like a treat is a few days together in a beautiful part of the world. This December, we landed on Edinburgh as our destination of choice, packed our bags and headed north to Scotland’s capital.
I travelled up on my own so I could visit some girlfriends in another part of England on the way. That, coupled with what feels like increasingly less space on our rail services, meant I wanted to pack light and take a small case that could be shoved under a train seat with relative ease. But if you’ve ever been to Scotland, you’ll know that it’s cold at the best of times, and winters can be especially bitter. Thick knits and big coats don’t fit particularly neatly into a small carry-on.
My solution was to pack a few things I could wear in multiple ways. I took the jumpsuit that can be layered with shirts, jumpers and base layers. Thick jumpers that go with everything. Shirts that are oversized enough to wear over tops during the day, and dressy enough to wear out to dinner in the evening (Spry is our favourite). And a few select accessories to feel as though I was still making an effort amongst the layers.
What I packed:
1 wool coat
2 wool jumpers
1 velvet jumpsuit
2 oversized shirts
1 white T-shirt
1 long-sleeved base layer
1 silk scarf
1 wool scarf
1 pair of wide-leg wool trousers
1 bag
1 pair of flat black boots
1 pair of heeled black boots
1 pair of sunglasses
Everyday jewellery
Outfit one
I wore this look on an unusually mild day and it ended up being one of those coveted “day-to-night” outfits women’s magazines in the noughties told us we’d all need so much. The red ribbed top is made from merino wool, so it’s really warm and makes both an excellent base layer and an extra style touch. The shirt is made from heavy linen so it’s surprisingly warm too especially when paired with the knitted top and wool coat.
The trousers are one of my favourite pairs: thick wool, wide-legged and with pleated fronts for an element of tailoring. Warm, comfy and smart. The kind of piece I’ll happily rack up my step count around a city in, and sit in a restaurant and share a bottle of wine in too.
Outfit two
I rarely wear a heel but I found these boots in my old bedroom when visiting my parents recently and knew I wanted to get them out over the festive period. They’re comfy, keep my feet warm (most importantly), and help create a slightly different silhouette with my outfits. I wore this out to dinner one evening close to our hotel (Edinburgh’s cobbles aren’t exactly heel-friendly) and adding the heel felt a little more dressed up — plus, both pieces in this outfit are oversized, so it felt like a good balance.
The shirt is an old Uniqlo U one, worn over a long-sleeved thermal and velvet jumpsuit from Toast which also makes an excellent pair of trousers when layered like this.
Outfit three
The temperature dropped by the time it came to wearing this outfit, so multiple warm layers were needed (my pink nose is probably a dead giveaway). The jumper is made from 100% British wool and is really warm, especially when layered over the same jumpsuit I’m wearing in outfit two. A couple of scarves were necessary too; the silk one for protecting the neck and adding a touch more colour, and the wool one purely for warmth.
Side note: I took this pic in Treen, a great little shop in Stockbridge selling pieces from brands including Skall Studio, Flabelus, Austin Austin and Rowse. It’s round the corner from Dick’s, which has a wonderful selection from Toogood, Perfumer H, Casey Casey and the like.
And what I tried on…
Not outfits I wore per se, but I love a good pair of trousers so these two I tried on in the COS fitting room deserve a mention.
COS merino wool trousers: First up, this pair of merino wool barrel-leg trousers in midnight navy. They have an elasticated waist and can be worn low on the hips (which I’ve done in this image) or higher up for a more classic barrel-leg shape.
They feel like elevated loungewear and they’re incredibly comfortable. I tried a size XS on but S would be better (I’m a UK size 8).
COS wool barrel-leg trousers: Next up, this pair, which is more tailored with a button-up waistband. They’re made from a true navy wool-canvas fabric with pleats at the front for shape, and tabs inside the waistband for adjusting the size if needed.
I tried on size 34 which used to be my usual size in COS but these felt a bit snug. When I shared these trousers on an Instagram story, a follower responded that COS had recently changed its sizing, so what used to be 34 is now actually 36, etc. I don’t know for certain whether that’s true but something to consider next time you head to the fitting room (there was me blaming the mince pies…).
Any items marked with * have been gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
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