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Shopping: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}
{SHOPPING} OLD TOWN Fashion
HITLIST
particularly good for boys. Recycled rara skirts, lovely frocks by local designers, and strong connections to the Edinburgh College of Art fashion course mean almost everything's a one-off.
House of Edinburgh 2 St Giles St, Royal Mile, 0131 225 5178
Big Ideas 82 West Bow, 0131 226 2532, bigideasforladies.co.uk
This bright little boutique showcases fashion-forward plus-size womenswear (size 16 and up). Although it’s aimed at an older age range, the clothes are decidedly un-frumpy: there's an eclectic range of designer lines in store, and some particularly interesting knitwear.
Bill Baber 66 Grassmarket, 0131 225 3249, billbaber.com
All natural womenswear designs by husband and wife duo Bill and Helen Baber, who’ve been in the business since 1977. Jewel-bright woollens, cashmeres and silks hang in the window of their cosy shop and studio, and shoppers can watch as all garments are hand-loomed on the premises.
Standing in opposition to the notorious ‘tartan tat’wholesalers on the Mile, this rather classier affair specialises in cashmere goods, including jumpers, scarves and a very fashionable range of hats and gloves. Standard tin boxes of fudge, tartan accessories and a small selection of celtic jewellery also available.
Ragamuffin 278 Canongate, 0131 557 6007, ragamuffinonline.co.uk
Gorgeous, tactile knitwear for wool enthusiasts and those whose style is of a free-spirited crofter goes to Glastonbury bent; the stock includes several hard-to-find Scottish and European designers, and there's a quirky in-house label too. An Edinburgh Earth Mother institution.
Swish Butterflies 17 West Port, 0131 228 4401, butterfliesbride.co.uk
Long-running local dressmakers’store, with windows full of enchantingly sugary-bright creations. The focus is on beautiful bridal wear, but if you’re after black tie options or just something a little more elaborate than the high street can offer, this is the place to come. After all, there’s more than one big day to get dressed for.
22–24 Victoria Street, 0131 220 0615, swishonthe.com
Street-edge fashion for big and little kids over two floors and two shopfronts. Ladieswear labels include Gsus, Religion and Putsch, and they're great for retro handbags and manbags, as well as skate-cool trainers and gifts. Cheap it ain’t, but you pay for your street cred.
Totty Rocks 40 Victoria Street, 0131 226 3232, tottyrocks.com
Cookie 29 Cockburn Street, 0131 622 7260
Pretty cotton print frocks, patterned smocks and edgy T-shirts from the likes of Eucalyptus,Yamama, Ruby Walk and Sugarhill. Certainly at the top end of the Cockburn Street price range, but still that little bit more affordable than anywhere else in the city centre. If you’re feeling floral, top up your summer wardrobe here.
Totty Rocks is the main outlet of the clothing label of the same name, set up by two lecturers from the Edinburgh College of Art's fashion course. Young, fresh and seriously gorgeous girl-fashion at prices that'll make you think twice before drinking your wages away. They also stock other Scottish labels like Bebaroque. Prices range from £9-£500.
Voodoo Corniche
34 Cockburn Street, 0131 622 7318
2 Jeffrey Street, 0131 556 3707, corniche.org.uk
Goth, emo and rocker clobber for the days when you just want to face the world with a snarl. Ace range of hard-hitting labels like Pop Soda, Criminal Damage and Evil Clothing (you can kinda get the impression from the names, can't you?), plus some lovely Iron Fist shoes for the ladies.
Edinburgh’s original designer label boutique offers outrageous creations (at equivalent prices) for boys and girls from the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto, Katherine Hamnett, and Comme des Garçons.
Fabrick 50 Cockburn Street, 0131 226 7020, fabricktshirts.co.uk
Fabrick print T-shirts while you wait. They didn't say what you should wait for, but with 300 designs and 25 lettering styles you are sure to be kept busy. Custom print a hoodie, a bags, a T-shirt or even some underwear (clean of course). There’s also a discount rack with some pre-printed designs for you to peruse.
Focus (Edinburgh) 70 Canongate, 0131 629 9196, focuspocus.co.uk
Skate and street wear for the boys, with labels like Obey, Stussy and Nike, and Nixon watches; also stocks an excellent range of skate DVDs and is, like, the only place to go to get a new deck set up.
Godiva 9 West Port, 0131 221 921, godivaboutique.co.uk
One of the most original independent boutiques in Edinburgh, with a big front room stuffed full of exciting local design talent and a back room of vintage that’s
Vintage Armstrongs 83 Grassmarket, 0131 220 5557; 64–66 Clerk Street, 0131 667 3056, armstrongsvintage.co.uk
There is no better place in Edinburgh to take a walk down fashion’s memory lane than the legendary WM Armstrong & Son. Established in 1840, its three branches (the third is 14 Teviot Place, 0131 226 4634) combine to make a huge emporium of vintage, retro and traditional clothing. The original branch, on the Grassmarket, is the most cavernous of the treasure troves, with by far the biggest, most eclectic selection of stock. However, the smaller outlet on South Clerk Street has an impressive selection of leather coats and formal dresses. Starting with chic items from the 30s, the range advances through the years to incorporate even those eighties trends that you thought were best forgotten. Whichever store you choose to stop at, a visit is quite simply essential for anyone with even the slightest interest in clothes.
A cut above For a spot of grooming, the city’s not short on hairdressers
Emma Hall Hair Design 19a Haddington Place, Top of Leith Walk, 0131 557 4888 emmahallhair.co.uk As the first ‘clean air’ salon in Edinburgh, Emma Hall’s make a point of not using chemicalladen ‘product’. Even their colours are all organic and they’ll teach you how to look after your hairstyle at home. Sublime Hair Design 16 Grassmarket, 0131 225 2338 sublimehairdesign.co.uk Architecturally sculpted into the bottom of DanceBase, Sublime stays open till 9pm, providing customers with a glass of wine before they go out. And you don’t need to get face-ache pouting at yourself for hours, as they offer ‘no-mirror’ styling. Egg Hair & Beauty 23 Broughton Street, 0131 556 6685 egghair.co.uk Egg go above and beyond the cutting and colouring to include a plethora of treatments and services from massage to tanning and waxing – brilliant for a quick fix of pampering before you hit one of the neighbouring bars. Hayes 14-15 Brandon Terrace, 0131 229 7761 A tiny treasure trove of unusual treatments in a relaxed setting. Watch out in particular for specialised pedicures and (a favourite with the boys) Hopi Ear Candle therapy. Pride 66-68 Thistle Street, 0131 220 1737 pridehairandbeauty.com Pride call themselves ‘a real salon for real people’, with the emphasis on vitality, wellness and rejuvenation. Exotic skin treatments are a speciality while the salon also stocks sought after Alterna hair products. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 151