There is a popular saying in destinations with inclement climates: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing.” Edinburgh is one such place. And we — its stoic, romantic inhabitants — are obsessed with the plot twists and turns, the rolls and the punches, that its weather delivers. Four seasons in one day visitors gamely ask? A different season every hour we reply, and an extra layer of clothing for any eventuality.

Living in Edinburgh you quickly learn to navigate the elements as the fourth dimension of city life, and we have abundant wardrobes as a result, so the arrival of UNIQLO in Edinburgh has been greeted with wild excitement and relief. A standard summer’s day might start shrouded in fog — or “The Haar” as we call it — rolling into the city from the Firth of Forth. It’s not rare to see commuters huddled in their winter coats in August. The humour of Edinburgh’s weather gods means The Haar blows away as everyone arrives at work. When the chilly cloud evaporates, temperatures can rise by a full ten degrees in as many minutes. Dunediners respond to such theatrical situations by layering our clothes heavily, and shedding them frequently. We leave our clothes all over the homes, offices and public spaces in which we spend time. As such, we have a promiscuous and karmic approach to our wardrobes, caught in an endless game of borrow and return. If the glove fits…

The Edinburgh light captivates and spellbinds residents and visitors alike. It is attributed to the position of the city, wedged into the Firth of Forth, together with its topographical complexity suspended over seven hills and its latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a cold light, in saturation and temperature. It pierces cumulonimbus cloudscapes, bouncing off the water and into the city with a milky aura. It lends Edinburgh a curiously cinematic quality, which encourages people to behave as if they are on set or stage, ready for their close-up. We dress to be seen and admired, photographed and filmed.

Street life is excessive in Edinburgh. We play host to two of the world’s most celebrated festivals, for the entire month of August and four months later for Hogmanay, or New Year. When the rest of the world isn’t knocking down our doors to share in our fun, we enjoy taking advantage of the streets and gardens, mountains and beaches ourselves. We like showing off to each other, promenading and peacocking, outside pubs, bars and restaurants. Based on anecdotal evidence, you’re never more than a hammer throw from a hairdresser in Edinburgh. We care deeply about our appearances and we love a seasonal makeover, for better or worse.

In winter, it can feel like it’s never daylight; in summer it can feel like it never gets dark. And herein lies the magic of Edinburgh. We are a city of extremes: dark and light, ancient and progressive; charming and cheeky; riotous and gentle. For a relatively small capital city, we loom large in the global imagination because we seize life by its lapels come rain or shine, or any other weather in between.

Hugo Macdonald

Co-founder of Bard

Hugo, profiled above, has lived in Edinburgh for three years. Amidst his work as a design critic, curator, and consultant, he also manages Bard, a gallery showcasing Scottish crafts. A former design editor at Monocle, Hugo has contributed writing to magazines like Wallpaper*, Apartamento, and Kinfolk.

Illustration by Harper Ouk