It’s an incredibly diverse question, “what do you wear in April in Edinburgh?”, and it has so many answers. As discussed in last month’s episode of What to Wear This Month, our boy Robert Louis Stevenson described Edinburgh in Spring as “a meteorological purgatory”. This expression has made it into my regular repertoire and I wear it close to my chest but I think it’s unfair. In the words of the great T. S. Eliot: “April is the coolest month”.
It’s also when my birthday is, 18th of April (book a tour then, you could technically book my entire catalogue!)
What what does one wear in the difficult month that is April? Let’s explore together.
Background
This is the 4th instalment in this series. So far, every month I’ve been telling people how to stay warm, but this month is different. It is trickier. Our weather from late March has been pretty good. It is definitely a drier year than average. April is famous for its showers though so we can imagine the foliage will stay nice and green.
On the topic of foliage, the picture I used today has some excellent plants in the distance. The yellow you see in the distance is called gorse. I love its colour and was impressed to find out it is mostly a Scotland only plant. It is spiky so keep your kids and animals away from it.
What to Wear in April
Hats?
Hats are a good accessory but you must always be aware in Edinburgh of the wind. It can blow just as strong in Spring as during the stormier seasons. Therefore I would not recommend anything which the wind could easily take off.
To make a veiled political statement as well, red caps are not the most popular here, though all other Americans are welcome.
Coats?
Only bring a heavy coat if you want to risk carrying it around. The average temperature is beginning to trend towards 9C (55F for the Yanks). With wind, that can often feel colder, but on the less windy occasions it actually feels quire pleasant due to humidity lifting the temperature a little. It’s warm in the sun and if you want to go exploring any of our parks or slightly more open space, coats are not required.
Light jacket is definitely the call here.
Many layers?
This is the first month of the year where I’m not going to recommend much in terms of layers at all. For me, this is t-shirt season. For anyone with a regular attitude to the weather, probably t-shirt and jumper, possibly a cardigan for easy removal in the event of heat.
Trousers or shorts?
It is still definitely trousers weather unless you are a perennial short wearer.
Kilts?
Good idea, mind the wind though.
Shoes?
Nothing special required here at all. Try to match your belt if leather, otherwise dress for how formal you are dining.
So you only need to wear regular clothes in April?
Yes, this is why I think Robert Louis Stevenson was so off when he described Edinburgh very negatively. In weather terms, it is rarely extreme enough here to require specialist outfits. But if you have found you’ve ended up packing a lot of heavy gear when it’s actually really nice, here’s a few recommendations so you can find what to wear in April.
Primark
It’s on Princes Street, quite near to the National Gallery and with a stunning view of Edinburgh Castle just outside. It’s cheap and won’t last forever, but if you’re just looking for clothes to tide you over till you get home this is absolutely the place so you still have whisky money left.
The St James Quarter
If you’re looking for a slightly more stylish experience, the St James Quarter has all the decent shops you could ask for. They have a lot of cool European brands like Pull & Bear, American ones like Levi, and British ones like John Lewis. They are also dog friendly. So that’s a pretty big plus if you’re travelling with your best pal.
This can’t be all you need to wear in April, right?
Nope, it absolutely is as easy as this. Though definitely also bring a light jacket while you’re at it. Who knows really what the weather will bring, but on bright sunny days like today it is hard to feel the world will ever go wrong again.
The writer of this piece is unsponsored
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