A Glasgow Trip and Flat Shoe Outfits
Hello, I’m Laura from The Green Edition. Here on Substack, I share sustainable bits and tips. This week's newsletter is a breakdown of a recent day trip to Glasgow. I was inspired to wear more flat show outfits afterwards, so there is a rundown of those too.
I took a trip to Glasgow, Scotland, last week. It’s about two and a half hours by train from where I live. It wasn’t spur of the moment; I had planned it. I woke early and walked to the train station before it was light. Then I realised I couldn’t see the scenery out the window because it wouldn’t be light for hours.
I got into Glasgow Queen Street at around 9 o’clock. I went for coffee in George Square and watched people decorating the giant Christmas tree with lights. It’s a gift from Stavanger in Norway. I felt like I was cheating a little bit because the Christmas lights don’t go on for another week.
At half past ten, I met a group for a walking tour. It was supposed to last an hour and a half but lasted nearly two hours. Stephen from Glasgow told us about the local history and plans he had heard for the city's future. George Square is getting a total revamp in the next few years.
He told us about the street art and showed us churches that are still standing even after so much of the city has been refurbished. He pointed out derelict buildings that are only standing now because of squatter rights and shiny new buildings popping up. He took us to a famous graveyard he used to play in as a child.
As I was walking around the city, I noticed women wearing flat-shoe outfits. I was, too; doing a walking tour in heels is impossible. But I’d never noticed until then how good flat-shoe outfits can be. Flat shoes sometimes feel like a practical choice rather than a style choice.
I did a quick Google search for ‘tips for wearing flats’ and was vaguely appalled by all the dos and don’ts. I’m ignoring all the proportions and adding accessories rules, and instead, I'm just looking in the mirror at what looks good at the time. Fashion and style change, and what looked good ten years ago doesn’t always look right now proportionally.
Flat shoe outfits
I’d love to wear these bamboo leggings every day. The bitter chocolate colour somehow makes them a bit dressier. They are currently in the sale; they are the most flattering leggings I’ve found and opaque, too. I’ve worn them with an oxblood-coloured top in this post. I always wear leggings with flat shoes of some sort. I’ve worn them with the Blasia rubber boots from Tretorn this time. A combination of Welly boots and Chelsea boots is a winner.
If I go hiking, I like to wear something like this. It’s a perfect outfit for layering pieces, like a big, cosy fleece and waterproof jacket on top. I’ve recently written about bamboo clothes at length here. I’ve recently been inspired on Instagram by people running along hiking trails, so I will report back if I get any further with that than just being inspired..
These pointelle trousers are brilliant with flats or heels, depending on the mood. I’m wearing them here with flat boots and a wool shirt. I wrote more about the pointelle trousers here. CouCou Intimates recently released a long-sleeve top that would look good with them. I love their printed pieces, too.
I wear a longer woolly jumper and straight-legged jeans most weeks. Since the weather is colder now, I’ve started wearing flat boots with them. It’s a perfect look for working at home and then throwing a coat on top to go out. I’m wearing a double polo neck combination; it’s a new favourite way of keeping warm.
I’m wearing these boots with the dress for the first time. I’d never considered pairing them together before, but they work well. I like how slouchy everything looks.
Longer skirts always work well with flats, too. You can’t see it in the image, but I’m wearing black Mary Janes from Flattered. They look great with tights in winter. I’ve tucked the jumper into the skirt because it was a little too slouchy when pulled out. It’s a cashmere jumper from Everlane; I bought it oversized. It’s lovely and soft. Everlane is a favourite place to buy good quality cashmere; it’s currently 30% off in the sale, and I’m eyeing up the light heather grey.
This yak wool jumper is brightening up the November gloom. Although thankfully it hasn’t felt that gloomy. Maybe January and February are more gloomy. I’m wearing black straight-leg jeans. They are organic cotton from Bam Clothing but have since been discontinued so I’m looking out for similar styles elsewhere.
These wide-leg trousers are so comfy. Because they are made of very thin material, I’m wearing them with leggings underneath. They work great with flat shoes. I found a similar pair in viscose from Emmamalena.
A few extra Glasgow Tips
The shops in Glasgow are quite special. I walked around the Princes Square shopping centre. It’s a beautiful building from the 1840s. It’s been updated since then but has still retained a traditional feel. Any images online don’t do it justice.
I also stumbled upon a shopping mall filled to the brim with jewellers. I later found out it has been there since 1827! It’s basically an L-shaped building with lots of jewellers, but it’s worth a look just to walk through.
Byres Road on the west end of Glasgow is also worth a stroll around. (The subway connects to the centre of Glasgow.) I went for a walk around when I was getting my glasses repaired at Ace and Tate.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is close to Byres Road. They play the organ every day at 1 p.m. for around half an hour. Go a bit earlier to get a good spot at the cafe. The organ recital is free and delightful.
Until next time,
Laura