As July grinds to a rainy halt and August takes the stage, Edinburgh’s population allegedly doubles. Arts enthusiasts flock to Scotland’s capital, casual drinking begins earlier in the day, and bars and clubs are licensed to remain open until later. Yes, it’s festival season again in Auld Reekie.
There are some basics you should consider when planning for a day at the festival even if you live in the Edinburgh area. While some visitors simply stop by for a few days, others rent accommodation for the entire month of August and will have to pack accordingly. You may initially think that you’ll just pop home for anything you forgot to stuff into your pockets – however, festival season travel-times are quite different to those of the rest of the year. Elbowing your way through the masses to get home will be exhausting and infuriating, and will likely make you late for whichever show you thought you’d catch after having picked up your sunnies, wellies, or vuvuzela. If you don’t usually carry a bag, the festival is the optimal time to start experimenting with the look.
Scotland is well known for squeezing all four seasons into a single day. Even if it’s raining in the morning and looks like it will be grim all day, you may be surprised! If you don’t want to get caught out in the sun and end up looking like a lobster, but would prefer not to coat yourself in sunscreen and end up looking like something out of a low budget horror movie, we recommend NO DICE. Invest in our Summer Toolkit, which includes moisturiser and shearer’s soap, as well as our favourite sunscreen, to keep your skin looking and feeling great throughout your time at the festival.
In short, you’d best bring an umbrella and sunglasses or risk being caught ill-equipped in heavy downpour or blinding sunshine.
While we’re on the subject of sunshine it’s worth mentioning that we’re currently having a little bit of 
a love affair with wooden sunglasses for men. They’re unique without being bizarre, and add a touch of hipster-cool to just about any outfit. If you’ve attended the festival before you’ll be well aware of this, but if not, hipster-cool (though it may be a made-up term) is essentially the theme for acts and punters alike during festival season.
Looking for more ways to fit in by standing out? Try working a bow tie into your ensemble before heading into the town centre to truly get the look. We also love all things made from Harris Tweed, from ties, to pocket squares, to iPad cases.
Remember what we said about Scotland’s ability to throw all seasons at you in a single day? Be sure to have a scarf handy. We offer a sophisticated selection of Harris Tweed scarves, as well as classy, but cosy, cashmere scarves. Aside from looking great and keeping you warm, these scarves make for excellent souvenirs and unique gifts for men from Scotland.
Due to the lengthened hours when drinking is deemed to be acceptable, it’s highly likely that you will, at some point, have something spilled on you by someone who is a little worse for wear. We recommend that you have some garment cleaning spray on hand for when you return to your flat or temporary accommodation. Hoping to keep your leather jacket or shoes looking good throughout? Mr Black Leather Cleaner will do the trick. In fact, we recommend Mr Black products for all your garment cleaning needs, particularly if you are visiting and won’t have access to a washing machine during your stay.
As mentioned above, the time people spend in Edinburgh during the festival varies hugely. If you’re popping by for three days you may, for example, be able to cope with only your most essential men’s grooming and beard care gear. If you’re staying for longer, you may wish to pack your full collection. If you want to look your best, pack accordingly!
If you realise that you’ve forgotten crucial accessories or men’s grooming essentials upon arriving for the festival, remember that The Brotique is based in Edinburgh. We can even provide you with a prepacked wash kit!
Buying Christmas beard gifts for the man in your life can be tricky no matter if they are your brother, boyfriend or dad, even the bearded ones.
However, if the guy has a beard, you can be certain that some beard care items and or some form of facial hair item will be loved and cherished way beyond Christmas time.
