When thinking of Scotland, you usually picture people dressed in colourful kilts on a hilly green landscape, with the perpetual grey clouds in the sky, hinting that sun could come out at any moment, but it never quite does. The kilts are moving as the wind blows, the stern and friendly face of an honest Scotsman looking to the sea. He raises his golf club and there goes the ball, flying towards the green. Ah! Now that’s traditional.
Why do all people automatically think of kilts, though? Men around here also like walking around with their legs covered, sheltered from rain and those killer winter breezes. Does covering our legs mean that we can’t display our Scottish pride authentically? No, it does not!
It is time to enrich this bucolic mental image by introducing you to tartan trews. Don’t get us wrong, we have nothing against kilts - except maybe we hate them - but trews deserve their place in history after having been such an important part of Scottish culture and style.
Now easier to dress up or down depending on the occasion, you can sport your trews anywhere in the world. Today we’re going to give you some suggestions on how to wear your tartan trews in London.
Whether you’re a Scot, a lover of Scotland, or just someone who likes to make a bold and classy fashion statement, you will find below which places go well with your trews. And if you're in London without a pair of tartan trews, we can sort that out for you.
Royal Mile Whiskies on Bloomsbury Street
The first part of our journey takes us to this legendary store. Open since 2002 in London, in the area of Oxford Street and Covent Garden, Royal Mile Whiskies has a history in Scotland for providing an impressive range of quality whiskies, all in a very relaxed atmosphere.
You will also be able to take a look at a wide range of other spirits, cigars and beers. The store has a team of experts in all things whisky, who will welcome you into the store and be ready to answer any questions you have.
Don your Angus (Modern) tartan trews, a great option for this visit. Your trews will surely catch the eye of some customers, so don’t be surprised if they take you for a connoisseur and ask you for opinions and guidance on buying that perfect Scottish whisky. It’s the price you pay for looking great.
The Caledonian Club
Your Buchanan (Hunting Muted) trews will be enough to raise your style game to the point where you can enter the Caledonian Club with confidence. Described as “a little bit of Scotland in the heart of London”, this friendly club was first founded in 1891 and then overhauled in 1917 by the energetic Marquis Tullibardine.
Visit the beautiful dining room and bar and enquire about membership. As the club has a discreet character to it, you won’t see other members discussing your style choice openly, but they will secretly want to know where you got those impeccable pair of tartan trews in London. Please give them our card.
The London Scottish Golf Club
Head down to Wimbledon Common to visit this Victorian-era golf club. Founded in 1865, the oldest continuously played-on course in the country was founded by members of the London Scottish Rifle Volunteers, who were stationed close to this place. A number of holes were even laid out along rifle ranges!
Tartan trews fit into golfing fashion perfectly and, since they are made specifically to your measurements, you will feel completely comfortable seeing to all driving and putting. They might even become your lucky charm as you improve your skills. People checking out your game will single you out immediately by your Boyd (Modern) pattern as you play each hole.
The Tomb of Mary, Queen of the Scots
“To God, the best and greatest. To her good memory, and in eternal hope. Mary Stuart, Queen of the Scots, Dowager Queen of France” and also the “mother of James, most puissant sovereign of Great Britain”. This is what you will read inside Westminster Abbey, the resting place of many kings and queens of Britain.
Opt for tartan trews with a muted pattern, as they can be a smart choice to pay tribute in funerals. James VI (I of England), the son of Queen Mary, was the king at the centre of “The Union of the Crowns”, the unification of Scotland, Ireland and England in 1603.
But today you will be the one unifying style and respect for the departed with your tartan trews in London.
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
What are the Bratach Bana, The Frisky and The Machine Without Horses? No, they are not obscure local sayings, they are Scottish country dances! Take your choice of tartan trews with a festive pattern, grab some friends and sign up for dance classes at The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
Most men wear kilts there, so you’re sure to stand out but still be in the Scottish spirit all the same! This is a great opportunity to test the quality and comfort of your Gunn & Grant tartan trews while getting to reconnect with - or find out about for the first time - the dances of Scotland.
Slide, step, dash and spin around the room in style, as you move your body (and your tartan trews) according to the instructions of the teacher.
In Conclusion
These are just a few suggestions to get you started in using your tartan trews in London. If you are from Scotland and do have trews in your wardrobe but you were shy to bring them out, or thinking they don’t work in terms of fashion, this is the perfect opportunity to try again. If you just stumbled upon tartan trews, then you can explore a bit of Scottish fashion and culture, looking great all the way.
Looking forward to seeing you wearing your tartan trews in London! Remember, if you need a pair of made to measure trews then be sure to browse our tartan selection and learn about our straightforward process.
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