The Edinburgh outpost of popular UK brand known for its chunky knits, charmingly old-fashioned…read moregowns, and painfully cosy housewares is right on point for Scotland's coorie lifestyle philosophy. The shop is small, but marvellously curated; the racks hold just one size of each style, and the friendly and warm associates are happy to fetch your size from the storeroom. Clothing is upstairs with a small housewares section downstairs. There is a nice sale section, and they participate in a swap program where past TOAST styles can be traded in for a new lease on life.

I had it in mind to buy myself a fair isle jumper (in the U.S. we'd call it a pullover sweater)…read moreduring our trip to Scotland. I did some online research before we left home and learned that to be considered authentic, one of the requirements is that it be fashioned from Shetland wool, as opposed to cashmere, merino, or lambs wool. I found a very useful thread on Reddit that listed several reputable shops in Edinburgh (our base of operations while in Scotland), including this warning: "Whatever you do, don't go into any of the tat shops." Of course, then I had to ask Google what a "tat shop" was. In the United States, my guess would have been a tattoo parlor, but that didn't make sense. A "tat shop" is a souvenir store. I made some phone calls when we got to Edinburgh. Many stores in the UK are closed on either Monday/Tuesday or Tuesday/Wednesday, so that narrowed our choices. Other stores had no fair isle jumpers in stock. Still, I was undeterred and kept calling around. After only two or three calls, I reached Dicks Edinburgh and was told that they did have exactly what I was seeking. A few hours later, after we had toured Edinburgh Castle, we hopped into a cab and went straight there. My husband and I were the only customers, and the entire staff (two women and a man) were collectively attentive to us. It took me only a few minutes to decide on the perfect jumper. It was a lovely experience from start to finish. Dicks Edinburgh is clearly a quality clothing store, and I would not hesitate to shop there again.

Top quality Shetland Wool Sweaters and helpful staff. It took a transatlantic telephone call and a…read morereview of many of their sweaters, but we walked out delighted with our purchase.

Beautiful department store on Princes St, with a super unique layout due to the historical building…read moreit's in. If you are from Canada, this store is just like Hudson's Bay. If you are from the USA, it's just like Macy's. Ran out of Clarins cream and stopped here to stock back up. Had AMAZING service by the rep!

Unusual, old-fashioned and charming is how I would describe Jenners. It has a maze-like quality so…read moreit's quite easy to get lost in the multitude of rooms and floors. Definitely worth a browse for a quaint shopping experience. The cafe is very good too, but extremely busy. I had a breakfast of cheese and tomato omelette with a decent cup of coffee. Not very relaxing due to the bustling crowds of people and it's a queue-up to order and pay system, so I was concerned my food would be cold by the time I managed to get my coffee, pay and grab a table. But it was warm enough and very tasty.

If you are looking for a piece of quirky or unique clothing, Lady JoJo's Boutique is the place to…read morego. Situated in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh, Lady JoJo's Boutique is just around the corner from the Royal Mile and it is a short walk to the main shopping street in Edinburgh, Princes Street, and so it is a convenient place to reach. This store is relatively new on the Edinburgh clothing scene, and it is a definite welcome addition. I love to come here and browse the shop and admire their beautiful stock. The boutique is pretty small inside but it boasts a beautiful selection of dresses, tops, trousers and accessories. I bought an absolutely gorgeous dress here several months ago, and it cost around £50, but it is of excellent quality and I wear a lot when I go out so it is definitely good value for money. The stock changes over quite a bit, so I find that if there is something I like, its probably best to buy it there and then rather than waiting a week and finding out its not longer on sale - that has happened to me several times!! The staff are really friendly and warm too. Lady JoJo's is a great place to go to buck the trend and buy your clothes from a non-high street store.

I came across this little boutique whilst wandering down The Grassmarket. It's only been open for…read moreabout a week, and the shop is gorgeous and brand spanking new. I was drawn inside by the kitsch sign and the funky name. 'Lady JoJo's' sounded like my kind of shop. I wasn't disappointed when I stepped inside, and was greeted by the two lovely young shop assistants. The stock is sparse, which one of the said assistants explained was because they were simply testing the water to see what kind of stuff people liked best. Rails of gorgeous retro swing dresses and frilly knickers really caught my eye, as did the old fashioned dresser table adorned with gorgeous jewellery and seamed stockings. The boutique oozed with the retro glamour of Betty Paige and 1950's style, which is quite unique in Edinburgh and stocks ranges such as 'What Katie Did' and 'Love Kills'. A handmade necklace with two chunky red hearts emblazoned with 'Pin Up Girl' really caught my eye. I bought the necklace and was pleasantly surprised when it was only £8, with a 20% discount complimentary because the shop had just opened. Perfect! I will certainly be visiting in a couple of weeks when it is more established and full of gorgeous Pin Up clothes and jewellery.

I googled Fair Isle sweaters, Edinburgh & ended up buying two here. The staff couldn't have been…read morenicer & the sweaters are gorgeous. I don't wear the other boho items stocked & didn't do more than glance, but the uniquely beautiful sweaters were the prettiest I've seen - and I've been looking!

I love this place so much. I was in Edinburgh on business and when I had a day off I went around…read morethe town to explore a bit and stumbled upon this place. Not being super into wool and hand made items at the time, I bought one wool headband and brought it home (living in Seattle, you get COLD all the time). I grew to love this headband so much, that I now order headbands all the time from this place and have them shipped to Seattle. I cannot find yarn like the yarn at Ragamuffin ANYWHERE! It is so unique and thick, I would buy hundreds of headbands from this place if I could. Truly, they are so unique, I cannot do them justice in an explanation. I always tell people who are going to EDI for business to check this place out, and I will definitely continue ordering from this place as long as they let me. :)

Reiss is one of those places that I love to browse in. There are so many amazing clothes and lovely…read morelovely accessories (their shoes in particular are amazing) that I could spend all day swooning. Their jumpers are lovely, and their skirts are of brilliant quality. What;'s more, their mens department is really good too. My brothers always buy their jackets from Reiss - they swear by them. They are on trend without being too much of a statement, making a fashionable twist on a staple item. The staff are lovely too, you just know they are down to earth people who have a laugh in their job. In the changing rooms I had all three staff helping me pick an outfit, and I didn't feel embarrassed at all when I didn't choose anything. Although I did feel embarrassed when I opened my curtain to find a naked lady standing there - their changing rooms are separated by curtains and it's easy to get confused....!!

Reiss stock gorgeous clothes that all have an air of class and sophistication about them…read more Everything here is perfectly cut and always sits perfectly. The only problem with this place are the prices, on my student budget there isn't really a lot that I can afford unfortunately, which is why my trips to Reiss are mainly during sale time in the hope that I pick up a bargain. The staff in this branch are friendly and the store is very well organised and minimal which reflects the fuss free clothing.

I hadn't been inside a Laura Ashley store for years until yesterday (isn't it funny how you go into…read moreshops you'd normally pass by when on a shopping expedition with someone else?!) and I enjoyed looking through the racks of clothes, especially the sale rack. I didn't buy anything but I enjoyed my browse and it reminded me so much of my Laura Ashley craze of 20 years ago (that was the Exeter store). Most of the clothes on sale aren't really to my taste these days although there were many nice garments. The staff were very friendly and helpful, asking a couple of times if I wanted help in looking for something in particular. I must come across as a bit of a 'cheapskate' because, once again, I'm going to say that I thought many items were overpriced.

Really lovely assistants. Loragene is on the ball with everything, and extremely helpful. Helen L…read moreis also very attentive. I hadn't been inside a Laura Ashley for decades but a search for the perfect black trouser led me there - and I got exactly what I wanted. And in a promotion, too. LA is now on my list of shops to pop into more frequently. They have a good range of furniture, too as it's quite a big store.

This is such a cute store! I visited it twice while I was in Edinburgh. They have lots of eclectic…read moreitems: stickers, cards, gifts, clothing, glasses and jewelry. I bought a couple of very unique pieces and have already received so many compliments on them! Will come back next time I am in town.

It was such an adorable little place, with lots of super adorable badges and stickers. Everything…read moreis such good quality and for really good prices. There is something for everyone there, I visited it when I was in Edinburgh and I got presents for all of my friends. The service was so quick, the line was super long and yet the person at the desk managed to get through everyone so quickly and she was so nice!

Miss Bizio is the real deal. - 'Welcome to my wardrobe!' came the gleeful, exuberant cry that…read morewelcomed us; eccentric and loveable and chic. The lady in question is one serious fashionista, with her stunning collection of garments spanning the lengths of the shop. It's clear from even the shortest of conversations with Miss B that this delightful and fabulously-dressed lady lives and breathes fashion. And now, she's giving Edinburgh a peek of the vintage goodies from her 30 year-strong wardrobe, whilst brimming with a genuinely infectious passion for her boutique and every single item in it. Her reasoning; she didn't have a daughter to pass on such pretty things. I can't be the only gal thinking: 'Miss Bizio, can I be your adopted daughter, oh, pretty, pretty please?' So, whilst it was a fleeting stop before close, I sure got giddy laying eyes on the packed rails. - Such beautiful, unique and well-loved pieces! As Jody says, Miss Bizio is not cheap. - It's all genuine vintage and the quality and selection reflects the price; you're getting something really special. And if you're after something specific, I've no doubt that Miss Bizio will do her very best to find just what you're after. She was willing to help me out with anything I needed during my quick stop. I do look forward to saving some pennies and stopping by the magical vintage whirlwind that is Miss Bizio Couture once again.

It took me a heartbeat to put two and two together…read more I've been walking by this place and intermittently throwing myself at their windows for a few weeks now but it wasn't until their Yelp pictures started popping up in their teasing vintage glory that I realized it was one in the same. Seriously - they are female baiting wizards and you will be hard pressed to walk by whatever immaculate coat/dress they have on display on their stoop without walking by. Let's get one thing very clear here: this is vintage. Not thrift. If you go in here seeking a deal, you're likely to leave disappointed because this place is pricey. But it's one of the few vintage stores i've been to (world wide) that can decently justify the price. She's got Pucci in impeccable condition, Prada accessories, a Pierre Cardin cape that i've actually DREAMED off wafting down the streets of Stockbridge in its turquoise glory. It's like walking through the closet of the way more successful, theoretical me. I would buy 99% of the things in here... I can afford to buy about 2%. But a gal can dream. If you have more budget (or a desire to spend your own 2% on something sparkly), are looking for a special occasion dress or want to taunt a woman buy parading your fabulous cape through Stockbridge, this is worth your time to pop in.