Byres Road - Home of the Cosmopolitan

by Erin Graham

The attitude of a Glaswegian is that of a carefree, happy-go-lucky, que sera sera type. There are two main reasons for this: 1. We are not easily embarrassed 2. We really don’t care about the actions of others as much as you think we do. In the best way. If there is one place you can express yourself free of judgement it’s Glasgow, because no one cares, and it’s wonderful! Fashion is one of the truest forms of self-expression and the fashion of Glasgow’s students is unmatched, and truly reflects the Glasgow spirit. For a small-town girl like myself coming from a street (one literal street) full of judgement when I tried something new, Glasgow and its cosmopolitan indifference is the perfect blank canvas. Compliments from strangers sometimes resonate with us even more than compliments from friends because they are unexpected. I never hesitate to tell someone how much I love their bag, their boots, or their entire attitude and the reaction is always 100% worth the two seconds it takes from your day. We have all been (or are soon to be) in Hive and had THE talk with another girl at the sink, the 10-minute slur of non-stop simultaneous compliments and love. Wholesome content.

You can wear whatever you want, and no one cares, in the best way.

The sweetness of Glaswegians does not stop in the club, just last week I got off at Hillhead subway and a cleaner who was mopping the floor told me she loved my pink go-go boots, and naturally I said I loved her bright blue space buns. We smiled and got on with our entirely separate lives and it left me feeling confident for the rest of the day. Fleeting encounters like that are not uncommon on the campus catwalk. The more outrageous, the better. Something I love about fashion around campus is the level of individuality – every single person has a personal style, and it brings such an energy to the streets of the West End. There is an unspoken energy of acceptance and expressiveness in the city of Glasgow, and something I have missed ever so much over the past 2 years. Although individual, you feel part of a community that loves themselves and loves what they wear. A part of me wishes I documented some of the fashion I have seen over the past few years, and another part is glad I didn’t, leaving everyone’s individuality to the passing eye and only the passing eye forever.

We must give some credit to the plethora of fresher’s vintage markets and the second hand selection in Glasgow that make it possible to express ourselves on a budget. Until my freshers week in 2018, I had never shopped second hand or vintage and cannot believe I was not aware of the concept until I was 18. It has completely changed my life and that of others who I met at that first £15 kilo sale at the GUU. There is a sense of pride and extra love we have for our pre-loved garments, and I love to think of their back stories. This is something I do on the subway as well, admiring an outfit and pondering on where everything came from, and what life it had before its current one in Glasgow. Every single garment has a story, and I like to think it’s a long and adventurous one that has led it to the university library, to the toilets at hive or to the subway station. I like to think that the person wearing their leopard print beret, or their bright pink tights feel confident as hell in what they are wearing and know they look good, because there is nothing like that feeling and the compliments it brings. Glasgow is the home of the cosmopolitan where