Being from Canada my vacations growing up usually consisted of escaping the cold weather we experience from November until May or travelling somewhere during the summer. Since I have started travelling more throughout the winter to other countries experiencing cold weather I have struggled with packing. Packing for warm weather is SO easy, especially as a fashion blogger that needs to take lots of pics for the ‘gram, your one outfit could be a dress… dresses take up no room at all.
Packing for London this year was a serious problem, not only did I have to fit enough clothes for over a month into a suitcase, I also travelled to Singapore for Christmas meaning I had to pack clothes for Summer AND Winter… (How I Packed For That Here).
The key to packing for winter in London is having enough versatility in your wardrobe so you can be comfortable in 15-degree weather or 0-degree weather.
I made sure to keep most everything I packed easy to layer under either of the jackets I brought with me. I had a few items already here in London from my trip in November including some jacket which made packing easier. If you are like me and take lots of pictures but are always freezing thus taking outer layers off for a quick outfit pic is not always an option then multiple jackets are the BEST for a little bit of variety. Bias your packing to be jacket heavy, include a peacoat, a puffer jacket, and a lighter in between like a bomber or a leather jacket that can be worn underneath either of the heavier jackets or worn alone.
Usually, a typical outfit for me here is a lightweight wool turtleneck or cashmere sweater with a pair of jeans or leather leggings, a leather jacket, scarf, paired with either a hat and/or one of my heavier jackets.
Packing shoes for London are really easy because the weather rarely drops below zero if you want to pack light you can get away with a pair of tennis shoes or rain boots. I’ve taken advantage of the lack of snow to wear my more delicate boots that the weather at home would potentially ruin. London requires a fair amount of walking unless you are driving/ubering everywhere. I recommend packing stylish yet comfortable walking shoes, things like Adidas Superstars or Converse are great options, or if you have a pair of comfortable boots they are also great.
What has struck me about London is how dressed up people get on a daily basis. Walking around in outfits that would put me in the “overdressed” category in Toronto would be acceptable for a casual day out. Don’t be afraid to pack to leather, fur vests and accessories.
xoxo Steph
