London Opera; what to wear??

Opera in London is a very nice affair and you'll have a good time! What are you seeing? Just curious. :)
Since it sounds like you are going in winter you should expect it to be COLD. If it were me, I would wear nice slacks or a skirt, with nicer boots (tights or leggings are fine), a top/blouse that you can dress up with a scarf, some kind of jacket/shawl/wrap...I always lean towards wool in London since there's always the threat of rain or snow. People tend to wear a lot of black in London in winter so if you go with that color palette you'll blend right in! Add to all of that a good winter coat. There will be a coat check so you won't have to hold it while you enjoy the opera. . A little bling is always fun to wear at the opera but not at all necessary!
As far as style you can get away with just about anything...traditional or trendy will be fine. As long as you make the effort and look good there really is no code saying what kind of thing you should or shouldn't wear.
As far as transportation goes, you really don't need to hire a limo. If it were me and I wanted a nice ride there I would just use
Uber lux. There are PLENTY of those running around London and you'll have no problem getting one to come to you.

Is this also you first trip abroad?

Why are you considering a limo or town car? London traffic is absurd.

Take the tube and walk to the Opera House. Virtually everyone else attending will be traveling that way.

Or if you must " arrive " take a Black cab.

Just take a black cab, no need for anything special. You could even take the tube. If my hotel is on the north side, I take the Red Line subway and a cross town bus to the Lyric Opera in Chicago, and that can be pretty dressy as well. There is the Covent Garden station on the Picadilly Line for the Royal Opera House, or Leicester Square or Charing Cross for the English National Opera.

I love attending ballets and operas in Europe! I also just pack a carry-on suitcase. I’ve always worn a black outfit - either a black dress with a nice cardigan sweater and pretty jewelry (not real gold) or black pants with sweater and bright colored or lacy blouse. I was able to wear those pieces during other days of those trips.

You can wear anything, but leggings would be considered a bit under-dressed and a fashion faux paux. You are going to the opera, not the gym!

Just take the tube, which will be quicker than any car. Or walk.

Wear your cute dress, if it will be warm enough with a wrap. Assuming it is not an evening gown, you won’t be overdressed, and it will make it more of an “occasion.”

Where will you be staying? That might make it easier to recommend a car service for you. A black cab or mini cab might work for you too.

Will you be going with friends from the University? Perhaps you could all travel together.

I don't think that leggings will go well, but heavyish black tights will be both comfortable regardless of most weather and decent.

Don't worry about arriving in a posh car.

Which Uni? Where will you be staying?

You are an undergraduate student; so take the subway they call it the Tube in London; the people of means that can afford the best seats to go to the opera in NYC and Chicago take subway also.

You do not see all limos park outside Symphony Center or Lyric Opera in Chicago or people overdressed since it is ongoing season of performances 4 or 5 nights a week September - May (this is the international standard).
Opera has a shrinking audience and the older crowd is happy that more young people are interested in it than what you are wearing. Pay heed that the older established audience is more annoyed by instances of today's generation norm of looking at mobile devices or texting everywhere not paying attention including at the opera or symphony or clapping at the wrong time.

When you say you bought tickets to the “London Opera”, do you mean the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden or the English National Opera at the Coliseum? Or elsewhere?

Anyway, I went to see an opera at Covent Garden earlier this year. Most women dressed up a little - a nice dress (but not an evening dress) and maybe a pretty scarf. I also saw women in leggings with smart tops, and some people who were just wearing jeans & normal clothes, clearly there after a day doing other stuff.

Anyway my point is: it’s not high society, and in fact the opera houses are trying to make it much less so. But you’ll probably feel more comfortable if you make an effort to dress fairly smartly but unless it’s a big gala night or premiere, you’ll see a huge range of clothes. I wore a simple smart day dress, black, but jazzed up with coloured tights, scarf and necklace.

It’s difficult to suggest transport without knowing where you’re coming from & to, but most people will use public transport - tube & buses are excellent, and you will see people looking pretty smart & dressy even on public transport. Otherwise, just flag down a black cab.

Leaving the venue, there’ll be lots of other people leaving at the same time and many of them will probably be heading straight for the tube or nearest bus stop.

Thanks all for the advice, I feel a little better now lol.

For those of you asking; I'll be seeing Queen of Spades at the Royal Opera House on Bow St. I'm going alone which is why I'm a little nervous to use the Tube by myself. I'm going at the end of our trip so maybe I'll be more comfortable. As for the price of and Uber etc. my mom is willing to pay because this night is really special to me. However, Uber will probably be what I do, depending. My hotel is only 14mins away according to Google Maps, so hopefully traffic won't be an issue.

Thanks again for all the advice, i'll be watching for more as I continue planning!

After you have been in London for a month I bet you will be using the tube and buses like you've lived there your whole life.

You'll have a great time.

When's the show? Near the end of January?

Going by tube is a very safe and easy way to go.

Hi all!

My trip to London is coming up quickly and I bought tickets to the
London Opera in October. I have been stressing a bit over what to
wear. There isn't a dress code (I looked on the website and asked
customer service). I don't want to be under or overdressed. I have a
cute dress I can wear that's borderline fancy, (My mom suggested
leggings and I almosted fainted lol).

Don't stress. I would be looking forward to such a treat!! Wear the dress you like.

This is my first time to something this "high society" so I want it to
be good. Any suggestions? Also, does anyone have any good limo/town
car services in London I can use for transportation the night of?(I
might need to put this piece on another forum).

Car service? Limo? No.....Take the tube or take the bus depending upon which is more convenient to your hotel. As was said above, traffic is a nightmare.

"High society"? People of all walks of life love the opera. You'll see that for yourself.

I'm going alone which is why I'm a little nervous to use the Tube by
myself. I'm going at the end of our trip so maybe I'll be more
comfortable. As for the price of and Uber etc. my mom is willing to
pay because this night is really special to me. However, Uber will
probably be what I do, depending. My hotel is only 14mins away
according to Google Maps, so hopefully traffic won't be an issue.

May I assume you are an adult as you said your mother is going to pay for car service. If you are (and please forgive my bringing that up if you are an adult as I prefer not to offer advice to minors directly), then it is good news that you will cap off your trip to London with the opera. First, what a great way to end your visit!! More importantly, by then, you will have taken the Tube and/or bus with great regularity and have no issue with its ease and convenience. FYI, traffic WILL INDEED be an issue from the Royal Opera House. An Uber driver is not going to be able to turn his/her car into a vehicle reminiscent of the Jetsons and fly you into the air to get you to your hotel free above all of the road traffic! :-)

I say wear your cute dress- I travel alone and try to go to a special show or opera on each trip and for me, part of what makes my evening special is dressing up! Also, while the Tube is not difficult, I would take the Uber- if there is the slightest chance logistics might cause some stress or anxiety, go the easy route and while you’re at it, treat yourself to a glass of sparkly during intermission!! - have a fabulous time!!

Here is an essential tool for your time in London, explaining all about public transit, including a route planner:
https://tfl.gov.uk/
You should look at its section on the Oyster card, the handiest and usually cheapest way to pay for your rides. It's an electronic wallet, not a pass. London is divided into zones with different fares depending on where you are going. The Oyster will calculate your fare at the end of the ride and automatically deduct it. Some passes can also be added to the Oyster. You can buy it at the airport and use it for your first ride into the city. Any main station will have machines to top up the value.
If the opera is a heavyweight, I always read the plot ahead of time. Note that the English National Opera still sings in English (for the most part) using translations. Other opera houses provide subtitles to the original language.
Outside of momentous opening nights, nobody will be checking out your clothes, so dress to impress yourself. And if you care for a beverage to revive at intermission, order it in advance to avoid the crush at the always-cramped theatre bars. And use the loo (toilet) just before the curtain goes up, because they will be jammed at intermission too.
Bravo/brava!