packing for London May 2016

I never travel with bluejeans. They are heavy and they take a long time to dry if you need to wash them. But generally, you are right to think in terms of layers.

My main advice to you, though, is not to "angst." None of the places you are going is third-world or a different planet. If you find you need something you didn't bring, buy it there. It can be fun to go shopping for stuff that isn't tourist souvenirs.

S&A

I'm in a similar boat. I have a layerable jacket (rain shell with zip in/zip out fleece) that I'm planning to carry on the plane (not pack) and a light merino wool sweater just in case. Weather averages (wunderground.com) look to be in the mid 50s (F) which might be chilly by Texas standards. I have one pair of black "dress" jeans (dark black, not obviously jeans) and two pairs of travel pants I plan to bring for two weeks.

I'm hesitant on the lightweight rainproof windbreaker because I usually find them to not be up to the task.

Have a great trip!

I would add a sweater or sweat shirt for warmth when needed. Fleece works well as a packable, lightweight sweater-type garment. In London and other parts of the U.K. You are never far from a thrift shop. That's where I go when I discover I need more clothes. Good places for books, too.

Unless your trip is so short that you can see nice weather projections for the entire period before you leave, I would want to add a warm layer to your proposed packing list. It could be a sweater, a fleece jacket, or even a wool jacket if you don't mind the weight. Some folks might recommend a down vest. I'm sure you've got something in your closet that would do.

I am a southerner and I hate the cold, so on trips north of the Alps I now also include a set of silk or polypropylene long johns. Walmart carries an inexpensive line of Cuddl Duds. If you are worried about suitcase weight, you could just take the long john top; I find that if I'm warm above the waist, I can get by pretty well.

Have you checked out the "packing list" elsewhere on this web site? Good information. I am headed to London the first of June and I used the RS London Guide book to help me plan for my trip. Most helpful. If you need one, they can be purchased elsewhere on this website. Warm up that London place for us to follow you. Happy Travels.

I would add a light weight fleece for your top layer. I think jeans are fine. Don't wear them on a really rainy day because they're hard to dry but If you wear them at home, why not in the UK?

England does not really get any extreme weather, so I think your list will be fine. I always take a couple of pair of nice blue jeans with me. You can dress up or down. (My jeans are not the heavy kind). Pack some short and long sleeve tees, Polos are a good choice and of course a light jacket. I always throw in another jacket that is a little smarter than my light rain jacket. You will need to layer. I would take a fleece or two and a light sweater and/or cardigan.

Its not usually going to rain so much in London that you are going to get soaked. For city sights, jeans will be fine. (I grew up in Uk and travel back every year). The further north you go, the more chance of rain and overcast weather. Wear you hiking pants there. You can always buy more rain gear if you need it.

Thanks to all for the recommendations. I will probably wait until I get to London to see if I need a fleece or cardigan for sure. Anita had to explain to me what is meant by a "jumper"! I am feeling less angst thanks to the responses from the Rick Steves Forum.

Why wait to buy something in London?

Check out Lands End Polartec fleece. VERY lightweight so easy to pack. I own two pullovers, a vest and a zip up. Swear by them for comfort and warmth. Alternate which I pack based on the season and where I'm going with the zip up always in the car for spur of the moment road trips.

Would suspect there might even be a sale on now so possible to save some money.

Lastly, I always were blue jeans as I'm usually traveling in the Fall. For me they are like comfort food and no I don't own stock in Levi Strauss.

Enjoy your trip!!!

If you need fleece, layering pieces, etc. and want to wait and buy in London, head to a SportsDirect outlet. They have way CHEAP prices - always a sale - and carry major brands. There's even one in Piccadilly Circus - which started life in 1925 as Lillywhite's - so shopping there is actually kind of sightseeing! It's at 25 Regent Street. There's one a block from St. Paul's Cathedral, too. Cheap and cheerful, I always say!

Thank you, Kira! I'll be in London soon and already decided not to pack many things because I can pick them up in London, but this is great news. Fleece jacket for £7.50! I'm already excited! Plus we are staying in Bloomsbury so just a couple of miles away and of course we are already planning to shop in the area.

@K2 Glad I could help. :-) (P.S. am so jealous you're on your way... have a great time!!!)

don't get me started on Sports Direct

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/10/sports-direct-discounts-are-they-what-they-seem

One thing not mentioned here is a down ultra lightweight puffer jacket. I have one that weighs nothing and can be packed down very tiny. It's wonderful for trips like this to bring for the plane and when the weather gets chilly. I love the North Face ones, but they can be found at Uniqlo too. Last time I was in London in June we froze. I wore a jacket and a big wool scarf every day.

We are in London now and the weather is perfect---blue skies and sunshine since last Sunday when we arrived. I do carry my very lightweight Eddie Bauer Travelex jacket around, but very rarely have needed it. But of course it could change and get cold again.

Our trip started in Yorkshire when the temperature was in the 30's-40's, and I did not have enough warm layers for a day of walking on the coastal path from Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay. So I went into a Mountain Warehouse store advertising a sale on fleece, and found a nice pullover fleece for £8 ( kids size 12 as the women's fleece jackets were too large).

A scarf can add warmth as well. But if you are not into scarves, consider a Buff neck warmer, which packs small and is easy to wash. UV protection as well.

https://www.rei.com/product/736217/buff-high-uv-protection-buff

We're suffering through a cold snap in DC (low 50s and damp), so I've been able to test the Land's End 100 Everyday Fleece Jacket I ordered recently. I think it will be OK for the sort of cool weather I often encounter in Europe even in the summer, but I'll probably need to pair it with a light windbreaker/rain jacket. For high altitudes--and possibly places like Ireland and Scotland--I would want something warmer; I'm cold-natured.

There's a decent mix of sizes and colors available, some of them discounted. The jacket has two outer pockets and two inner, none of them with zippers. It has princess seams and is sort of fitted. I suggest going up one size if you think you might want to wear it over something like a thick sweater or sweatshirt. My normal size fits OK, but only just, over a summer blouse.

One thing I will warn about is that the "jet black" isn't really pitch black.

Land's End currently has good discounts on a variety of other 100 Fleece products.

Just returned from 16 days in England during which we encountered chilly evenings with warm days (in Suffolk) and near 80 degree weather with warm nights (in Dorset). Layering is the key and I found that wearing a cami under my long sleeve shirts helped in the chilly weather. I would also second the recommendation for an easily compressed vest - I purchased mine at Costco last winter and it was invaluable when the evenings got cold but then easily compressed into the tiny stuff sack when I didn't need it. The extreme warm weather we experienced necessitated the purchase of a pair of shorts - yes it really was that hot - and I was glad I threw the sunblock into the bag at the last minute because we definitely needed it. We were also glad of our lightweight rain jackets when we encountered a few showers here and there.

We do lots of walking/hiking on trips so light-weight hiking pants are a standard. In England we also had rain pants (as we did a 4-day walk around Bath). What is nice about that is the rain pants don't add much weight, but do had warmth to the hiking pants. Generally, we wear jeans on the airplane, and I wore them quite a bit in London too.