Best warm clothes for Winter

Layering is key. Start with a good warm, breathable, and moisture wicking base layer. Then, add a warm mid layer and finally a thick outer layer. REI is a good place to look.

I love to wear sweater vests as part of layering. I have several of them, but one of my favorites I got from L.L. Bean. They’re great because they keep you warm but also give you more movement than a jacket would if it’s not too cold out.

This is the one that I have that I love. I have the blue one and it goes with a lot. You can also find warm vests at Orvis.

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/120876?page=womens-sweater-vests&feat=Women%27s%20Sweater%20Vests-OPT

Thanks, Barkinpark & Mardee for your tips. Thanks, Mardee, for the link. I'll definitely check everything out! :)

Cheers!
- Ronda

For base layer consider a Capilene long sleeve.

Hi, Ronda, I was in Scotland last October- I wore my wind and waterproof hooded jacket almost every day. A fleece vest under worked well. I was on a hiking trip so I needed the good boots- not sure if your trip is a mix of both? The wind can be very, very strong, rendering an umbrella useless.
I have some leather Chelsea style boots for city streets- not waterproof but just try to avoid big puddles!
Good socks, along with the hat and gloves and I also love my cashmere "snood" style "scarf". I have a lightweight and heavier weight and can pull them up over my ears and even as a hat substitute under the hood.
Since you aren't traveling til fall you can also take advantage of sales in the US (online) when they start discounting winter clothing. Personally I think a good warm coat (wear on the plane) is going to be your most important item and likely you'll have more time and more affordable options than shopping when in Europe.
(I was surprised in Patagonia's outdoor stores to see- Patagonia clothing! As well as North Face and other familiar brands.)

As mentioned layering is key.

Base layer + usual top & bottoms + merino or cashmere sweater/fleece + puffer vest/jacket + waterproof raincoat/jacket.

Wear whichever combo of the above fits the situation. Add gloves, cap and scarf when needed. And wool blend socks.

Uniqlo currently has their packable puffer jackets and vests on sale. They also carry several options of base layers in their Heattech line. I just picked up a couple of merino sweaters on clearance this week for $14.99.

I assume living in Florida you don't want to invest in items you may not wear at home. Sierra is a TJ Maxx brand company. You'll find brands like Columbia, Smartwool, 32 Degrees and Helly Hansen. Like TJ Maxx stores, you need to check back often because the inventory is always changing. My local store currently has more Eddie Bauer waterproof raincoats/jackets in stock than the Eddie Bauer website.

Thank you, BonVoyage!, for the advice and your time! Good to know about the windy conditions!!

Thanks again!
Cheers!
- Ronda

Thank you, JeanM and Claudia, for the advice. Claudia, fantastic tips!

Appreciate your time!

Cheers!
- Ronda

I have several of these long sleeve Smartwool shirts from REI. They're excellent quality, make a great base layer or on their own in mild weather.

https://www.rei.com/product/217943/smartwool-classic-all-season-merino-long-sleeve-base-layer-top-womens?color=PACIFIC%2520BLUE

Thanks for sharing, Rachel! Such great colors, too.

Cheers!
- Ronda

It kind of depends. Will you be going into museums, etc.? The layering works if all of your time is outside, but if you are going inside buildings, you will sweat a lot. I prefer a long, at least knee length coat. Something I can easily remove.
Boots with thicker soles will help keep your feet warm and protect them on the many cobblestone streets. Mine are Gore-tex and I never have wet, nor cold feet in the winter.

Consider going to some thrift stores, if you are only buying this stuff for one trip.

For base layers, I suggest the inexpensive tops and bottoms from 32 Degrees brand. They sell them at Costco but probably not in your area. They have a direct website. Sign up for emails and you’ll be notified of sales which might work for the end of winter clearance. In most winters I wear the bottoms under my jeans daily but this year we’ve had no cold so haven’t needed to.

I haven’t worn capilene is years as it didn’t work for me…held in smell but worked for others.

For gloves I like Smartwool glove liners. These work for me for most winter activities unless it’s bitter cold and windy.

Did anyone mention a hat? If not, bring one. It can be a beanie, a toque, wool, fleece, with ear flaps or without. You’ll just be warmer with one. Also, avoid cotton. Cotton clothes, be it shirts, jeans or sweaters will make you colder if it gets wet.

I dont get involved in women's clothing decisions. Never comes out well for me. But layers is the obvious answer.

October is a beautiful time of year in Central Europe. Of course, early October is more so than late October.

Here are the temperatures compared for the locations and dates you described. You didn’t mention a city in Northwestern Germany, so I picked on at random; and you didn’t say where in Scotland. The graph gets a bit crowded but if you click on a date, you can see it clearly.

https://weatherspark.com/compare/m/11/61613~84771~87583~38026/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Bremen-Budapest-Warsaw-and-Edinburgh-in-November

Living in the mountains I have learned that you can turn any outfit in to a winter outfit with the right first layer. If it is cold outside I just wear merino long sleeved, long legged underwear. These don't take a lot of space, are very quick to wash and dry, and so usefull that I almost always take them with me on travels to places where the weather does what it does...
Very useful to when sailing at night, something I also do...

Once in a very great while all the stars align, there is a breeze from the north and you can hear cicadas in the distance. That is the moment when WengenK and I agree on something. Now is such a moment. /s
However, I am P.W.T. so mine are synthetic and come from BassPro, but here in Budapest from the first of January until mid-February they are what starts my day. People cover their upper body and their head (which is smart because of all the blood flow close to the surface of the skin) but forget their legs. Warm legs, warm heart. Oh, and I fought wearing a scarf for years, then I did one day. Now in the winter I don’t go out without one. Huge difference. Doesn’t have to be heavy, just to wrap the blood flow in the neck.

But I will add, for most of October, if the weather is "typical" or average then all you need in Budapest is a very light jacket.

If you were sticking to Central Europe in October or even early November; I would say the longjohns/janes and one medium weight sweater and one fairly light down jacket. Then if it becsome unexpectedly colder than average you have an excuse to go shopping and return home to the US with stylish European clothing.