Jeans or zip off pants in Scotland?

We wore jeans most of the time we were in Scotland. It's casual - sort of like the Pacific Northwest. Neat dark jeans could go to dinner almost everywhere unless you are going to someplace like the Witchery.....If bag weight is an issue, I try to bring a pair of older jeans to wear for car travel and short hikes, then leave them for recycling before heading home. This frees up weight and space for a few souvenirs.

What would you prefer to wear if you were traveling in the U.S.? Jeans or zip-off pants? I'm someone who does not have a special travel wardrobe. I wear jeans at home in my leisure time and I wear jeans most days when I travel. Some people hate them because they don't dry quickly, but I bring three pairs so it is not an issue. Now, if I were traveling in hot weather, I'd probably bring something lighter, but that is not really an issue for where you are going. I only bring zip-off pants when I am hiking; I don't really see the practicality of them in the city.

Karen, I'd bring the zip-off pants. It it's raining a lot, wet jeans are awful; if it gets warm, you'll have something cooler to wear.

I'll just add that it rained almost every day of my two week trip in early May and I still wore jeans, but I had a knee length raincoat and umbrella that kept me pretty dry. If you don't have a longer raincoat and umbrella, then I'd agree with Maggie that something that dries more quickly would be better.

I'd take the zip-off pants and a pair of tights or microfiber long underwear to wear underneath, just in case the weather is cold. We were in the Lake District just over a week ago, and they got snow in the peaks! I brought 3 pairs of lighter-weight pants and one pair of jeans for our month-long May vacation to England. With the microfiber underneath the lighter-weight pants, I was always comfy (and, the pants and microfiber dry FAST). I also brought some nice, soft knee-high socks which kept my legs warm and dry, too.

Knit pants.Different weights. Always packable.Always comfortable. And ready for Yoga.

Thankyou ladies. I decided on the zip off pants with long underwear option. I love jeans (and I'll be bringing two pair), but I was concerned about the rain factor. And I'll still have the nice black pants for high tea in London. Now Keith should refrain from commenting about ladies' wardrobe decisions. What one wears is important. Being cold and wet can be miserable, and how you dress does impact how people treat you. With limited space, you have to think through what you're bringing.

Personally, I wouldn't wear jeans. I would wear docker type pants, they look so much nicer when you go into abbeys and cathedrals. Also, you mentioned going to high tea....high tea is an evening meal with meat, potatoes, etc., with tea. Afternoon tea is scones, finger sandwiches and pastries, there is a difference.

I always wear a pair of black yoga type pants on plane, sorry I do not think sitting in jeans for 12 hours is comfy..
Knit type pants(like yoga pants) are comfy, and you can wash them in a sink and hang them to dry, try that with jeans.

Yoga pants? I don't think so! (I'll leave them for my daughter to wear). However, LL Bean has super-comfy stretchy, but still dressy, pants. They are called "perfect fit," and I buy the straight leg version. Wonderful to take on a trip... Afternoon tea/high tea--in Minnesota the terms are used interchangeably, but it's good to know what is correct. We will be staying for 4 nights at an inn in the highlands, so casual wear will be appropriate.

Karen, I also wear the L.L. Bean Perfect Fit Knit pants on a trip. I also wear the L.L. Bean Indispensable Knits collection, which includes dresses, jackets, tops, pants. All coordinate with each other, and make packing light for a trip to Europe easy. You're right, wonderful to take on a trip, comfy, easy to wash and dry. Some of the younger men on this board have made remarks about "frumpy grandma knit outfits, etc." being worn to Europe by the "old ladies" on this site. (I guess it's a crime to be over 40 and come here to comment) But none of this knitwear is frumpy. These pieces can be dressy enough to wear to work in an office in NYC or any major city. Or they can be dressed up with a pretty scarf and jewelery to wear to the opera or theatre. For a great looking pair of jeans, look online for a pair made of Tencel, a thinner cotton fabric that doesn't have thick uncomfortable seams. Lightweight and launders well. Looks more dressy than traditional jeans. Nordstrom's used to carry them, in dark denim color, or khaki.

Its not a crime to over 40 if you are around me.

Ha, ha! Thanks, Monte!

I just have to say- I was raised here in the UK and I have never heard of the evening meal with meat and potatoes being called 'High Tea'. It was called 'supper'.
High Tea is usually taken to mean a 'posh' event, with the best china and finger sandwiches and cake, etc.

P.S.Bring a swimsuit! We stayed at a really nice Timeshare at Rutland Waters and they had a spa and an indoor pool. We were very sad we couldn't use this amenity. Also unless meals are included at lodges they tend to be spendy compared to the Pub down the road. Unless they have a famous chef then treat yourself.

Robin- this is supposed to be a helpline (clue is in the name). In your post you say: 'you mentioned going to high tea....high tea is an evening meal with meat, potatoes, etc., with tea. Afternoon tea is scones, finger sandwiches and pastries, there is a difference.'
How is it helpful to lead people going for High tea to expect meat and potatoes, when what they will be served is scones, finger sandwiches and cakes? Karen, I realise this has nothing to do with your question about what legwear to bring! I shall say no more. And I hope you very much enjoy your High Tea.

Although I'm not quite ready for pastel sweatshirts with matching pull-on pants, I'm quite happy to dress my age. I will be traveling with my husband who buys his clothes from JC Penney and Lands End, and he's packing with fishing in mind. He finds that with a sport coat on top, he can get away with wearing jeans when we go out. In the past I've bought Chicos travelers clothes, but I don't find them comfortable because I prefer the feel of cotton, wool, or linen. So I'm packed and ready to go with black jeans, blue jeans, black "perfect fit" pants, black capris, and zip-off pants (for the plane.) Paired with cashmere turtlenecks and scarves, I should be OK for going out. Thanks again, ladies for your advice. I'll report back in two weeks.

Ladies, There is no need to be rude. Robin was only tryig to be helpful as in Helpline. According to my English Grandparents and tea sources, there is a difference between High Tea and Afternood Tea. High Tea has something cooked like a rarebit, taken at the end of the day. Afternoon Tea does not. It is as Maggie describes food wise tho not always on posh china. Among some others Sothebys and F&M have High Tea on their menus. Perhaps it's a regional thing: supper or tea. Here in the PNW we have dinner.

Excuse me I am over 50 and yoga pants are fine, and I just googled and looked at those LL bean pants and how are they much different then black yoga pants.. not any different really.

You did not say how long you will be traveling. We usually go for a month at a time and each have one carry on bag which means space, weight and laundry are all critical. My wife would never think of taking jeans instead of pants because: 1. They are too heavy. 2. They take up too much precious space in the suitcase. 3. They take forever to dry

If you are already bringing one pair of jeans with you, I would strongly recommend the zip off pants. It usually rains. Your pants will get wet and jeans will be damp. The zip off will dry out faster in the very humid air. And, if you're lucky enough to not have rain, you can remove your legs and wear shorts! How great is that? If you're only in Scotland, the odds are you won't need capri's. I took a pair of shorts with me to Scotland on my second trip (there were 20 plus years between the first and second trips) and I never wore them. I have removed the legs of convertible pants a few times in the next 10 or so trips. But for the most part pants are best. : ) Oh, and I also brought long underwear the trip I brought the shorts and never wore them either. I have found that long sleeve shirts to wear over nice t shirts and then sweater or a fleece on top of the long sleeved shirt with a really good water proof (not resistant) jacket with a hood kept me comfy. Wool socks are great. And treat your shoes with waterproofing. I was hiking and so had boots and a pair of good walking shoes. I bring sandals which I sometime wore in the evening or around the hotel. Pam

I'm a bit shocked by the need for long underwear for Scotland. I'll be in Scotland mid July. I was thinking capris pants. Maybe I need one pair of regular pants? How cold is it?

Melinda, I use silk 'long' underwear (usually top only, bottom when needed). Ultra thin but keeps me very warm, and soft against the skin. Takes up almost no room or weight in luggage. Dries overnight after a handwash and excess moisture pressed out with a towel. I order from WinterSilks, but the big sporting goods stores typically carry them too.

For Summer: dress for 55-65 F Daytime. Cashmere turtlenecks may be too hot unless you are at sea or on a mountain. Wear easily removable layers in case of heat wave. Bring light weight waterproof/windproof top layer.

Sounds similar to the Pacific Northwest. I'm bringing a waterproof lightweight jacket. I won't expect any heatwaves :)

As I said, I've been to Scotland in July, August and September and over ten trips. Once I dragged my long underwear with me. I never needed it. I wouldn't bring the capris, but I would certainly bring capri's before I would bring long underwear. I would bring layers. If you are going to walk (hike) I would advice rain pants. I was able to buy a pair for 5 pounds at an outlet outside of Inverness and it was really nice to keep my pants dry. The key is to stay dry. That means a good rain jacket and pants that will dry quickly, and treat your shoes to make them water resistant. If your are going to hike, then I would highly recommend hiking boots that are waterproof. The paths can be very boggy and once again, it's about keeping dry. : ) And it's a wonderful country and great fun with wonderful, friendly people.

I just returned from my Scotland trip. Wearing my zip-off pants and bringing black jeans, blue jeans, nice black (LL Bean perfect fit) pants, and capris was perfect. Unlike in the south of Europe, you can dress for comfort in Scotland. Like a previously poster wrote, just dress like you would in the upper Midwest or the Northwest. It was unusually not-rainy in Scotland, so I didn't need my LL Bean rubber mocs or long underwear. However, if it had been typical Scotland weather, they would have come in handy. It was warm on my last day in London, so I enjoyed having my sandals and capris. I brought too many tops and scarves, but since I checked a bag, that wasn't a big issue. Cashmere sweaters are perfect for travel because they are warm, not heavy, and somewhat dressy. (Both my husband and I use 24" Rick Steves suitcases, which you can't buy on the Rick Steves website. We also have his rolled carry-on suitcases, which we use when we need to pack lighter.) On our last night in London, we saw Wicked. I didn't dress up as I had planned because it was rather warm. However, I did see (too many in my opinion) jeans and shorts at the theater. We skipped going to a formal high tea (or afternoon tea) in London. We were short on time, and everything was getting too expensive. We did take the bus to Harrod's and walked around. We had tea in their cafe...still not cheap (18 pounds for the two of us) but much less than a formal tea would have been, and walking around Harrod's is a lot of fun.

Karen, how nice to hear about your trip! Glad it was good and Thanks for posting.