London in the winter is one of my favorite times to visit the city. The Christmas season obviously brings its own joy and magic to storefronts and things to do, but the winter months after the holidays are also beautiful. Stores still decorate their shops and there is a general coziness around the city wherever you decide to stay, eat, and visit. It’s one of the reasons I love London all year, actually, so the winter months are still a good time to visit London. Okay, let’s talk what to wear.
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Given London is one of the fashion capitals in the world, you can truly wear just about anything, but I have lots of outfits and tips below. If you’ve been thinking about trying an outfit that is a little outside your comfort zone, London is the place to do it! However, you will also fit in wearing jeans, boots, and a sweater or other classic outfits. Whatever you wear, you’ll just want to be warm and comfortable when you explore the city so you can focus on fun and making memories!
London Winter Outfits
When Is Winter In London and How Cold Does London Get In Winter?
Winter in London starts in December and ends in March. The seasons in London are similar to those in the mid-Atlantic in the US. The temperatures really never get too much colder than they do in a lot of places in the States unless you’re coming from a warmer state. If you’re traveling from a place like Florida or southern California, the average high will definitely be colder than what you’re used to! But, bundling up can be really fun to dress for – I promise!
The Essential Items: What To Wear In London Winter
I have lots of full outfits below, but here are the top three essential items I highly recommend packing for a winter trip to London!
Comfortable Boots You Love
If you’re planning to do a lot of sightseeing, then comfortable boots are a great option. I lean towards boots that are 2 inch heels or less as I find they’re very walkable, but everyone has their own standards for comfort so I included flat boots I love too! These Steve Madden boots are super chic and very comfortable.
I own and love all of these boots except the last pair!
A Coat You Can Rewear
A winter coat is obviously important if you’re visiting London in the winter months like January and February. Depending on your personal style, this could be a long coat or a cropped coat. I prefer to pack one of each if possible, but if I had to pick one coat, I’d go with a long coat for warmth and versatility. Throughout my time living in London and visiting London, I always get the most use out of a long, neutral coat. However, I also love my fun plaid coat because it actually goes with everything. So, pick the coat that goes with most everything in your suitcase and the one that makes the most sense for the weather. If you’re wondering about materials, wool coats are always a warm option. But, if it’s going to be mild temperatures during your trip, consider a trench coat!
Jeans or Pants You’ll Want to Style In More Than One Way
I always try to pack a pair of jeans or pants that I know I can rewear. Not all denim is the same when it comes to this! But, the jeans I’m wearing below are two good options. I was able to rewear both of these jeans more times than I’d like to admit on my most recent trip to the UK. If it seems like the jeans you want to rewear are losing shape, I give them a steam to help them look and feel fresh!
London Winter Outfit Ideas To Keep You Cozy And Chic
One of the best tips for packing for a trip to London is to bring pieces you can easily mix and match. Think of the items in your closet that you would wear all day – to explore the city in the day and then to dinner at night. I wear one outfit for an entire day a lot of times. But, I also like to change a piece of my outfit sometimes too.
Okay, let’s get to the outfits. If you’re looking for family photo outfits while you’re in London, check out this blog post all about winter family photo outfit ideas – they include what I wore to ours in London.
Straight Leg Jeans With Boots And A Coat
Jeans are always a good idea in London because you can dress them up and wear them casually. These straight leg jeans are really versatile, so they make a great base for your outfits. I wore them with a few different outfits both in London and in the English countryside. They pair nicely with knee high boots, booties, loafers, and flats. The button up I’m wearing is also versatile. I styled it in several ways throughout our trip! It looks super cute layered over this cashmere sleeveless top for dinner, and I also love how a half tucked in button up works for a daytime look.
I’m wearing a trench coat in this photo, which is typically perfect for the average temperatures in England throughout a lot of the year. You’ll find that a waterproof jacket or trench coat that’s water resistant is always a good thing to pack for London. You can wear a cozy scarf with it or tie a sweater over your shoulders like I did to use as a scarf if you need it. But, you can also wear this outfit with a winter coat for the colder months like January and February.
Wide Leg Corduroys With Button Up
Here’s another way to style this button up while you’re in London. Button ups always look nice with jeans, but I love how it looks with these corduroys too. These pants are so comfortable and chic – always my favorite combination – and you can rewear them with a sweater too. These pants also come in black, which I keep thinking about because I love how they go with everything too. If you want to wear these corduroys from day to night, go with black!
Day to Night Monochrome Outfit
Monochrome is always a good idea, especially if you need an outfit that will work all the way through dinner. Brown jeans are a little more elevated than regular blue denim. You can easily add a belt to this look.
I recreated my outfit below with pieces that are available. I own and love the jeans in a different color.
Layering With A Short Wool Coat
This short wool coat is a great option for winter in London if you prefer short coats. I chose this to kind of mix up the vibes of my outfits, and I honestly love how it works like a coat or a blazer. It works perfectly with layers to add a layer of warmth, whether you wear it as more of a shawl or an actual coat. I styled the coat over my shoulders in the first two photos, but I also wear it like a normal coat, which you can see below.
This button up layers so easily with a sleeveless cashmere turtleneck, and I also recently wore it with a long sleeved turtleneck for a little extra warmth. You can also rewear the long sleeved turtleneck under the jacket.
Silk Blouse And Wool Coat
This silk blouse will elevate your outfit instantly. I feel like I say this a lot, but it’s also one of those pieces you can mix and match throughout your trip. You can wear it under this cropped jacket for just about anything, whether you’re going to afternoon tea, dinner, or just want to look nice for exploring the city. Likewise, you can wear it under the grey cashmere sweater vest I’m wearing in the photo above – see that look on me here.
Outfit For Afternoon Tea Through Dinner
This midi skirt, which fits me like a maxi skirt, is perfect for afternoon tea all the way to dinner. If you have room in your suitcase, I’d definitely pack a suede jacket or a leather jacket to wear at night or as a day-to-night option because it adds a fun edge to your look. I wore this outfit around London with loafers, but this skirt looks so good with knee high boots. You’ll be nice and warm!
I’m wearing a size US 6 in the suede jacket.
Wool Sweater With Jeans And Loafers
Loafers are always a popular choice in London, and they happen to be a practical option too. You can still wear them throughout the winter with socks. This is a perfect casual outfit that you can wear for a day exploring the museums. Plus, it works for lunch at different types of places, whether you prefer the Ivy or something casual like a pub.
Sneakers That Look Super Chic With Any Jeans
No matter how hard I try, I never feel like I make sneakers look cool – until I was gifted this pair of gorgeous suede sneakers by Steve Madden. I highly recommend these shoes after wearing them for a long travel day. We had a 9 hour flight delay that ended up being an extremely long day. We stood around for most of it before flying to Boston and walking all through the airport and the T – their train system. So, I definitely tested these out for us! Anyway, these would be perfect for a walk through Hyde Park or a stroll through all the beautifully decorated shops on Elizabeth Street in Belgravia.
I’m wearing the sneakers with barrel jeans in this photo, but I also wear them a lot with wide leg jeans and my straight leg jeans. They honestly go with everything!
These shoes are already an elevated sneaker option since they’re suede, but this cashmere sock will make them look even more chic. I also love these super comfortable socks that I’m wearing in this photo. They’re my everyday socks.
Fun Red Sweater With Neutral Accessories
This red sweater is perfect if you’re visiting London around Christmas. Imagine strolling through the streets with a hot drink and viewing the Christmas lights in this outfit. But, I’d honestly pack it throughout the winter months, including January and February. Hello, Valentine’s Day! This sweater is lightweight, but it’s super warm. It’s also easier to style than you might think. You can style it with any shade of brown, tan, or cream shoes. I don’t love to wear black and red together, but it is definitely a popular color combination too. The booties I’m wearing are chic, and they’ll keep your feet comfortable.
Statement Coat With Jeans And Comfortable Shoes
If you’re planning to be outside a lot, which tends to happen when you visit London, a statement coat or jacket is the perfect thing to pack! I’m obsessed with this wool-blend coat because it’s such a fun addition to your closet, and it’s also really warm. This outfit will also look good with boots, but you could wear flats with these sock tights too.
I hope this was helpful for outfit ideas for what to wear in London. Winter is a fun time of year to visit – I’m London’s biggest fan, so I don’t think there’s a bad month to visit. Ha! No matter what you end up wearing, I hope you have a wonderful trip!
