Can you believe it’s November? This is one of the best times of the year to visit the UK. I’ve always loved London in autumn. It stays so hot here Londonin Washington, D.C. too long into fall for me, so it’s a welcome escape to real fall temperatures when I’m able to get to London this time of the year. Fall definitely starts earlier there, or what I would consider to be on time, haha. The leaves are starting to turn, you won’t be too hot or too cold, and there aren’t the huge crowds you see in the summer or around the holidays. It’s also still warm enough to dine outside with an extra layer!
Anyway, today, I’m sharing a roundup of outfits you can wear to stay comfortable, stylish, and on-trend while you explore London – the best city in the world!
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Making the Most of Limited Packing Space: What to Wear to London in the Fall
I always feel like my suitcase fills up way faster than I expect for a trip to London, so I try to pack things that I know I can wear more than once. These outfit ideas include pieces that you can mix and match to maximize your outfits. Jeans are a great example, and in general, I like to pack a few pairs that I know I can wear more than once.
A Coat to Layer Over Any Outfit
Okay, let’s talk specific pieces! The weather in London can be a little unpredictable this time of the year. While it’s obviously important to check the weather before your trip, don’t worry too much if it shows a lot of rain. During my trip, my phone said it would rain every single day. But, it really only rained a tiny bit each day, which is pretty standard for London this time of the year in my experience. That’s why layers are key!
So, my first suggestion is to pack a coat for an extra layer. A trench coat like I’m wearing below, a wrap coat like I’m wearing above, an oversized wool blazer, and a suede jacket are all good options to pack. I try to only pack one or two real coats to save space, and I typically wear one on the plane with me so it’s not really taking up space in my suitcase! If you’re traveling later in the fall, you’ll definitely have cooler days so a heavier coat like my wrap coat might be important to pack. On my most recent trip, I packed my winter coat, which is the wrap coat above, and it was just what I needed. If you’re going to pack two, though, I would definitely pack a light jacket like a trench coat, which obviously doubles as a rain jacket, or the wool blazer for ultimate versatility!
Related: Cute and Comfortable Fall Travel Outfits
Layering Shirt To Wear With Any Jeans Or Skirts
In general, be sure to pack the most versatile pieces you own if you’re trying to save space when packing. Those pieces are typically your closet heroes that you wear all the time. They’re always on my packing list for London or anywhere else in the fall since layers take up so much space in your suitcase. For me, that’s neutral colors like a layering top, whether it’s long sleeved or sleeveless. You might have a few bright tops that you love to rotate through with a few different pairs of bottoms. Either way, it’s especially helpful on trips where you only have so much space in a suitcase – even in a checked bag. We were also traveling with a baby, so space for my clothes was even more limited!
My neutral layering top above is perfect to wear under different cardigans and jackets, and it’s easy to dress up under a blazer at night. It also comes in black and chocolate brown.
I also love to use t-shirts and tank tops as layering pieces under blazers or bulkier sweaters if it’s not too cold.
Cashmere Sweater For Daytime Shopping And Museums
I wore this outfit for brunch, shopping, and a museum. This outfit really does it all. Cashmere is the perfect sweater material for London in the fall.
In addition to this ribbed cashmere sweater, this crewneck sweater is my other go-to cashmere sweater for fall, winter, and spring. I’ve had them for many years! I recreated my outfit below. The jeans are the same cut, and the boots are just this year’s version of mine.
Cardigan To Layer Or Wear Alone
Okay, I also like to pack a cardigan that you can wear by itself or with a thin layering top. Basically, a heavier weight cardigan! These are everywhere right now, whether you go for a lady jacket cardigan or something like mine, which is more of a traditional cardigan. I packed mine to wear with jeans for walking around. We popped into a cafe, did a little shopping, and took in the beauty of Mayfair, one of London’s neighborhoods. As you can see in my photo below, the architecture is stunning! This type of outfit is perfect to have in your suitcase for days – or afternoons – when you don’t need a coat. I would also wear this type of cardigan with a sweater skirt, leather skirt, or a slip skirt.
Loafers To Wear Everywhere
Loafers are the perfect pair of shoes for a city vacation. These two pairs of loafers are the most comfortable I own, and they’re really versatile. They both come in lots of colors, so you can find a pair that works best with your wardrobe. I wore the first pair all over London, and they are comfortable right out of the box! The second pair are also very comfortable, and I regularly walk all over DC in them. I love shoes that don’t need to be worn around a bunch to be comfortable. Loafers are a great option because of all the walking you’ll do in London. Plus, loafers are always in style in London. You can wear them to dinner with a dress or a skirt too!
I also love to wear socks or sock tights with loafers to keep my feet warm.
Sweater Vest for Daytime and Casual Dinner
A sweater vest is an easy piece to pack because it doesn’t take up too much space, and it’s also another piece you can wear in different ways. Wear it by itself under a blazer, or layer it with a thin turtleneck top or blouse you were going to pack anyway.
I love the option with the blouse already built into the sweater vest, so it’s actually all just one piece. It’s the second link.
Your Favorite Pair of Jeans or Trousers
Denim and trousers are the most reliable thing you can pack for London. And, I mean that both for dress code purposes as well as weather. You can style both with endless options of tops, whether you go for a sweater, a blouse, or a so-called going out top. Trousers will always elevate your look, and denim is perfect for daytime looks and laid back dinners.
A Midi Dress for Dinner and A Show
A midi dress with boots and your wrap coat is a perfect outfit for dinner and a show! You can never be too dressed up in London in my opinion, but this look is on-trend and elevated enough to wear anywhere without being overdressed. I love the ruching detail on this dress, and the v-neck isn’t too deep. You can also make this a day to night look by wearing sneakers throughout the day. This dress is such a great price too! I typically wear a 4 in Madewell, but need a size 2 in this dress.
Sweater Skirt Outfit for Tea
I mentioned rewearing a cardigan with a sweater skirt earlier in this blog post, and I had afternoon tea in mind! Afternoon tea is one of the most popular things to do while visiting London, especially if you haven’t been before. There are just so many places you can go, and there are so many different vibes you can choose from. My girlfriends and I enjoyed tea at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly. The shop is over 300 years old! Be sure to give yourself time to browse the entire shop before or after tea. They have great souvenirs, like tea towels, dishes, candy, tea, and so much more. I’ve also enjoyed tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. I highly recommend afternoon tea, and it’s really fun to dress up a little bit for it too!
I like to create my own matching set. For this outfit, you can rewear the grey cardigan with a skirt. In general, you can mix and match pieces you already own, or purchase things that will work together but also with other pieces in your closet. These grey separates are the perfect example.
Blazer and Jeans for Daytime
If you need a couple of outfits for dinner, drinks, or otherwise going out, you should definitely pack a blazer that you can rewear, whether it’s a black blazer or another color. I love this navy blazer (size down).
This time of year is one of my favorites for blazers, and you can wear a blazer with almost anything. Plus, you can rewear your blazer as much as you want, whether that’s during the day or for a night out. A blazer serves as a light jacket for the day, but it is also a great piece for nighttime. So, here are a few blazer outfit ideas.
First is a classic blazer and jeans outfit. You can layer it with a cozy cashmere scarf if you want a little extra warmth. I’m wearing mules in this photo, but I’d go for the loafers you packed instead. The pair I’m wearing above actually come in navy too!
Blazer and Leather Pants for Dinner and Drinks
This is a classic outfit, and you can’t go wrong with it! Monochrome and tonal outfits always look so polished, and you can add a lot of depth to your look by wearing these different textures and a fun belt. Both of these are perfect looks to wear in London, where blazers and wearing navy or wearing black has always been in style. An all black look or all navy look is definitely an option for dinner and drinks afterward dinner. You can also wear your leather pants again for a show or even for touring around during the day. Leather pants are appropriate to wear during the day in London (and most places in my opinion). I’ve found that leather pants travel really well, and they don’t show wear as easily as some denim!
These are the perfect height ankle boots to wear with these leather pants or your jeans, but I also love the black knee high boots as a general packing option because you can wear them with so much. I just picked up these leather pants below!
Blazer and Slip Dress or Slip Skirt For A Day-To-Night Look
One more blazer outfit idea because I can’t stress enough how versatile they are! A blazer is always one of my most worn pieces with pants, but you can easily style it with a dress too. I love how chic a slip dress looks with a turtleneck and blazer during the day. For a nighttime look, you can just lose the turtleneck and keep the blazer. You can also use your shoes and accessories to give your outfit more a night out vibe. So, go for boots or heels and a cute, smaller bag. For the ultimate space saver outfit, pack a slip skirt to wear with one of your sweaters and the boots you’ve already packed! This look is very on-trend right now.
Okay, I think these are a good start for outfit ideas to help you pack for London! Don’t forget cozy socks for the plane and a warm and comfortable outfit to wear home! Click here to read my blog post on travel outfits. What’s on your packing lists for fall in London? Don’t forget to check forecast before your trip to help streamline your outfit needs! Let me know what you think!
Traveling to London in different seasons? Check out Outfit Ideas for Spring and Summer Travel and London winter outfits.
