Hey there, and happy November! How was your weekend? I’ve been busy writing this post, so I’m excited for it to be live today! I hope you love it. Let’s dive right in.
I’ve always loved London in autumn. It stays so hot here in 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. It’s such a gorgeous time of the year to visit the city. 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 forecast 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, or an oversized wool blazer 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! 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!
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. For me, that’s neutral colors like this layering top below. But, 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 was perfect to wear under different cardigans, jackets, and easy to dress up under a blazer at night. Click here to shop this year’s version of the lady jacket I’m wearing, and click here to shop brown jeans I love (mine are old).
Cashmere Sweater For Daytime Shopping And Museums
I wore this outfit for brunch, shopping, and a museum. This outfit really does it all, and it’s the perfect sweater for London in the fall. My sweater is available in a few different colors, which I linked below. I’d wear these booties if I were packing for this trip this year because they’re so comfortable and super chic. You can see them on me here.
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 was just speaking with someone who works at J.Crew about the fit this year, and they recommended going one size down as the cut is a little bigger than previous years.
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.
I linked similar sweaters by the same company. They’re also a wool-mohair blend like mine.
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 also both come in different 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! 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 with these loafers to keep my feet warm.
Sweater Vest for Daytime and 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’m linking my exact sweater vest in ecru, and I also linked a similar vibe sweater vest that I saw in store. I walked by it in Mango, and I thought, this color is so similar to mine! You can definitely size up one size for an oversized fit. Shop my boots here and my jeans here!
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.
I also linked a gorgeous denim dress that you could wear with these exact shoes and accessories if a black dress is not your thing! You can easily change up the look of a denim dress by wearing a different belt, shoes, or adding a layer!
Black Maxi Skirt
This cotton black maxi skirt has turned out to be a closet hero for me. I honestly can’t believe how much I wear it given that I am a jeans person through and through. It also comes in petite sizing, which is what I’m wearing. The regular sizing worked for me too since I’m right on the cusp of needing petite at my 5’4 height! Anyway, London is the perfect place for a skirt like this because you can wear it with combat boots or Chelsea boots to be comfortable and you’ll be super stylish. However, I also wear this skirt with sneakers and loafers.
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!
Okay, the first outfit is a matching set.
I also like to create my own matching set by mixing and matching different tones of the same color. The vest and cardigan are an exact match, and the skirt is by a different brand. But, I think they’d look really cute together and I’ve been eyeing this outfit for myself.
If you need to save room in your suitcase, you could also rewear the midi dress you packed for the show instead of bringing a skirt with your cardigan!
Black Blazer and Sweater Dress
If you need a couple of outfits for dinner, drinks, or otherwise going out, you should definitely pack a black blazer that you can rewear. 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 black blazer as much as you want, whether that’s during the day or for a night out. So, here are a few blazer outfit ideas. First is a blazer with a sweater dress – this is such a good option if you’re pregnant too! You can see how I styled a monochrome blazer and sweater dress look here.
If you are more into tan, beige, camel, and brown, then I would go for a tan blazer or brown blazer that you can wear with your sweater dress, midi dress, or pants. It all depends on the colors you like to wear.
Black Blazer and Leather Pants for Dinner and Drinks
This is a classic outfit, and you can’t go wrong with it! Monochrome always looks so polished, and you can add a lot of depth to your look by wearing these different textures and a fun belt. This is the perfect look to wear in London, where blazers and wearing black has always been in style. An all black look is definitely an option for dinner and drinks afterwards. 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.
Blazer and Jeans for Daytime
One more blazer outfit idea because I can’t stress enough how versatile they are! I’ve always packed the same H&M black blazer for so many years, and it is one of my most worn pieces. Again, this could also be a brown or tan blazer depending on your closet.
Anyway, a blazer is a great piece for nighttime, but it also serves as a light jacket for the day! You can layer it with a cozy cashmere scarf if you want a little extra warmth. Click here to see how I’ve styled a blazer with a big scarf. My exact scarf is still available and it comes in tons of different colors, including black. I also used the same sweater for this outfit idea because I frequently rewear my cashmere sweaters before dry cleaning them. I did link another sweater that I really love and I’ve tried on myself. This outfit would be gorgeous with black or gray denim – you’ll always fit in in London if you wear all black!
I’m wearing these exact denim jeans a few photos above. I love the green pair too if you’re looking for something a little trendier but still a reliable neutral.
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 an outfit to wear home! Click here to read my blog post on travel outfits. What’s on your packing list for fall in London? Let me know!
