If you’re going to London, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know when it comes to packing! Obviously as we already know, it’s going to rain. So you 100% should bring outerwear that is weather resistant to some extent. I checked the forecast before going and I was a fool to believe that my jackets would suffice in 50 degrees in England, without even an umbrella. I packed three different coats/jackets. One giant fluffy brown one, a short beige puffer, and a gray/black tweed coat. I WORE THE FLUFFY BROWN ONE EVERYDAY. *Palm to forehead* for thinking I would be warm enough in anything but essentially a parka! Okay, I’m being a little dramatic but I was genuinely bummed out because I opted out of bringing my long black puffer coat from Target because I was wanting to have cute/more fashionable options while in the city. Shame on me for not standing true in my function over fashion philosophy!

That being said, I LOVE a long black puffer and it was a London staple all around the city. Below are examples of cute ways to style a long black puffer to make it chic and cozy. If I had a do over, this would be my staple coat of choice for London in the winter. You can literally wear it with joggers and with the right accessories, and it looks cute!

I got my black puffer from Target but here are a couple other options I love as well:

Since I was working a wedding in Northern England, I actually do not regret bringing my black and gray jacket by Need For Tweed. I rented this from Fashion Pass but it was actually really perfect for professional attire that also had an element of fashion. I wore a black jumpsuit on the wedding day, which is what I wore most of the time but having this coat, for shooting a bit of bridal content outdoors, helped me stay warm and look professional. Here are my recommendations for something similar that would be great for a professional look that will also keep you warm. I feel like for a special occasion, it is okay to pack a coat/blazer that is more of a statement piece but also functional!

The Fuzzy Coat Phenomenon

Okay I showed up and showed out in this category when it comes to London fashion. I packed a brown fuzzy coat by BB Dakota and it was the one I wore the most. It was the absolute warmest and most functional coat I brought with me. A lot of my standard wardrobe is black, so I wish that I had it in black as well but I was so cold that I couldn’t even be bothered that my coat was brown and my boots were black. These fuzzy oversized coats are all over London and I now know why. They are the most comfortable and cozy thing you could wear but they are also fashion forward and elevate any outfit.

Here are a few of my favorite picks to choose from:

This is my ultimate hot take on traveling somewhere outside of your climate:

RENT YOUR WARDROBE! If you follow me on IG, you know that I absolutely loved using Rent The Runway last summer and then for this trip to London, I used Fashion Pass to rent two of my jackets and a couple of my statement pieces for the trip. This is such a good option to have an amazing wardrobe on your vacation but not wasting money on clothing you will only wear once! (We love ethical fashion when we can!)

Next up I want to talk about some staple pieces that are versatile and elevate your wardrobe without over packing! These items can be worn multiple times in different ways. These are not your statement pieces, think basics! 

These Items are your holy grail for efficient packing!

• Black Bodysuit

• White Blouse

• Black Leather Pants

• Black Combat Boots

• White Sneakers

• Black Leggings

• Favorite Jeans

All you need are a couple of tops that you can swap out throughout the week and you’re good to go. These are items that can go with multiple things and you don’t have to put much effort into making them work for you. Plus I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling annoyed by my over packing to only wear a few things I brought, when I could have saved myself so much space! At the end of the day, think about layers. Put outfits together prior to zipping up your bag, so you aren’t wasting space with random pieces that don’t make sense. 

Below are a few London influencers that in my opinion capture London fashion at it’s finest! I hope they give you some Inspo to bring items to your own wardrobe!