Clothing for London winter trip?

Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?
Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?
Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!

Thanks

Pack for layers...

There can be a cold snap in late January, but it's rare for it to go
below freezing. Rain is always possible, but it's rarely a monsoon -
on and off showers or light drizzles are more common. I gave up on
umbrellas years ago, and get my head wet maybe once or twice a year -
you can always buy a cheap umbrella from a street stall, all over
central London. Trench coats and similar raincoats are quite common.

PJW
On 05 Jan 2004 12:23:43 EST, milesh wrote:


Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?
Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?
Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!

Thanks

"milesh" wrote in message
...


Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?

All sorts of clothing is common. If this works for you in cold weather, then
more power to you! However it's rarely *very* cold. This time of year
around -5C to +5C, with a bias toward the top of that scale.

Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?

It does rain some but perhaps less that you might think. I small umbrella
you can fit in your bag will be very handy however.

Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?

If you are planning to go doing long distance walks in the country, maybe.
If you are walking around central London, no need.

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!

Life isn't a fashion parade ;-)

On 05 Jan 2004 12:23:43 EST, milesh wrote:

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?

Layers, lots of layers, it can be anything from minus a few degrees C
to 16 or more, rain is also likely, as are strong winds, but equally
it could be the reverse and it will likely change quickly.

Are long trench coats common?

Certainly common enough, if you're comfortable in them, does it really
matter?

Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?

Always useful to have an umbrella.

Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?

I'm not sure what walking gloves might be, but sure, why not, I very
rarely need gloves though.

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!

Lots of layers is the key to English weather.

Jim.

"milesh" wrote in message
...

Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?

They are not unknown, you'll see everything from Parka's
to teens in sweatshirts shivering while trying to look cool

Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?

Yes and pack spare shoes

Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?


unless you are planning on a hiking trip thats probably superfluous

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!


You wont need that. Temperatures rarely dip below 30 F
and 50F during the day is not unknown. All the jackets
I bought in the US mid west have zip out liners and I've
never had occasion to use them back home.

Keith

On 05 Jan 2004 12:23:43 EST, milesh wrote:


Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?

Even if they were, I wouldn't bring one. They're a pain to pack. I've
never noticed a predominance of trench coats there.

Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?

I usually bring a small umbrella. Actually, the last time I was in
London I bought a really small lightweight folding umbrella that I can
stick in a coat pocket.

Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?

Do you walk on your hands?

I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!

I would suggest a few warm sweaters or sweatshirts, including one
really bulky woolen sweater. Then a waterproof (maybe Goretex)
wind-resistant lightweight jacket with a hood that you can layer over
the sweaters. It doesn't have to be a really heavy jacket. If you add
a wool hat and scarf and warm gloves or mittens, you'll be all set for
the worst that London could offer.

Don't worry about being fashionable unless you have some business
lunches or some in-laws you have to impress.

-----------
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 12:25:52 +0100, B wrote:

On 05 Jan 2004 12:23:43 EST, milesh wrote:


Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?


No, but I take one and wear it everywhere. Works for general grubbing
around, and works for going to exclusive restaurants. I wear it with
a very large brimmed flexable hat. I stuff the hat into the sleeve for
storage. I do not take an umbrella.

I take a lot of shoes. Even though it does not rain as much as the
rest of the world seems to think, the sidewalks are wet just about
every morning.

Winter temps seldom drop much below 0C, or 30F, but wind can be very
large.

"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message ...
"milesh" wrote in message
...

Any comments on the following will greatly be appreciated and help me
pack for a trip to London later this month.

Any tips for packing for a winter trip to London?
Are long trench coats common?

They are not unknown, you'll see everything from Parka's
to teens in sweatshirts shivering while trying to look cool

Should I expect scattered showers almost daily and thus pack a small
umbrella?

Yes and pack spare shoes

Actually, and this bears on a later question, umbrella's are kinda a
pain for walking around London site seeing. A good hat/hood might
work much better. The spare shoes comment is dead on as they might
get fairly wet. Lotsa socks might not be a bad idea either. Depends
mightly upon how much you plan on walking around in marginally foul
weather.


Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?


unless you are planning on a hiking trip thats probably superfluous

Kinda dependent upon who ya are. Wife's hands get cold fast and
some thing light weight and water repelling gloves help alot. If you'll
be walking alot, and braving the elements relatively regardless of weather,
some gloves might be nice. Otherwise, they might be unnecessary. Flip
side is how much space will they really take up? Pack 'em and see if
ya use 'em. (Alternately, you could plan on buying yourself a nice
pair if you decide you want them. Makes a nice little useful souvenir.)


I have lots of winter clothing but its all for snow and thus much to
bulky and not exactly fashionable!


You wont need that. Temperatures rarely dip below 30 F
and 50F during the day is not unknown. All the jackets
I bought in the US mid west have zip out liners and I've
never had occasion to use them back home.


I love wearing my trench coat in London because of the liner.
It is very versitile and has deep pockets (which guide books fit
in nicely). With some layering, one can handle about any weather.
Wore mine in NYC in January and it worked great. Needs some sort
of hat though for rainy times. But as someone pointed out, kinda
hard to pack. Might want to just wear it on the plane.

B Vaughan wrote:

Maybe some waterproof walking gloves?


Do you walk on your hands?

LOL, do you ski on your hands when wearing ski gloves?

gerald wrote:

I take a lot of shoes. Even though it does not rain as much as the
rest of the world seems to think, the sidewalks are wet just about
every morning.

Possibly this is why so many think it rains all the time in London.
Todays weather forcast is about the same as it has been for the past month.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/trave...om=search_city