What to wear - travel edition

pack a light fleece jacket or pull over.. then a raincoat over that.. add in a thin undershirt or tank in silk or wool. multiple light layers is the way to go.
add a warm hat, a headband, and gloves.

It's tricky...summer is a bit of a non starter at the moment but we could easily get an Indian summer and have a glorious warm September and a mild October. Having said that, layers are definitely the way to go. Have a lightweight waterproof jacket for sure and whatever layers you have but we warned - everyone will say "Well, when I went....." but there is no normal for us really, particularly these days, so you will perhaps just have to come with the thought in mind that you may have to buy either a t-shirt or a winter coat 

If space is an issue, I pick the thinnest material possible.. like cotton leggings to wear with tops that are longer. If I need a jacket, I would 'wear' it on the plane to save luggage space. If sweatshirt or sweater is needed, I might consider wearing that on the plane with a tee underneath in case it is hot. I also learned from here, wear older undies you can toss if needed.. lol... and smallest sized hair/makeup stuff that can be disposed of if needed.

I have two jackets that I love and are very versatile, one by North Face and the other is by Columbia. They have removable liners inside of a waterproof exterior. I usually start out with the warm fleece and if it gets colder or starts raining, I zip on the outer waterproof component. They are referred to as a 3 in1 jacket. This is an example:

www.rei.com/product/223297/the-north-face-thermoball-eco-snow-triclimate-3-in-1-jacket-womens

One of my jackets has a fleece liner jacket inside and the other is more like the linked jacket. North Face jackets have different kinds of zippered liners that are interchangeable. I actually prefer the North Face because it has so many well-placed pockets, a detachable hood for rain, under arm venting zippers for when the jacket feels a bit warm, and it is a lighter weight than the Columbia, but is actually warmer. I found mine at a North Face outlet store for a really discounted price. Check to see if there is an outlet store near you.

I definitely agree with the others about layers. I’ll chime in and say that you will want your rain gear to have a hood and be wind resistant. I like the look of a French rain hat, but when I’m a tourist or aren’t necessarily expecting rain, I prefer to rely on a hood. We had lovely weather when we were in Scotland, but it was often windy.

You may feel the cold and chill more after the heat of a Florida summer, so consider a wool sweater. I LOVE the cashmere cardigans from Lands’ End. Or buy one as a souvenir! They are soft, lightweight, and very warm. I’ll layer them with a top (long or short sleeved depending on the weather) and my jacket. I’ll also wear scarves when I travel. They are lightweight, and surprisingly warm. An added bonus is they add some variety to my solid colored sweaters and tees that go with everything. And add a pair of thin gloves in your pocket—if you need them, so will be so happy to have them!

Also consider wool socks. They will dry quickly if they get wet and keep your feet warm even if they do get wet. I also wear a lot of synthetic fabrics when I travel because they dry quickly. We did 3 weeks in Scotland last September and I never did find an Airbnb with a clothes dryer. We would crank up the heat in a spare room when I did laundry so that things would dry by morning. Also keep in mind that a wash will take 2-3 hours in a European style washing machine.

I bought a 32Degree puffy jacket at Costco years ago for $29. I have taken it to Ireland and, recently, to Iceland and it has served me well. It is pretty waterproof and has a hood. Like others have said, layers work best. Neck scarves, good gloves and a good beanie. And a good umbrella!

This was a good tip and it’s worth at least comparing the weight. I don’t know the rest of your trip, but it’s easy enough to handle luggage in an airport and in elevators. But if you are hauling suitcases up the stairs, across cobblestones, and hither and back, it may be worth the expense. I think I paid less than 100€ for my 21” wheelie with spin wheels and is about 4 lbs. 

We did a similar trip last October. Plan on being wet and cold the whole time. I'm a stingy packer so I brought two cashmere sweaters, long sleeve tees, and jeans/long pants and one sweatshirt. I bought this jacket at the recommendation of Travel Fashion Girl.
Eddie Bauer Charly It was good for rain but not warm enough for me. It rains where I am, too, but not a biting cold rain like Scotland. You need something hefty. You also need shoes that keep your feet dry. They don't play in Scotland. It's nasty. Beautiful, but nasty.

I agree that is must be due to what you’re used to.
When I was in Ireland and London in March I found the weather absolutely fine and pleasant. Yes it rained off and on - but it was no issue and I didn’t even need special clothes. The sun came out every day and I was fine in “regular” clothes. But I’m coming from SF so I’m used to some fog and drizzle….

If you can manage it, I HIGHLY recommend traveling with nothing bigger than a 21” wheelie. I brought two pairs of pants, a dress, 3 sweaters, and some tops for our 3 weeks in Scotland. I did laundry several times—maybe every 5-6 days and we only had daytime rain two days, so it worked out really well. When you think about it, you’re wearing your coat most days and can’t see what you’re wearing anyway. With the sweaters, scarves, and a mix of tops, I don’t think it was too obvious that I wore the same thing several times. And it was still warm enough where we weren’t wearing our jackets most days. 

I have a tote that is lightweight and folds down about the size of a tee. I’ve brought that on a few trips when I plan on bringing back a lot of souvenirs. It’s like this one, but I can’t say if this one is durable. It weighs less than a pound, though! www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Foldaway-Tote-Sling-Black/dp/B07DBMQ7JJ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=MN1B9DH9LCNK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wV8Es-wU1pZfFveqBowkKqS92MocQJ0axyTaZ-zuwnLaYT1EKvNKsnefnGgNS23BqtcSXW7VSeJx32mR4gXdtyTyIoiqAQAPRYEE6DOaSbWf5INUvkGghKtiucUp_L37JjAA1S2BXc5tI_vKTe5x_1bab67BUKc9FSWVCf4srnK3kTKwaBo7jfTB-PLi_vBD5S8fBQdP0I9BZZ7vfq19LdVqjqM5_xntyN_UOTpKz3OVnwCbnDwi2xgB2fNgaX8-JgwomQk9OzP1j_5NclJxwwWBC_pz8Ih1-5M5_67NxuQ.0tBtHwYwEdOf09rAJh9hnRv6uvLo_J4QjmIs-vCw_y0&dib_tag=se&keywords=lightweight+tote+folds+up+baggallini&qid=1718062884&s=apparel&sprefix=lightweight+tote+folds+up+bagalini%2Cfashion-luggage%2C94&sr=1-4

I have a 16” wheelie bag that slips over the handle of my 21” wheelie that I use as my carryon. I’m short and use it under the seat to have something to put my feet up on during a flight. It’s not the right choice for everyone, but I love it. 

There’s a great app that I use called Nannybag. It lists hotels that will hold your luggage for you for a few hours/a day. It’s SO much better than sightseeing with luggage. Plus, some sites won’t even let you bring in luggage.