Fashion in London

After 6 months of living in London I am finally starting to become familiar with the typical street style here and am feeling more and more confident in both myself and my fashion sense. When I told my friends and family that I was moving to London of course the first thing they all told me was to get a good rain coat and pair of rain boots. Since moving here though I have learned that London and its style is about so much more than just the rain! The street style here is incredible and it sometimes amazes me the outfits people put together with basic items that both you and I probably have in our closets. These are some of the main points I have learned while living here:

Layers

The weather here is London is ever-changing and therefore difficult to dress for if you are headed out for a full day. I have experienced, rain, wind, and sun all within a few hours of leaving my house and discovered that wearing layers is the best option to be comfortable at all times. Being able to strip down to just a t-shirt or blouse when the sun is out is always a good feeling, but when the wind picks up and the sun goes behind a big cloud you’ll be happy that you have you have a sweater or two plus a scarf to bundle back up with. I suggest lighter pieces of clothing to be used for layers as the only thing worse than being overdressed for the weather is being overdressed in thick, uncomfortable pieces of clothing. A bonus layer to wear is a nice scarf! Londoners here love using scarves as both a fashion statement and an extra layer to keep warm during the colder winter months!

Keep It Simple Yet Classy

In London it’s easy to spot a traveler versus a local based on what they are wearing. Street style here is chic, yet casual. What I’ve noticed is that an everyday outfit for someone for someone from London is what you and I might consider a dressy or formal outfit. I’m not saying people are walking around in gowns and tuxedos, but blue or black jeans are usually worn with nice jackets and proper shoes as opposed to say sneakers and a hoodie.  You typically won’t find locals out and about in ‘comfort clothes’ such as leggings or sweats unless it’s for a quick jaunt to the corner store and back. One trend that is sticking around though is wearing sneakers with a nicer outfit. So many companies are coming out with runners that are meant to be worn casually and not just to the gym and I love it as it allows me to still be stylish while also being comfortable. Some photos below show what I mean!

Source: Andrey Arkusha/ Shutterstock.com

Get a Good Coat

Honestly this is one of my biggest pieces of advice when people ask what to pack if they are moving to London (or the UK in general) – get a good coat that you can wear everyday with everything! I highly suggest a nice long wool coat in a neutral grey or camel colour! You can dress it up and wear it formally if needed, or can wear it with sneakers and jeans like pictured above. I’ve noticed that plaid is becoming more and more popular as well and is becoming a staple along with other basic colours. The weather typically requires at least one layer or coat and so having a staple jacket that you can wear all the time is definitely worth the investment! Photos below show some of my favourites!

Source: Yuriy Galub/Shutterstock.com

Source: Garetsworkshop/Shutterstock.com

I love the London style and am excited to see what the warmer spring and summer seasons will bring! I highly recommend looking up London fashion and street style bloggers should you want more information. If you are looking for inspiration Pinterest is an amazing source that will help spur your creativity to create some iconic fashion looks as well! If you want to see and experience this for yourself, Across The Pond can help. Please contact one of our Advisors if you would like to find out more about studying in the UK.