How to Dress for London in Summer

How to Dress for London in Summer

Summer in London is when the city, and its people, come to life.

Spring trickles over the dull remnants of winter throughout March, April and May. By the time June rolls around, London is somewhat unrecognizable to those who have only seen her at her coldest.

In the summer, the average temperatures in London lie between 18°C and 25°C. There will be a handful of days in between where the highs peek above 30°C; and it’s on these days that you’ll need to find places to swim in London.

What to pack in addition to your bikini? I’ll tell you!

London – by Blubel – Unsplash

Dressing in London by Day

I can safely say that you can absolutely treat your London summer wardrobe just as you would when visiting elsewhere in Europe during this season.

By day, you’ll want as little and as light clothing as possible on your body. Summer dresses, shorts, linen pants, cropped tops and sleeveless shirts are ideal. A lot of travelers don rompers and one pieces, as well as this season’s growing trend: cycle shorts.

When packing for London, remember that this is a city of radical self expression. It’s one of the fashion hubs of the world, and civilians are encouraged to be as creative with their personal attire as they please.

It only takes one stroll through Shoreditch for you to realize you probably don’t know anything about being “weird and wonderful”. London does it bigger, and ten times better, than most people in the world.

by Syd Wachs – Unsplash

That being said, the summer gives you ample opportunity to embrace this “London look”, and take some style risks of your own. Buy the shirt, tear the jeans, leave one earring at home — why not?

With regards to footwear while exploring London in the summer: keep it simple. If you’re venturing far and wide for the day, you’ll need comfortable, functional footwear. Sneakers or Birkenstocks work best, but Londoners also don’t shy away from wearing Doc Martens year round.

If you’re not roaming far, then fashionable sandals, platforms or any other shoe will be just fine.

by Dominik Bednarz – Unsplash

Dressing in London by Night

Despite the consistent heat of the summer’s days, summer nights in London can be a bit of a lottery.

When the sun goes down over the UK, it’s best to be prepared. If you plan on being out and about during sunset, try to have a cardigan or light shirt with you that you can put over your daywear.

If you’re heading out on the town by night, this is really your chance to showoff your best pieces. London’s nightlife is fashion-central, you’ll want to pack a few decent options for a few different scenarios.

During the summer, the nightclubs of London get overwhelmingly hot inside due to poor ventilation in a usually freezing city. You’ll be grateful to be wearing as little as possible, especially if you plan on dancing!

by David Gavi – Unsplash

Mini dresses, skirts and rompers are basically the club-goers uniform during summertime in London.

If you’re simply heading out for the evening perhaps to dinner and a show, for example, then stylish pants, bodysuits and even co-ord sets are a good idea. If you’re walking from place to place then something to drape over your shoulders will probably come in handy as the night gets progressively cooler.

Accessorizing in Summer

In the winters, one can quite easily accessorize even the most boring of outfits simply by adding a bright scarf or cute beret.

In the summer, you accessories need to be as light as possible. This is where you can really play with earrings, silky neck-ties, ostentatious sunglasses and unique handbags.

I find a spacious handbag or tote bag comes very much in handy in London. Not only do you need all of your essentials on you at all times, you’ll also need a hat (incase of spontaneous ferry rides), a bikini (you never known when you’ll feel the urge to swim), sunblock and that cardigan for when the sun goes down, amongst other things.

by Lui Peng – Unsplash

Additional Items to Pack

Because of the general spontaneity of the British climate, there are some items you’ll want to pack even though the likelihood of actually using them during a short trip is very low.

London and rain go together like kindred spirits. Even in the peak of summer you’ll find the clouds coming over from time to time to cool things down.

by Lewis Parsons – Unsplash

A compact umbrella, a raincoat, and some sort of waterproof shoe are necessary to have on hand. This is likely why Doc Martens are so popular in the UK capital, as they are extremely versatile to different climates.

Handheld fans are becoming a new trend across London when the temperatures start to rise. You’ll be able to buy them from hawkers throughout the city center, but to avoid creating more waste bring yours along from home if you already own one.

Beach Wear in London

Because London doesn’t have a beach, everyone needs to get creative in the summer and hunt down places to have a swim.

As mentioned earlier, you might want to have a bathing suit tucked into your handbag at all times; or simply wear it under your clothing in place of underwear. The city is so big, and you never know when an opportunity to cool off might present itself.

by Agathè Yosefina – Unsplash

While the soaring temperatures might move you to stay in your bikini all day, I suggest thinking twice. Brits are always up for a swim, but they like swimwear to be covered up when out and about in public.

A light kaftan or kimono is an easy item to throw over your swimsuit as you move between different parts of the city, or ride public transport.