ICELANDIC FASHION | WHAT TO WEAR IN HARSH COLDER CLIMATES AND IN ICELAND IN DECEMBER

Iceland isn’t called Iceland for nothing, and although the weather is unusually warm for this time of year it is certainly better to be prepared. So if you’re planning a trip to somewhere with colder climes, fear not, here is a guide on how to dress comfortably for your chilly destination, wherever it may be. Wintry weather can be a tough foe to dress for so if you're hometown is experience freezing temperatures and slippery roads this post will be just as helpful for you as it is for those going to the North Pole. The key component to being able to dress comfortably for unpredictable weather is layers. That way you can adjust your outfit accordingly by subtracting and adding an extra layer as and when required. To do so a customisable wardrobe is necessary. For me, that meant several pairs of fleece lined footless tights from Primark. Ordinary leggings, jeans and even loungewear, such as sweatpants, can be layered on top if needed. Plus, the fleece is like a permanent hug wrapped around your legs. If you prefer to wear dresses and skirts definitely grab some super cosy tights from Primark, they are life-savers, or hunt for a higher denier of your go-to tights. Alternatively, you can just wear two pairs of tights and that will help keep your legs protected from the cold. 

Again, layers apply to all areas of the body so for the upper half consider buying thermals. Marks & Spencer sell them as do Asda, Tesco and other similar stores. I didn’t have time to grab some thermals and it is my personal opinion that they are overpriced, however they do the job so might be worth the investment. I typically layered a normal plain t-shirt (pack a long-sleeved option too) underneath a relatively thick jumper. Roll-neck jumpers and hooded sweatshirts are great, anything that covers a lot of skin will be a godsend, trust me. If you already own a thermal top or went to buy one then layering a checked shirt over it is a really cute look and is sufficient for the most part. 

As for dresses, search for knitwear and jumper dresses. You could even buy men’s jumpers in large sizes and turn them into a dress. Packing a warm cardigan or even a jumper to go over your skimpier dresses would be handy, or placing a roll neck sweater underneath a strappy dress is very on-trend right now. I think being comfortable is the most important thing, especially when you are on holiday so you don’t want to dress in a way that would hinder your enjoyment. 

A few years ago, I went to Amsterdam in February and it was freezing cold. Luckily, I purchased a coat just days before we were set to leave, I got this incredible parka on sale at New Look for £12 and it is still in great condition. It keeps me so warm. A good coat is essential, I think hooded parkas are the best. Reykjavik is cold and can be wet and windy at times, so having a hood can shield your ears from the gusts of wind as well as keep you dry. Parkas are warm and that is what you want. Your coat should do most of the work in keeping you warm as many indoor places are heated, so when you take your coat off you don’t want to be drowning in forty layers, unbearably hot, when you are sampling the local cuisine. Any fleece-lined coat should keep you warm and I recommend going one or two sizes up so additional layers will fit under your coat easily and you’re still able to fasten/zip your coat securely without it being too tight. 

Not only do you want your feet to be warm but you want them safe and secure. Colder climates can be icy and in Iceland the wind can be intense and the walking conditions muddy and slippery if you’re not in the appropriate footwear you could fall flat on your face. I bought a pair of boots just for the occasion and I regret nothing. My feet were so warm. I would wear a pair of ordinary black cotton socks, then an extra pair of fluffy black socks before putting my boots on. I went a size up on my boots so I could layer my socks. They have great grip, are lace-up and served me well, they were easy to get in and out of as well, which is convenient for airport security. When I was in Iceland I was staring at people’s footwear all the time and I saw some really cute boots. So although walking boots are mostly ugly, chunky and clunky, there are some really nice ones available. Fur or shearling-lined boots look really nice as well. I would get boots that reach at least your ankles. 

Lastly let’s discuss accessories. You will need a scarf, the bigger the better. Zara scarves are my absolute favourite, just because they are so big but Primark and all other stores do great, inexpensive scarves. Choose a soft material so you can wrap it around your face without it itching. I would also recommend gloves for your hands as well as a coat with deep pockets so you can tuck your hands in them and so you don't have to lug around a bag. The last thing you want is to deal with annoying straps while you're battling muddy terrain and strong winds. Finally, you might want a woolly hat to hide your ears, if your coat has a hood then you can definitely skip this as you can use your scarf but it might be worth buying one just in case. 

All the photos in this post are taken from the Zara website purely for aesthetic reasons. You can easily get clothes from Missguided, New Look, Top Shop, Boohoo, ASOS and Primark. I bought several roll neck sweaters, super soft, from Primark as well as my black leggings, fleece-lined leggings, plain black socks and fluffy black socks. I bought a hooded sweater from Missguided that is really warm and an oversized knit jumper from ASOS. My coat is from New Look, my scarf is from Primark and my gloves were from Marks & Spencer. This post isn’t sponsored by anybody and to make that as clear as possible I haven’t included any links, those photos are simply for inspiration. 

My boots were from M and M Direct, for boots the brands I recommend are Caterpillar and Timberland. I am not a hiker but these are boots that worked well for me. North Face is popular in terms of coats and jackets. Thank you for reading! I hope you liked this post, Iceland wasn't much colder than England so hopefully you will find this helpful wherever you are regardless of whether you are going on holiday or not. Thank you all for following me, I reached 700 followers while I was gone and I can't explain how much that means to me. Feeling all the feels, your support and kindness means everything. Thank you from the depths of my soul, let me know what you think of this fashion post as I rarely do them. My next post will be my minimal makeup bag and then on Thursday I'll recap my adventures in Iceland. I hope these travel-related posts don't bore you, but it was such a cool experience that I need to share it with you all, hope you have a great week. Take care.

What keeps you warm in cold weather?

Love ❤

Kiran

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