Late Spring in the U.K. Wish List
Not even a year after our trip to Germany and Austria, Korri and I are headed to the United Kingdom. It will be our first time there! We are flying into Manchester, England, and then taking the train to Scotland. Korri has family in Scotland, and we’ve been talking about going to visit for years. It’s finally happening! I knew this trip was going to sneak up on us since it was happening in the first half of the year.
Like our last trip abroad, I’m planning to pack everything I need in a carry-on suitcase only. It’s going to be tough, but only because the variable weather is going to be more difficult to pack for! I’ve already started planning my packing list on Stylebook and will also use my Weekly Outfit Diary to figure out potential outfit ideas once we get closer and have a better idea of the weather.
Also like our last trip, I’m trying not to buy too many new things ahead of the trip and just rely on what I already own, but I can’t help but dream about what I would buy if I was checking a bag/if I had the money to buy a new wardrobe ahead of the trip, ha. On that note, here are 9 items on my late spring in the U.K. wish list! What are your go-to U.K. travel items?
READ NEXT: Fall in Europe Wish List
Late Spring in the U.K. Wish List
I included a different style Blondo waterproof boot in my Fall in Europe wish list. I’ve had my eye on this style ever since coming across it on Poshmark (the pair I saw sadly sold really quickly!). It’s a little bit dressier than the boot in my other wish list because it has a heel but it still features a thick lug sole. The Blondo waterproof ankle boots I have now have a very thin sole that is not comfortable enough for walking multiple miles. Tempted by these!
I had to retire the reusable bottle I had been taking with me on trips (and to work) because it’s leaky now. My brother got me a Hydroflask travel tumbler for Christmas, and while it’s great, it’s too big to travel with… so I’m considering this smaller/thinner bottle that includes a straw in the cap! It looks perfect to stash in my travel tote or backpack (not sure which I’m bringing yet). Do you have a favorite reusable water bottle you bring on your trips?
I already have a Quince carry-on suitcase, but I have the 21” size. It worked for our Germany/Austria trip last fall (I had no issues bringing it onboard any of our flights), but I still worry that it might be too big/heavy for our long-haul flight! I dunno. I feel like it’s silly to buy another carry-on bag. I guess I have to decide if I’m okay with my current carry-on bag potentially being checked. Luckily we don’t have any connections abroad to worry about!
I’m planning to pack a few pieces that can be easily layered, including sweaters. Do I need more sweaters? No. Am I absolutely obsessed with the Quince fisherman sweater? YES. I think I tried ordering this style a couple of years ago and received the wrong item by accident, so I’ve never actually tried this sweater, but goodness—it’s gorgeous and gets great reviews! I picked black for this collage since I have a feeling I’ll be wearing a dark color palette, but I’m also considering the ivory… and I think I need the chestnut color for fall, lol.
I used to own an ivory sweatshirt many years ago and the combination of it shrinking and my body going the opposite direction meant it was time to let go of it. Well, I’d love a new ivory sweatshirt! This one looks perfect for our Scotland trip. It’d be a nice contrast to the darker colors I’m planning on wearing, though I do worry about staining it, ha! I’m not planning on doing laundry this trip since we won’t be gone as long but I would also probably not wash this with all of my darker items for fear of the dark colors bleeding onto it.
Are you sensing a trend? I’ve been browsing Quince a LOT lately! I’m so intrigued by this washable silk dress. Normally I am against tiered dresses on myself, but I really want to try this one. I also love the idea of washable silk; I don’t buy regular silk anymore because I’m too lazy to own things that need to be dry cleaned regularly, and I wore a silk dress to a wedding here in Boise in August and, well, that did not go well LOL. Reviewers are also saying it doesn’t wrinkle, which makes it an attractive option for this trip.
I don’t know much about Scotland, but I read on other blogs that the weather there is somewhat unpredictable. (I hesitate to use that word myself because, as a meteorologist, it’s not that weather is unpredictable so much as it can vary quite a bit depending on where you are in the world!) Because there’s a good chance it’ll rain at some point during our trip, I’m considering getting some of these quick-drying, lightweight towels that pack down small just in case we get caught in a storm.
Like I said above, there’s a good chance it’s going to rain during our trip, and there’s also a chance we could get more than one season in one day. It’s also windy. Do I need real rain pants? I’m not sure how much hiking we’ll do. If we aren’t hiking, do I need rain pants? Help!
I’m planning on bringing my short Sperry rain boots along, but I’d also like a waterproof shoe option that isn’t boots if we decide to do some light hiking or just wandering around Scotland in the rain. I really like these sneakers because they don’t look like they’re waterproof! (I’m debating bringing my Blondo boots for a dressier waterproof shoe option; they aren’t the most comfortable for walking on uneven ground…)
My dilemma is that I cannot decide on a color. I’m leaning towards black because I think I’ll be wearing a lot of black, but the blue is gorgeous and might go with my navy rain jacket better. Or white? A classic, of course, but I worry the white sneakers might be the only part of my outfit that’s white ha.
