What to Wear in Scotland
Korri and I visited Scotland back in early June! We were fortunate to have The Eras Tour tickets, and Korri has family in Scotland that we visited for a week. I was excited to visit a new-to-me country but nervous about what to pack and wear. We visited Germany (and Austria) last fall, and it ended up being warmer in Germany in late September than it was in Scotland in June. Maybe not surprising, but I did have to pack quite differently for this trip, and I messed up. 😆
Because Scotland is located so far north and surrounded by cold ocean water, it’s not a warm destination, even in the summer. Those cold northerly winds can be brutal! Temperatures remain mild year-round. It’s also quite cloudy/dreary, and rain is not uncommon. Compared to Alaska, Korri thinks Scotland is colder, if that tells you anything about what to expect!
When Korri and I arrived in Glasgow, it was sunny and warm (in the 70s Fahrenheit!), and Scottish locals were wearing everything from crop tops and skirts to long sleeves and jeans and everything in between. You wouldn’t have known what the temperature is outside just by looking at what people were wearing! In this post, I broke down exactly what I packed and most of the outfits I wore for our 10-day trip to Scotland in June along with some tips for packing for Scottish weather in the colder season.
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Scotland Outfits
If you are searching for Scotland outfits, you are probably finding a lot of kilts! You won’t find kilts here, just real outfits that I actually wore during our trip to Scotland this past June. I love documenting my packing lists and outfits like this, not only because it helps you, but because it also helps ME for when I need to pack for a similar trip in the future! I do really hope you find this post helpful, too, though—of course.
Weather is always a factor when it comes to packing for and putting together outfits while traveling, but it feels like an extra important factor for a trip to Scotland and the U.K. in general. If you are coming from the mainland U.S., and especially an inland location like I did, Scotland weather might feel a little bit like a shock to the system…or you might end up loving it. (It’s moody and a little unpredictable.)
Below, I described what the weather was like during our time in Scotland, most of the outfits I wore during our 10-day trip, and collages showing what I packed. I also listed out my sartorial packing list and shared a few ideas for things to pack if you are visiting during fall, winter, or early spring!
Late Spring Weather in Scotland
I wasn’t sure whether to call our trip to Scotland in early June “late spring” or “early summer”—meteorologically speaking, June is considered summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but the weather definitely felt more like spring than summer to me. Of course, if you are Scottish, you might read what the weather was like during our trip and tell me that’s normal for summer—ha!
We were in Scotland for the first 10 days in June. We split our trip between Glasgow and Edinburgh and spent more time in the Glasgow area (doing a few day trips) followed by Edinburgh for a weekend before heading out. The high temperatures were generally in the upper 50s Fahrenheit with a couple of nicer days in the 60s. We actually had quite a bit of sunshine, but there were a couple of days of passing clouds and drizzle. Once the sun disappeared, the temperatures dropped quickly. It was also quite breezy, and the northerly wind Scotland is famous for is truly no joke, trust me!
From what I could gather, the weather in Scotland in early June could have been literally anything: from cold and wet to mild and sunny. I was really hoping for more days in the 70s, but no luck! Our weekend in Edinburgh felt colder than the prior days we spent in Glasgow. I was truly second-guessing what I had packed. BUT, I was also spending a lot of time outside in the late evening either listening to or attending The Eras Tour, so that may be why I was so cold!
Check the weather prior to your trip (we looked at Met Office UK), but do be prepared for basically any weather. Pack lots of layers, clothes that can be worn multiple ways/for different occasions, and shoes/jackets that can handle wind AND rain. More on that below!
What to Wear in Scotland
Blouse + Dark Wash Jeans + Ball Cap
This is one of my dressier outfits for our day in Stirling, and it’s only because my cotton gauze blouse and loafers make jeans feel less casual! (This is my American perspective, though, of course.) I really loved this outfit; the loafers are old but got my feet through a few miles of walking around Stirling Castle. I probably didn’t need the hat because it was so windy, but it was nice for keeping the sun off my face and hair contained.
Just like when we went to Germany and Austria last fall, I did not pack any skinny jeans for Scotland. I only packed two pairs of straight leg jeans (and joggers and leggings, but leggings don’t feel like skinny jeans to me for some reason). My straight leg jeans felt more “on trend” for Scotland, and they were also super comfortable and easy to wear.
Pullover + Straight Leg Jeans + Crossbody Bag
I only have one photo of each of these outfits, but like my other outfits, they have similar themes. I didn’t pack a whole lot of variety, so you’ll see the same pieces worn over and over again. (For instance, I only packed two pairs of jeans and just alternated them every day.)
For our day trip drive to Arbroath and St. Andrews, I wore my long-sleeved cropped top under the pullover. I had my rain jacket with me in the car but luckily didn’t need it in Arbroath. It was nice when the sun was out. The loafers I wore were comfortable enough for some walking around but I was glad to have breaks in the car!
For our day spent sightseeing in Glasgow, I wore a tank under the pullover and added the rain jacket. It did sprinkle that day, but I didn’t feel like I needed my waterproof sneakers. My trusty black crossbody bag came everywhere with me!
Blouse + Dark Jeans + Loafers
This outfit probably looks similar to the first outfit, and that’s because it is—except I swapped out the baseball cap for a pair of earrings! I’m happy I brought this cotton gauze blouse because it instantly dresses up a pair of jeans. Add the loafers and earrings and I was set for a lovely afternoon tea in Edinburgh!
Don’t be fooled, I also wore my rain jacket (not pictured), and I carried my crossbody bag. It was not warm enough in Edinburgh to go without the jacket except for the very middle of the day, and only when it wasn’t too breezy. Plan on lots of layers and be ready to shed any if you are doing a lot of sightseeing and/or spending time inside buildings!
Rain Jacket + Leggings + Sneakers
You might be looking at this outfit with my Taylor Swift merch and thinking there’s no way you’d wear something like this on your own trip to Scotland, and that may be true! (Though there’s no shame in wearing what you love, no matter where you are in the world.) But there are aspects of it that you can copy if you aren’t headed to Scotland for a concert.
In general, the Scots don’t wear athleisure out and about like we do in the U.S. If you don’t want to wear leggings, opt for a slim ponte pant for a similar look. Comfortable sneakers are a must, especially if you’ll be on your feet and/or walking a lot (we walked to and from the stadium in addition to standing for the majority of the 3+ hour show). I layered a sweatshirt over a tee, but I wish I had packed a long-sleeved Heattech tee. It was FREEZING! I was glad to at least have the jacket even though it wasn’t terribly warm.
Rain Jacket + Pullover + Sneakers
Somehow, I didn’t get a photo of myself wearing my white waterproof sneakers; I believe I wore them on only one, maybe two days. We didn’t really have much in the way of rain during our trip, so that was nice! I still wore my rain jacket the entire time we were in Edinburgh simply for the extra layer. I like that it doesn’t look or feel obviously like a rain jacket.
I stuck to my tank top, pullover, jeans, and sneakers uniform for most of the trip. I’m not sure I expected to wear this pullover as much as I did. (It’s from Vuori and I love it to death!!! I’m in the medium.) I wore this outfit to tour Edinburgh Castle and then walk the Royal Mile. I loved all the cute little closes! I also wore this to meet a former colleague for drinks. He moved to Scotland for grad school (and is also a fellow Swiftie and was at the same concert as me!).
Scotland Late Spring Carry-on Packing List
Everything I packed for our 10-day trip to Scotland in early June fit into two carry-on bags. Korri and I both had a carry-on roller bag; he has a hardshell suitcase from TravelPro and I used my hardshell suitcase from Quince. His personal item was a giant Cotopaxi backpack that weighed just as much as (or more than) his roller bag. I used my Dagne Dover large Landon carryall as my personal item. I also brought a packable backpack and used it at the end so my suitcase wasn’t as heavy on the train, but I was able to stuff it into my suitcase for the flight home!
Here’s all of the clothing, shoes, and accessories I packed:
Three tank tops (one with built-in bra)
Cotton gauze blouse
Quarter-zip pullover
Long-sleeve cropped top
Dark indigo straight leg jeans
Washed black straight leg jeans
Lightweight shorts
Loafers
Allbirds sneakers
Vessi waterproof sneakers
Two baseball caps
Two pairs of earrings
Two bags (fanny pack, crossbody)
One workout set (sports bra, leggings)
Joggers
Leggings
Rain jacket
Two sets of pajamas
Because we also went to Scotland for a concert, I also packed merch (a tee, sweatshirt, and baseball cap) and a clear bag (didn’t use it because clear bags aren’t a requirement in the UK like they are in the US—go figure—and my crossbody fit more stuff). I also packed two ponchos for the show but we didn’t take them.
One item I did not pack but wish I did was a Uniqlo Heattech long-sleeved tee. It was so cold, especially when we were in Edinburgh, and I did not feel like I packed warm enough clothes. (Honestly, we stayed close to a Uniqlo and I was VERY tempted to pick one of those tees up while I was there. Probably should have…) I layered a lot during this trip and that brutal wind still went right through me at times!
Scotland Packing List Tips
Because Scotland is on an island, the temperatures don’t swing a whole lot between summer and winter. If you are coming from the U.S., you can expect summer to likely feel cooler than what you are used to (60s Fahrenheit), and winter may be milder than what you’re used to (30s Fahrenheit)… or it might seem cold, because the northerly winds Scotland gets are brutally cold, no matter the time of year! Also be prepared for wet weather.
Here are some things to consider packing if you are visiting Scotland in the cooler months:
Multiple long-sleeve shirts (consider thermals or Heattech tees!)
Wool sweaters (or another breathable fabric)
Wool socks
Multiple pairs of comfortable shoes (sneakers, boots, etc.)
Hiking boots (for hikes and warmth)
Gloves
Scarves
Beanies
Water resistant or waterproof coat/jacket, pants, shoes