I would also bring a fleece jacket when going to England. I don't know if this is what you meant by light jacket, but definitely bring some sort of warm zip-up that you can wear inside and outside.

This is sort of what I'm thinking: http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/wp-...1/columbia.jpg (jacket pictured is from Colombia. They do great fleeces, and I much prefer them over North Face's).

Also, I don't think you'll need that many skirts. Maybe only take one and bring a pair of comfortable jeans instead. Keep in mind that the UK is very wet, even in the summertime. It's good to have some summer outfits, but also bring some fall/spring clothing as well.

Your clothes packing lists would look like this:
-1 fleece jacket
-1 light waterproof jacket
-2 dresses
-2 pairs of leggings
-1 pair of jeans
-2 skirts
-5 tops (long & short sleeved)
-1 pair of boots (riding boots with a waterproof coating would be good, or just a simple pair of rain boots)
- 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes
-Socks and underwear

Not jeans - too bulky and take too long to dry. Maybe khakis.

Jeans are bulky, but as the OP would only be taking one pair, they wouldn't take up that much more room than a pair of thick leggings. I find that during my summers in England, jeans are my most worn item. Depends on what the OP wants, though.

Another option would be to wear jeans on your flight over from America (I'm supposing that's your homeland) and wash them when you get there. Or just bring another pair of leggings.

Thank you all!

To be honest, I rarely wear jeans at home even in the biting winter cold! I didn't include what I would be wearing on the plane, but it would be these polyester&cotton pants that look like skinny jeans but aren't made of denim. They're comfortable and easier to carry and dry faster. By light jacket I meant a spring jacket, though I would double check the weather before leaving to see if I need to throw in a fleece jacket as well as some sweaters, thanks!

thursdaysd, it's dual voltage and I have used it with a plug adapter on previous trips and it has been fine. I forgot to write that down however, so thanks!

The shoes that I will be wearing are keds. I have managed to survive some previous trips on these alone as well as heels for the evenings.

LexiGoesPlaces, would the boots be an absolute necessary? I know it tends to rain a lot in London, but would I be able to survive on keds and heels alone? I find that it's too difficult to pack boots, I'd probably have to find ones that are better for traveling or just wear them instead of the keds.

Rodarte, tell me how much all your stuff weighs.

No one can tell someone else what they NEED to take. You may feel a hair iron is essential while someone else will not. There is a saying in wilderness backpacking circles which applies equally as well to any kind of travel. 'The ultimate backpacker is s/he who carries the least weight while maintaining the most comfort.'

What that means is you do not sacrifice comfort (or safety) to save weight. But what it also means is that you DO find the lightest weight example of each item you consider you NEED for your comfort and safety. So for example, a rain jacket can weigh half a pound or it can weigh 2 pounds. Both keep out the rain. A hair iron can also weigh more or less, find the lightest weight one you can if you NEED one.

Here is an article worth reading about packing. It is about wilderness backpacking but the principles remain the same. What is most interesting about the article is that although the people involved probably already have experience in wilderness backpacking (few attempt the AT as a first time backpacker), they still find they can have their pack weight reduced by an average of 12.5 lbs. That's a huge weight savings.
http://www.backpacker.com/november_0...articles/12659

One thing I can guarantee you. If you do not know the weight of every item you plan to pack, you will be carrying more weight than you need to.

When someone shows me a packing list that does not show the weight beside each item, I already know they are carrying more weight than necessary.

Loads of duplication there - e.g. liquid soap and cleansing wipes and hand sanitiser and cleanser and makeup remover. Just take a cleansing oil which will both remove makeup and cleanse - Bobbi Brown does a travel size one, 30ml. Or, get an all in one product like Aveda Calming wash for body, hair, face etc. One big bottle, but nothing else needed.

Does your phone have an alarm? If so ditch the alarm clock.

Everything else looks fine.

"Another option would be to wear jeans on your flight over from America (I'm supposing that's your homeland) and wash them when you get there."

At the risk of freaking some people out, I have to comment on that Lexi.

A lot of travellers make a big deal out of hygiene in terms of washing clothing. The idea of washing jeans after having only worn them on a flight to somewhere simply doesn't make any sense to me.

People wear a pair of jeans every day for a week without washing them. That's called, change your underwear, not your jeans.

When you travel, you are not at home. At home I might throw a shirt in the laundry basket every day as normal behaviour. When travelling, that doesn't happen. The only things that get changed daily are socks and underwear and only 3 pair of each are packed.

If you think of travel as an activity, like skiing or something then it's easy to think that clothing for travel should be specifically intended for that activity.

For example, if you wear an ordinary cotton t-shirt in hot weather, I agre it will probably need washed if you were sweating. But if you wear a wicking t-shirt that you are less likely to sweat in then it may be fine for another day of wear without washing. Basically, you decide to wash it when it starts to smell and not before. What's more, it washes far easier and dries far faster than a cotton t-shirt and most important of all, it WEIGHS less than a cotton t-shirt.

This kind of clothing designed specifically for sports and travel wear is actually referred to as 'technical clothing'. There is even a new product on the market now that not only wicks the moisture away but actually cools you! http://www.modernhiker.com/2012/04/1...r-polar-shirt/

Anyway, I digress a bit. The point is, if you buy clothing designed for sports/travel, you do not need to wash them nearly as often as you would 'ordinary' clothes at home.

@dulciusexasperis: Good point. I generally wear my jeans for 3 days, but some people like freshly washed jeans every day. After a flight, however, I always feel a little gross and would prefer to wash my stuff. That's just me, though.

@OP: The necessity of the boots depends on you. Personally, I would bring them. You don't need to bring full on rain boots (or wellies, as they call them), but you at least want a sturdy, comfortable shoe that will keep your foot "protected". Boots fit this job (you can wear them on the plane and pack your Keds, since Keds don't take up much room). Also, I doubt you'll be wearing heels all that much, and I think it might be best to bring a pair of ballet flats instead. Obviously, it all depends on what you feel you'll be needing, but definitely bring something more than Keds and heels.

The problem with jeans is they take forever to dry in European dryers. And they're heavy. rodarte's pants sound like a perfect choice.

Yes, Rodarte's pants sound better than jeans!

Yes, Rodarte's pants sound better than jeans!>>

at the risk of teaching my grandmothers to suck eggs, if you talk about pants being better than jeans in the UK, you'll get some funny looks.

you want to wear lightweight trousers, on top of your pants. [which over here are worn under your jeans, not instead of them].

While 'when in Rome, do as Romans do' makes complete sense when in Rome annhig, it does not apply on a forum frequented by people of many nationalities.

You will use the terminology you are used to using and others, the terminology they are used to using. It may sometimes cause confusion or a titter.

Even your own Oxford Dictionary recognizes there is more than one definition of the word pants.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de.../english/pants

Neither is the 'right' definition. I think you are being absolute pants (third definition).

thank you dulcie.

as ever, your sense of humour shines through.