MPiechowiak

I'm from Florida and will be travelling to London and Paris this December/January. Can anyone tell me just how cold it really is in London and Paris during that time? I am used to wearing a light jacket and maybe a sweater at the most. Do I need to go shopping?

Scarlett

Yes yes!! Go shopping!! What fun!

You will freeze! You are not used to the bone chilling damp cold of England/France in the winter. Your feet will always be cold and you will have to wear scarves, mittens and a warm wool (at least) coat.
So go to your favorite store and have fun!!
<i>
I lived in NYC and a Paris winter was equal to a NY winter..now that I live in Fl, I know you will feel those chills. I guess our blood really does thin here~
You will want to wear layers, so you don't suffocate inside where they tend to overheat .. so get some thin long underthings, silk underwear or just cotton long sleeved tees. Then sweaters over them. Trousers should be wool if you can wear it, cords, something warm. Wear tights under those for extra warmth.
Waterproof boots are great, no matter what the temps, you will most likely experience rain.
I wish I were going too, I love getting all bundled up and going out into the brisk winter air. (Lucky you
Scarlett</i>

rj007

Yes, you do. London and Paris in December/January will be cold, windy, wet. The good news is a lot of London and Paris worth seeing is indoors - musuems, art galleries, churches etc. I have an umbrella that fits neatly into my jacket pocket and is readily available when needed.

Dress warmly and you should be OK. If the weather gets to be too much just pop into a pub and take a break! Europe in the off-season is my favorite time to go. Lower airfare, fewer tourists.
Enjoy your trip!

taggie

You're used to much warmer temps than you'll get there, so of course you'll need to go shopping! You have a good excuse...
Think layers, especially if you'll be going indoors and out in the course of your days.
The damp will make it seem even colder than it is. Make sure you get things that can resist some water, because it will likely rain, possibly snow. A nice wool coat would be a good idea - it'll keep you warm and will look smart. Look for one with some chamois lining in the back, for extra warmth. And of course a nice scarf or pashmina/shawl to wrap around your neck, a wool hat would be good, and gloves or mittens would be sensible too.

tudorprincess

You are going to freeze! It's rainy/windy/cold and bone chilling as Scarlett said. I'm from Ohio and was cold in Nov. and March in London. My family moved to Florida almost 3yrs. ago and they complain when it's 60 degrees! Gloves, scarf and WINTER coat are a must!

julie_Colorado

Scarlett summarized it in two words - silk underwear (we're talking long johns)... Don't consider going without them. Its warm but not bulky.... I wore silk long johns, wool pants and sweater, gloves, scarf, leather jacket. I was fine - but it did take every bit of that.

Scarlett

LOL, julie, to think I managed to summarize anything with 2 words! and one of them 'underwear'
Warm socks too, I sometimes wear them to bed when I have been walking in the damp cold all day.
Drink lots of hot tea (easy) and as suggested, museums, shopping, etc keeps you indoors.
Take the double decker buses, you can see the city while out of the elements.
The weather is one thing that has never kept me from going to either place..you will still enjoy it ~

JamilaZ

Since you're in Florida, the stores may not even sell the type of coats you need to wear in England. Go to llbean.com.

Scarlett

The Parisian sells wool coats and fur coats in Jacksonville

Robespierre

Europe winter = cold feet.

Be sure you have some <i>warm</i> socks. They need to be at least mid-calf length, because if your legs get cold, there's no way your feet can keep warm.

And ditto the above advice re staying dry. A watertight windbreaker over a sweater is the minimum required to maintain your core temperature when the rain blows.

cscolin

I'm from Florida too and had the same concerns two years ago when I went in early January. I bought a heavy coat on ebay---knew I'd never need it again. And I didn't---even the next year when I returned to London in November. Both times it was too warm. I'm going again this year and will take my long, unlined raincoat and several layers to wear under it. A sweater and blazer, for example. Many areas are too warm and I end up removing the layers as I go.

You will need some sort of hat, scarf and gloves, though.

I actually enjoyed the contrast to our hot south Florida weather.

Susan

m_kingdom2

Are you not capable of looking at weather forecasts and drawing reasonable conclusions?

In winter it can drop to below 32 degrees F, compare this to a winter average of something around 80 degrees F in Florida, it is easy to see that it is under half the temperature. Further more degrees F is not a linear scale centred around the freezing point so be aware that 32 degress is O degrees C.

If somewhere is half the temperature of anywhere else you are used to, surely you might assume it is much colder? Look at European collections, why is fur featured? why are full length heavy wool coats featured? Just use some common sense instead of saying &quot;I've never experienced cold weather should I wear warmer clothes than normal?&quot;

miguelgcuadra

I am from Miami and I was in Paris last year for New Year.....listen to them, it is COLD&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;. Still enjoyed Paris with the cold , the rain ...STILL MY FAVORITE CITY TO VISIT..never been to London in Winter. layer and more layers.....

m_kingdom2

What happens to Floridians who've had their votes miscounted and are travelling to Antartica? What a dilemma.

miguelgcuadra

Forget the word heavy, winter clothes does not have to be heavy, they have to be lite and good quality material, to keep you warm.
You want to enjoy your trip, get the right winter clothes, otherwise you will hate every minute you are outside and both cities have a lot to see while walking. cover your head, it is must for a warmer feeling.....

m_kingdom2

Light space-age fabrics are for rambling types with no style. The look this season is all for long, full-length, heavy (I use this when referring to the quality of wool blend e.g. a heavy cashemere blend will be warm and non neccessarily weigh a ton) coats in tweeds, or solid blacks. Double or single breasted are both equally in vogue. Plastic &quot;puffa&quot; jackets are really very nearly over.

As for wearing a wool hat, it's not elegant. Wear a pair of fine leather gloves with warm lining.

Nikki

OK, I'll play. If forty degrees fahrenheit is &quot;half the temperature&quot; of eighty degrees, what is half the temperature of forty degrees below zero? Twenty degrees degrees below zero? Eighty below?

What is twice the temperature of ten degrees? Twenty degrees? Better get out the shorts and T shirts, it's twice as hot out.

MK2, I would ordinarily just chuckle and wait for someone else to say something, but I can't help myself. If you're going to criticize somebody for a lack of ability to interpret weather statistics, you'd be better advised to understand the concepts yourself. And zero degrees fahrenheit would have to equal absolute zero for your argument to be correct. Besides, I'd like to see where in Florida the winter temperature averages eighty degrees.

m_kingdom2

What I'm trying to say is:

In centigrade, you're halving and halving and getting closer to freezing point of water which a human can interpret. Absolute zero can't be interpreted, no one could know how it feels, it's a scientific concept that is of little use to choosing clothes to wear. In Farenheit you have to be aware that it scales up around 32, so forty might seem warm, centigrade is a more user friendly system.

hansikday

mk2, be a good little shop girl and do continue to tell us all about fashion and your zany brand of weather situations. We love a good laugh.

ira

&gt;As for wearing a wool hat, it's not elegant. Wear a pair of fine leather gloves with warm lining.&lt;

I can't get my gloves to stay on my head.