So rather than making it stateside for my landmark Birthday this year, i have been persuaded reluctantly to travel to Iceland for four days.
Although i am still sulking about the whole affair, i do intend to make the most of it , so obviously i do need to get the wardrobe correct.
What i do know about Iceland in late November is .... you only get about five hours of daylight, temperatures range from about 5c to -1.
Snow is possible but not guaranteed.
All suggestions needed brothers but the list below are my initial thoughts.
I need Boots : is it time to invest in some Red wings ? Models and or alternatives very welcome.
I will need OCBDs and Shetlands : thankfully i have plenty of both.
A decent 60/40 is definitely required : suggestions welcome, my thoughts are a battered Bean or Woolrich.
Pants: maybe lined chinos or probably Jeans.
Hats Gloves: suggestions very welcome.
Tolworth branch?
Normal autumn clothes will be OK.
I use walking boots for ski holidays. Fancy footwear not necessary.
Four days does not necessitate a whole new wardrobe. Especially if you are just taking hand luggage. Hold luggage for four days seems over the top unless you are emulating William Wardrobe.
60/40s are really not that warm. I wore one on a cold day towards the end of last winter, in conjunction with t shirt, ocdb and lambswool jumper, cords, hat, gloves and undisclosed underwear - I nearly caught pneumonia.
I have no idea how cold Iceland will be, but if it's like British winter I would suggest a decent peacoat or a full length wool overcoat (the latter meaning you can also sport a tweed or blazer). If temperatures will be more like the UK in late spring to early autumn then a 60/40 will be ok - I have been wearing mine recently as the weather has been dreadful - but if you're expecting snowy temperatures personally a 60/40 would be torture.
Lined chinos are great on really cold days but can be excessive indoors. Cords may well be your best bet. Flannels are good too, although probably not with a parka or peacoat.
I'd get a down parka, 60/40s just don't really do the trick
Last edited by Oliver (2015-07-30 13:23:29)
Which one are you?
Just reread the thread and 5 to minus 1 degrees means definitely not a 60/40. I have a Sterling peacoat that is ok in winter over tee shirt, ocbd and knitwear, with scarf, gloves and hat, but I suspect I would have been better off getting an old ex-navy pea coat. Down coats and parkas are good as well but the pea coat is slightly more classic/smart, despite being completely casual. If you can get an old 60s US sheepskin (which is pretty unlikely) then you'll look straight outta Love Story.
Sounds to me like you are using the visit to Iceland as an excuse to buy new clothes. Nothing wrong in that (I do it all the time) but I would have thought that the clothes you normally wear in winter will suffice. It's not like you are going to the North Pole. I like the idea of a US sheepskin though.
Last edited by RobbieB (2015-07-30 16:27:59)
For caps you might get something with earflaps - an old baseball cap or a flight cap like those from Eastman.
Btw if you're mildly interested in books you might watch out for some local stuff, both modern and medieval. Apparently there is quite a literary tradition in Iceland.
Shell suit and adilettes should be fine.
Sorry, wrong Iceland.
Red Wing 9111 and a US peacoat do me fine in winter. Peacoat has been toasty down to -17°, windproof and fairly water resistant. Jeans go perfectly with that - and I'm a huge fan of Thinsulate lined Wranglers. I'll quite happily wear these indoors too!
Last edited by Moose Maclennan (2015-07-31 02:53:30)
AC, complete the outfit with this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stormy-Kromer-Hat-Engineered-Garments-Post-Overalls-Woolrich-Woolen-Mills-/201394483710?hash=item2ee40bf1fe
Starting sentences with the word 'so' is a worrying new trend.
It is now more irritating than rising intonation speech patterns adopted by some youngsters. I blame Australian soap operas for that one.
So, thanks for all the advice nearly everyone.
It's no worse than golf.
Yo, AC, check this out, bon voyage, bon appetit, it's not too late to vacation in the USA instead!
https://guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/the-worlds-most-disgusting-icelandic-food
If you wear some Long Johns and vest you'll be alright in a shirt and thick wool sweater. 5 to -1 doesn't seem too bad for the time of year to me. Pretty much how it is here. Stop being such a girl.
Last edited by Kingston1an (2015-07-31 17:52:26)
I went to Iceland in the summer and the weather was like winter in Spain. In November it has to be quite cold, I think you need to prepare like an expedition to the north pole.