I’m a Pro-Packer—See the Practical Yet Romantic Items I’m Bringing With Me to London

I’m currently packing for a trip to London this March, and it requires a particular kind of discipline: resisting the very strong urge to become a character from a book or pretend to be the heroine of a movie.

Travel activates the theater kid in me. Once the destination is booked, the production staging begins! When I started watching Outlander, I literally booked a trip to Scotland, packed a kilt and knit gloves, and went around touching stones wherever I went, just in case. Paris? Silk scarves and ballet flats! Italy? Linen and sunglasses, obviously. And London, particularly the countryside? Barbour jackets, plaid skirts, and possibly a sheep or two wandering through a foggy field.

But I’ve found that the secret to actually packing well is resisting the cosplay. Yes, I will be spending time in the English countryside, and yes, wellies, waxed cottons, and heritage plaids do sound romantic, but leaning too hard into the fantasy can quickly feel maybe a bit too theatrical and even worse, expected. You want to feel appropriate—when in Rome, right?—but not like you wandered onto the set of a BBC drama, of which I’ve watched plenty!

For me, the packing strategy is about editing those impulses rather than indulging in them entirely. I will definitely bring my Barbour jacket, partly because the odds of rain in London in March are high, and partly because, living in New England, the jacket already is a perfectly normal part of my wardrobe.

The rest of what’s in my suitcase follows a similar philosophy: pieces I wear at home, recalibrated for the setting. A sharp trench coat for the city. Dark denim and tailored trousers that can move between country pubs and London restaurants without feeling out of place. A few knit layers to ward off a potential damp chill.

One evening during my stay calls for a black tie dress code. I’m packing a gown that travels well, a small evening bag, and a pair of tights that add a layer and some color. Years ago, I would have packed as many dresses and accessories as possible, but I’ve since learned to streamline—and now I can get away with a carry-on instead of a huge suitcase.

The trick to packing is balance. A nod to the place you're traveling without surrendering your identity to it and staying location-appropriate. I often find my nod comes in the color palette I choose. Destinations have different lights, and in those lights, certain colors look better than others. Bright orange would never be a color I’d want to bring with me to London, but definitely one I’d bring for Sicily.

Packing should make you feel like yourself, just slightly adjusted for the weather forecast and the occasional cobblestone street. Keep scrolling to see the practical-meets-inspiring edit I’ve stowed away in my suitcase for my trip to the English capital.

Shop Larissa's London Packing List