Fireworks, fairy lights and polite rain

What to wear in London in November, from the real weather to the right coat, waterproof-soled boots, Bonfire Night and evenings out.

By jelli.world, the bag brand. Our styling advice, with sources linked in the text and jelli.world products offered for sale.

November in London starts with fireworks and ends with fairy lights, and in between it rains politely on everything. The clocks went back on 25 October this year, so the city now does most of its living in the dark: lit shop windows on wet pavements, steamed-up bus windows, the sodium glow of a pub doorway. It is a beautiful month if you are dressed for it, and a miserable one if you are not.

Here is what to wear in London in November, briefly. Plan for days around 11 to 12°C (52 to 54°F) and nights that drop to 4 to 6°C (39 to 43°F), with rain on roughly every third day. That means a proper wool coat or a lined trench, a wool knit beneath, waterproof-soled boots you can walk miles in, a scarf, gloves and a bag that does not mind getting wet. Then add one bright thing, because the city goes grey and you should not.

The weather, honestly

London's official averages come from the Met Office's 1991–2020 records, collected in the Climate of London tables. They are more useful than any packing list.

Two things leap out. The first is the sunshine. Kew averages 117.4 hours in October and only 69.7 in November, so the month loses a great deal of light. The second is the gap between highs and lows, which is wide enough to matter if you are out from breakfast to a late dinner. The Met Office's own summary of the season is that in autumn the weather quite often gets stormier. Expect wind on the bridges and the occasional sideways shower.

Those numbers do not describe ski weather. Visitors who turn up in ski jackets in November look as if they have got lost on the way to the airport.

The coat decides everything

You will wear one coat all day, in and out of heated shops, Tube carriages and museums, so it has to open easily and look good undone. My preference is a mid-weight wool coat, single-breasted, cut to the knee, in navy, camel or charcoal. It handles drizzle, it breathes on the Underground and it looks right in a restaurant. A lined trench is the alternative for the wettest weeks.

Plastic outerwear is having a moment, and London is its natural home. InStyle's fashion month report singled out "sleek slickers" at Lacoste, Loewe and Tod's, and Haider Ackermann sent transparent plastic outerwear with deliberately visible seams down the Tom Ford runway. A glossy rain mac in a single colour, oxblood or bottle green, worn over a grey knit and tailored trousers, is the most London-looking thing you can own this month.

Under the coat, layer rather than bulk. A merino or lambswool jumper over a shirt or fine rollneck gives you something presentable when the coat comes off in a gallery, where it will be warm.

What to wear in London in November on your feet

London is a walking city, and its pavements in November are wet, leaf-strewn and, on the side streets, uneven. Leather Chelsea boots or lace-up ankle boots with a rubber sole are the answer for most days. Treat suede with a protector before you come, or leave it at home. Trainers are fine for long sightseeing days, but choose leather over mesh, which soaks through in a single shower.

Keep a dry pair of socks in your bag. You will thank me at four o'clock.

Colour, for the darkest month

With the light gone by teatime, a dark outfit simply disappears. This is the month to wear one colour you can see from across a street. Make it the scarf, the gloves or the bag, so it sits on top of the coat rather than beneath it. A cobalt wool scarf against a camel coat, or tomato-red gloves against navy, looks deliberate and cheerful in the gloom.

The bag is the most practical place for it. A jelly bag wipes clean, shrugs off rain and, under a streetlight or the windows of a Mayfair shop, picks up the glow like a lollipop in cellophane. A jelli.world jelly tote in lime or pink carried against a dark wool coat does exactly the job London needs from you in November.

Bonfire Night and other outdoor evenings

Guy Fawkes Night falls on 5 November, marking the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, and the city's fireworks displays mean standing still outside after dark on wet grass. Dress for the low rather than the high. A thermal or merino base layer, a chunky knit, your warmest coat, a hat and gloves, and boots with a thick sole. This is the one evening in the month where colourful sheepskin boots make complete sense, because your feet are the first thing to go cold on a damp field. Keep your hands free and your phone somewhere easy to reach; a crossbody bag worn over the coat is ideal.

Dinner, theatre and indoor nights

London dresses up less than Paris and more than it admits. For a good restaurant or the theatre, a black knit midi dress with opaque tights and heeled ankle boots works almost anywhere, with your daytime coat over it. Swap the scarf for a pair of big earrings. A tailored trouser, a silk shirt and a long cardigan is the alternative, and both survive the bus home. Bring a small umbrella; taxis vanish the moment it rains.

A bright thing in your bag

Pack for rain and pack one colour. If that colour is a bag, jelli.world has jelly totes and shoulder bags that will not mind the weather.

Common questions

How cold is London in November?

On Met Office 1991–2020 averages, daytime highs are around 11 to 12°C (52 to 54°F) and nights about 4 to 6°C (39 to 43°F), with central areas a little milder.

Do I need a winter coat for London in November?

A mid-weight wool coat or lined trench with a knit underneath is usually enough. Add a hat and gloves for evenings outdoors such as Bonfire Night.

What shoes should I pack for London in November?

Leather boots with rubber soles for daytime walking, plus one smarter pair for the evening. Avoid untreated suede and mesh trainers, which soak through quickly in rain.

Last reviewed: 15 October 2026