Clothes and Shoes to bring....

As I said in my intro yesterday, we are moving to Scotland this year.  I have gone to a UK chat to ask some people what clothes and shoes are best for the cold/rainy weather.  All I got were jokes about "wellies", but no real suggestions.  I am a Texan, born and raised, so I'm pretty clueless when it comes to cold weather attire.  I have a nice wool coat, which I figure is best for the rainy weather.  I have purchased a couple of other cold weather coats and have started buying jackets and things I can layer for colder days.  So, I guess where I'm mostly stumped is shoes. I know I'll be doing A LOT more walking in Scotland than I ever have in Texas, but I still wanna look good,  ya know? lol.  Is it practical to bring my cute trendy boots (pointed toe, skinny heel, etc)?  Another dumb question, but with regard to Wellington boots.....is that something you wear only while you're out in the rain? or do you wear them as part of your outfit?  I know this might sound ignorant, but I've just never had to prepare myself for weather like this. 

Enough rambling.....if you have any suggestions, tips, opinions, etc, please share!  Thanks!

Melissa

You can bring a few pairs, then buy some more when you arrive.  That way you can look at what everyone else is wearing and copy! Shoes take up so much room in suitcases....there is such a good selection of shoes that you can't buy in the States, which is another reason to buy more here.

Wellies are for the rain, but actually a more 'trendy' version of them have come out in the shops this season.  If you get a more trendy version, you can wear them as part of your outfit and for the rain.

And, I find that sometimes being comfortable and not wet is always better than looking good! But that's just my opinion. 

Hope this helps.

M

You might find that a strong pair of walking boots are more practical and look better than wellies.

Vicky

My advice for shoes....if you can't walk a mile in them, don't bring them.   

Seriously,  I ended giving away shoes that I'd brought with me because they were killing my feet, despite the fact that I'd loved the same shoes in the states.  But walking between house & car, then parking lot & store or office is NOT the same as walking to and from bus stops, work, etc.  I do have a couple of nicer pairs of shoes for work that are perhaps not as comfortable, but I wear the comfy shoes until I get to work and change when I get there!

Hi Melissa,

Since you're moving to a city rather than the countryside don't just bring practical shoes. Sure, bring warm winter boots etc, but definitely bring your cute shoes too. You don't want to go too practical and end up feeling frumpy when you go out.

I live in a large city and walk around a lot, so I understand the need to strike a balance between comfort and style. For fall/winter try to find boots that look relatively good but you can actually walk in without pain - go for a mid-heel and a textured sole, if you can, and something that you can wear with either trousers or skirts. Something similar to these would work well (you should be able to find many similar options):



Also, you might want to consider so-called "comfort lines" such as Liz Claiborne Flex. The whole point of comfort lines is to provide shoes that look stylish and are more comfy than they look like they are. There are a few other comfort lines out there but I can't think of what they are at the moment.

Hope this helps!

CS

You will also be amazed at the heels British and Scottish women wear, regardless of comfort/weather!

I just bought a pair of flat boots from Clarks. Comfy and stylish. I have heels for work but I only work 2 days a week and I drive so I can cope with that. I might wear them for a night out but only if I were driving. Other than that, I collect comfy, cool walking shoes such as Hush Puppies, Ecco, etc. They do styles for the blue rinse brigade, but also much more fashionable ones, too!

That's true. Many women in London seem to think nothing of wearing 3- to 4-inch skinny heels all day (including the walk to and from bus/tube!). I have this idea that when they take their shoes off these horrible, deformed, scabby shreds of feet come out 

It must be a European thing... I don't understand it either! My feet are crying after walking around just a bit in high heels, some women do it all day, every day! Its madness.

I bet their feet are all deformed...toes all pointed in every direction...bunions, hammer toes, ingrown toenails, corns, you name it! (those are all the foot related problems I can think of)

Sick!

  I have gone to a UK chat to ask some people what clothes and shoes are best for the cold/rainy weather.  All I got were jokes about "wellies", but no real suggestions.  I am a Texan, born and raised, so I'm pretty clueless when it comes to cold weather attire. 

It's not really that cold here!
It's only Scotland, not the Arctic tundra!      

I'd say bring all of your shoes, and then if you find you need to supplement them when you get here, then you can do.   

It's not really that cold here!
It's only Scotland, not the Arctic tundra!      

To someone in parts of the blisteringly hot (summertime) south, it might be!

It certainly feels that way to me sometimes!

As for shoes - you definitely want shoes that you can walk in.  I save heels & hurty shoes for special occasions, and then only wear them for a very limited time.  Also sturdy walking boots are a great idea!  As for Wellies - eh, I'm not a fan.  They look like they would be slippery and possibly cold (though I could be wrong).  Bring shoes along -- they are more expensive to buy over here anyway.

For clothes - definitely layers.  I have to layer everyday - 'cause it's freezing in the mornings and then it gets quite warm in my office by the afternoon.  (Of course, this distinguishes me as not being a real northern England girl -- I cannot bear to run around quite scantily clad in all weathers.)

It's colder in Amarillo, Texas than it is here!
My parents have had snow on the ground for over a week.

Today in Glasgow it was between 9 & 12 degrees... that's 49 to 53 fahrenheit, so not even close to freezing.
I still think her normal shoes would be fine, and then after she gets here if she finds she wants to buy some wellies or fur-lined boots, then she can. 

It's colder in Amarillo, Texas than it is here!
My parents have had snow on the ground for over a week.

Today in Glasgow it was between 9 & 12 degrees... that's 49 to 53 fahrenheit, so not even close to freezing.   

Lol!  It's kind of on the chilly side in Tampa today too...forecast high of only 67F!!!

Thanks for all the input!  Really helpful......and gives me a good reason to shop when I get there! haha.

Thanks for all the input!  Really helpful......and gives me a good reason to shop when I get there! haha.

There's always a bright side!
Glasgow has good shopping! 

I live up in Inverness and I have 2 kids and they just wear regular shoes most days, wellies if it's raining so they can splash in puddles with abandon.  I used to wear heels daily, until I had to push a stroller/pram around, and then I just felt like I was towering over the buggy and resorted to flat shoes/boots most of the time.