devindeanna August 14, 2019 Travel Iceland

Iceland Packing Guide

Summer in Iceland

What I wore in Iceland [End of July- Early August]

Our summer family trip this year was to the stunning country of Iceland. It has become more and more popular throughout the years as a hot travel destination. It was out of this world beautiful. I felt like I was on another planet. One thing about Iceland is its sporadic weather changes which varies through out the summer. Icelandic winters are much colder and darker, with some of the winter months allowing for only 5 or so hours of sunlight. We traveled from the end of July into early August. This was actually such a refreshing cool-down from the hot and humid summers in the Northeast United States ranging from about 85-95°F (29.4-35°C). I needed a break from the sun and heat. I knew this was going to be tough packing wise, since we needed to bring heavier, bulkier items, as well as lighter items for layering. Layering in Iceland is a must! I did lots of research for this since the island of Iceland ranges from 50–55 °F (10–13 °C) on an average day, but could also reach a higher temperature of about 68–77 °F (20–25 °C). We were truly lucky this July as Iceland’s weather is typically a lot cooler and rainier then what we experienced. As mentioned earlier, the weather fluctuates everyday, all day, but overall we had clear skies, low 60s, & sunshine. This weather was perfect for what I had packed. I only didn’t bring a few things that people recommended like legitimate hiking pants and hiking boots. What I brought in replace of these items still worked really well and will be linked, but obviously higher quality items would have probably been more comfortable and easier for water and hiking experiences. I just knew I didn’t wanna wear those things, LOL. I brought what I thought would be best for the way I like to look & my taste in style. I then added my usual accessories to either enhance what I was wearing and give the stylish flair I usually try to go for (like accents of gold and patterned accessories). Below are some items I had exactly or similar products. This is what worked for me when traveling to Iceland in the summer- if you have any comments, feel free to leave them down below ♥

List

-click on the articles of clothing for link-

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Puffer Jacket – I get cold really easily so a majority of the time I was actually wearing my puffer jacket. This may not be for everyone, especially regarding the temperatures I listed, but it wouldn’t hurt to have one with you. I found a mint colored one [here] that is so pretty! A lot of people also wear vibrant colors like red or orange to stand out from the lush landscape!
same as #1.
Ray Bans – These have been my favorite pair of sunglasses recently. Sunglasses in the summer are a must in Iceland. The sun never truly goes down, as there is only about 3 hours of hazy darkness!
Cream Sweater – I brought along some cozy sweaters that were both cute and comfortable for layering.
Blue Bow High Waisted Bikini – Loved this two piece bikini. When I was picking out colors of bathing suits to take to Iceland, I wanted to stick with neutral colors that had an earthy tone to them. This color of blue was so pretty and soft, a perfect bathing suit for the Blue Lagoon, as well as the various geothermal springs found around the country!
White One Piece – For me, Iceland was the perfect opportunity to wear more one pieces. I was not really planning on getting a tan, so bad tan lines were not a thought. One pieces are sexy yet mature and I love wearing them. The sun was still out a lot but the weather being cooler made it so nice and relaxing.
Thermal-Water Resistant Leggings – I searched just on Amazon and found the perfect pair of water-resistant leggings that also had thermal fleece lining for superior comfort and warmth in 30-50 degree weather. Even when the weather got warmer, the fleece did not really phase me. They were comfortable and easy to do all sorts of movement in. I also was right next to a waterfall getting completely drenched & they did an excellent job at keeping me dry.
Thermal Shirts– thermals are great layer pieces and keep you so warm. I loved the color of the thermal I found right on Amazon!
Color block Contrast Sweater – just another sweater I thought was cool looking & loved the colors of!
Rain Jacket – I loved this rain jacket because of the color and that it actually folded up into itself and became a fanny pack. Very conventional and easy to travel with. For me, it is a must have! It is the worst being out for the entire day and not having spare clothes or water -resistant articles of clothing.
Sweetwater Duck Boot by Sperry – the style I wore were dark brown and navy blue [here] but I wish I had the ones I added! These were perfect for comfort and being water-resistant. Rain boots are necessary since the island rains are sporadic and unpredictable.
Pom Pom Hat – hats are still recommended in the summer. You just never know what weather you will run into.
Mock Neck Top – these are some of my favorite tops to wear in cooler weather. I brought a few of these in different colors and textures to wear under a vest or my jacket.
Mittens/ Gloves – I wore gloves only when we were near the beaches since the air was cooler and windier. Diamond beach I had them on because of all the ice that was around.
same as #14.
Rain Boots – loved these because they kind of reminded me of Chelsea boots. So while they were water resistant, they looked chic with every outfit.
Adidas Sneakers– I wouldn’t say sneakers were necessary, but if you’d rather wear them on the days you are not doing a lot of hiking etc., they can be a good alternative then constantly wearing rain boots or hiking type shoes. Sneakers do not always have the best grip like hiking boots, but some brands may if you search for them.
Flip-flops – make sure to have these in your bag when hiking or headed to the Blue Lagoon. I think they had pairs at the Blue Lagoon that you could use or have, but I did not use those. There are so many geothermal rivers and pools in Iceland, so having sandals or flip-flops come in handy for that as well.
Comfy Socks – I had a few cute pairs of fair isle socks I wore, but not everyday. Again, it was sometimes very warm for us and warm socks were not needed. These added a nice touch to a more rustic look for me. I love these socks during the fall and winter months as well. People also like wool socks (helps when the weather is even colder in Iceland) for comfort and warmth. Bring many pairs of regular socks as well.
Vest – vests are always my go-to cooler weather items since they do not completely cover your whole body. Keeping you warm but still cool at the same time aside from a full jacket. They are less material making it easier to pack away too if they are no longer needed. My vest was made by G.H. Bass & Co. but I could not find the exact model (again, this vest was about 5 years old).

☆ Along with the main items & necessities, I had your typical items you bring when packing, i.e. pajamas, under garments, lots & lots of socks (please make sure you bring more than I did, LOL, so many of mine got wet because I went to far into the water). Also– not all of the things I wore are directly linked- some items are older and I could no longer find them being sold & some products I was not sure where they were from. I did buy a lot for this trip in particular, so a lot of these clothes are brand new and linked.

☆ Another mistake I did was not bringing short sleeves, whatsoever… sooo, I had a few super sunny, nice days (again, not typical Icelandic weather) and was pretty toasty wearing my sweater & coat. So when they say to bring layers- please do that.

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