What to Wear In Iceland for Sewists and Crafters

My inspiration-seeking trip in Iceland is everything I hoped it would be and more! I wasn’t planning to write a ‘what to wear in Iceland’ post like this, but it is needed. All the other advice you will find is for people who want to hike through the mountains. Here is packing advice for people like me (women aged 40-80) who want to shop, sightsee, and relax.

What I wore in Iceland in August 2024

I’m going to assume that you are like me and if you visit Iceland, it will most likely be in the summer. You’ll probably visit lots of blogs by searching ‘what to wear in Iceland,’ and they will all tell you to bring the same things: a heavy parka, waterproof pants, hat, mittens, etc. Luckily, I asked my friend Alicia (of Travels With the Crew) what to bring before I left, and she corrected all of them and told me what I really should bring instead of stuffing my suitcase with items I would not need.

You should also see all the Icelandic arts and crafts places I visited.

What to wear for sightseeing in South Iceland and West Iceland

While we have been in the south and west parts of Iceland, the weather has been consistently in the 50s (Fahrenheit) with a mix of sunshine and rain. Most tourists visit these areas when they come for the first time.

I’m going to assume that if it is raining you will quickly get back in the car, like we did! If it is just sprinkling, you might sightsee a bit and then get back in the car.

You definitely want to bring:

• Comfortable shoes (sneakers or loafers, not hiking boots, unless you are a hiker)
• Warm socks
• Warm, comfortable pants like jeans or thick leggings
• Layering tops like a long or short-sleeved tee shirt or button-down shirt and a sweater or jacket that you can wear on top
• A lightweight raincoat with a hood
• A scarf that can keep you warm if it is windy
• A lightweight quilted puffer jacket or coat just in case you experience cold weather. Alicia brought a puffer vest and liked wearing it.

You may want to pack that parka if the forecast is cold or stormy. I didn’t bring one. I’ve been here 5 days and would not have worn it if I had it.

Waterproof pants and hiking boots?

All of the other ‘what to bring to Iceland’ articles insist that you need waterproof pants and hiking boots. That is probably true if you will be hiking in the wild. I saw lots of tourists wearing both waterproof pants and hiking boots, but no locals. Local Icelanders wore comfortable clothing and shoes. Sometimes they wore soft leather booties. Icelandic women my age were occasionally wearing skirts or dresses with leggings underneath.

I was so glad that I was not wearing slick, noisy (because they make a swishing sound when you walk), uncomfortable waterproof pants when I was walking around town and visiting the beautiful sites that we drove to.

Comfortable shoes are a MUST – I wore my flip-flops!

Just so you know, I’m from Florida! August in Iceland was very much like February in Florida. I go to the beach in February and love to dig my toes in the cold sand. I wore warm comfortable clothes with flip-flops (I left my shoes in the car) for much of my sightseeing because I am just more comfortable that way.

I sew barefoot too, by the way!

Bring a Swimsuit for the Geo-Thermal Hot Tubs

If you are a spa girl like me, you will LOVE Iceland. This photo is from Hvammsvik Hot Springs. The natural pools were nice and hot and the ocean behind me was near freezing! I was wearing a fluffy headband and scrunchie to keep my hair dry and it worked. I think the thick headband helped to keep my head warm as well. That day was not windy.

The day we visited Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik was windy and colder, but the spa was still pure heaven. This picture shows you how happy and comfortable I was, but it doesn’t do the place justice. Check out their website to see how truly wonderful it is. I recommend both spa experiences 100%.

Tip: you can easily buy warmer gear if you truly need it

Most areas in Iceland have stores with beautiful sweaters and warm parkas, gloves, hats, and anything else you didn’t bring. This should not be a surprise because nearly 400,000 people live there! It will cost more, but you might want a luxurious Icelandic wool sweater anyway.

I recommend shopping at Icewear for beautiful authentic Icelandic clothes. Icewear Wool House in Reykjavik also carries yarn and knitting and crochet supplies, including pattern books!

I hope you love Iceland the way I do! If you want more information about what to wear in Iceland, check my friend Alicia’s Essential Packing list for Iceland in the Summer. Happy travels!