In 98% of cases casual clothes will do fine while in Iceland. PIC Bill Ward´s Brickpile
W e are frequently asked advice about what to wear on your forthcoming trips to Iceland. We frequently point out just to use common sense deciding.
Roughly put, plain casual clothes will do fine in most cases from May to October. Jeans and thick sweater make a fine team in Iceland as elsewhere and unless you´re gonna roll around in snow these will do. Remember no one will enjoy a stroll in Reykjavik when the wind blows and the rain pours since those two elements tend to smash you horizontally on this island. Thus, unless you like getting soaked and battered you do not need any special clothes. Worst case you run into the next cafe and wait it out.
The only real exception is when going on a serious outdoor tour of any kind or visiting in wintertime. Even then casual might do the trick since many tour operators offer suitable clothing as part of any program. This goes for most glacier and snowmobile trips. But as rule of thumb it is always to bring good outdoor clothing regardless. Always better to have it than not.
One option is just to go casual and buy stuff here if needed but financially you are way better off buying at home since clothing here, like everything else, is mightily expensive. A pair of jeans, warm sweater and a rain jacket should cover you on most bases here except in the coldest months when a couple of extra layers of clothing would be a good idea. Warm gloves, scarf and a cap are a must in wintertime.
