Dress Me: Hamburg in Autumn
October 3, 2019 1:43 PM   Subscribe

I will be leaving for Hamburg, Germany shortly and I'm a bit out of my element when it comes to weather appropriate Autumn wear. I come from a dry, snowy, very cold climate and the concept of humid/wet weather in November/December is very confusing to me. I will be staying there from mid-October to mid-December, with a little bit of travel into northern France and eastern Germany.

I have waterproof boots and rain pants, but I'm stumped about jackets. I am planning to dress with layers, and I will be bringing other cold weather accessories (scarf/hat/mitts). Ideally I would not buy anything there.

Right now, I have a longer waterproof shell jacket, without insulation (this one), an Alberta-appropriate down-filled jacket (this one), and a couple felted wool jackets. From what I understand about humidity + cold, the shell doesn't seem like enough.

Any advice for what to bring (or buy before I leave) would be much appreciated!
And a couple specific questions:
(1) Does it make sense to bring my Canadian-winter jacket, or would it not work well for this climate?
(2) Is it completely ridiculous to bring a jacket that isn't waterproof? (i.e. a felted wool jacket)

Many thanks!
posted by Robocat to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (5 answers total)
 
Depending on the size of your rainjacket, you could maybe wear a sweater or warm jacket underneath. Then you'd have insulation and waterproofness. If you are wearing a non-waterproof jacket and it's raining you could carry an umbrella, put a waterproof shell over it, or not stay out as long in the rain. I usually wear a non-waterproof coat over a sweater in winter, but I'm not usually outside for long anyway.
posted by starfishprime at 2:57 PM on October 3, 2019 [1 favorite]


It is not ridiculous to bring a non-waterproof jacket, but it may not be the best use of your allotted luggage weight and volume. But if you can bring it along, well... there will possibly be some days when you can wear it.
I agree that a thin, long rainjacket, on the other hand, is great to have; combine it with your warm layer of choice and you'll be ready for anything.

I live in a very similar climate. In autumn and early winter, it's best to be prepared for wind and rain whenever you go outside. Umbrellas aren't great when it's windy. I never wear rain pants when I'm walking though; those are reserved for when I'm on a bicycle.
Typically, this time of year, I wear warm and reasonably waterproof shoes or boots (hiking boots are nice!), warm trousers or leggings, a nice comfy sweater (fleece or wool), and something more or less waterproof on top (jacket or coat). Hats and gloves are nice too.

In conclusion, your long waterproof jacket is fine, provided you bring something warm to wear under it. The rain pants will probably not see a lot of use. Everything else (boots, hats, scarve, mitts) sounds fine and useful, although I might choose gloves over mitts since it's not that cold.
posted by Too-Ticky at 3:19 PM on October 3, 2019


The felted wool and cozy accessories sound reasonable to me (lived nearby after having lived in northern MI) but if you really don't like being wet, then I agree about the shell over a sweater. I had vaguely thought I'd have my parka shipped to me for winter but ended up just wearing a fleece under a waterproof windbreaker all year, including during a lengthy bicycle commute. The only time I really wished for more was on the actual seashore. Think "rainy Halloween" or "chilly nighttime in mid-spring" in terms of what cold & humid feels like.
posted by teremala at 3:25 PM on October 3, 2019


Just a fashion note: the well-dressed Hamburg denizen's outerwear is black, or perhaps tan or olive. Bright red Lands End jackets indelibly mark you as Not From Around Here, to the level of weirded-out looks on public transit.

I might look for a shell with a zip-outable fleece lining. Versatile, should do you fine.
posted by humbug at 6:51 PM on October 3, 2019 [1 favorite]


Thirding a wind- and waterproof outer shell with an optional fleece underneath. Nobody wears rain pants unless out on a bike ride or a long hike in the countryside. November and December probably won't be terribly cold temperature-wise, but the humidity and wind will make it feel colder than it is.

Both the jackets you linked to look fine, probably won't make you stand out, and will work in typical weather. If you've only got room to bring one, bring the waterproof one and wear a fleece layer underneath.

Felted wool jackets sound like they would work better in dry weather, although wool is water repellent up to a point. I'd leave them at home or maybe bring one for dry days.

Depending on where you walk in Hamburg, be prepared for it to be quite windy (especially along the Elbe river) and bring a scarf and a hat or headband to protect your ears. Thin gloves might be a good idea as well if you get cold hands easily.

Combine this with jeans or other pants, and you should be fine. You could always wear tights underneath if it is really chilly, but I never needed to do that. (Disclaimer: My sister lives in Hamburg, so I've been there in all kinds of weather.)
posted by amf at 2:18 AM on October 4, 2019


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