HOW TO DRESS FOR A NIGHT OUT IN REYKJAVIK

Finally, You have booked your ticket to Iceland, the land of fire and Ice! So, what’s next?

You are finalizing the itinerary for your big Iceland trip … You will most likely begin the trip with a relaxing dip in the Blue Lagoon and god knows you don’t want to miss the out on our beautiful Icelandic nature. But Iceland is known for more than breathtaking uncharted nature, Blue Lagoon, Vikings, and puffins. I am of course talking about the vibrant and lively nightlife in Reykjavik. 

NIGHTLIFE IN REYJKJAVIK

With TONS of awesome bars and clubs in Reykjavik, all located on our main shopping street Laugavegur (open until 4.30) in the morning you should not have any trouble finding some FUN!
Most travelers are excited to explore our downtown Reykjavik at night and see what all the fuss is about.

…Most travelers also always seem to have the same questions in mind: ‘How do I dress for a night out in Reykjavik? Is there a strict Icelandic knitted wool sweater dress code or should I just wear my hiking gear?’

Sharply dressed guest, having FUN and ‘enjoying’ some fermented shark on our Reykjavik Bar Crawl!

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BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS IN REYKJAVIK

Our main shopping street Laugarvegur is absolutely packed with different bars and clubs. It’ll usually only take around 10-15 seconds to walk between venues – which is brilliant. Especially during those cold winter months! Both the dress code and styles of outfits can differ from bars to clubs. Most bars don’t have any dress codes but you will definitely find a few nightclubs and cocktail lounges that want their guests to dress in a certain way.

DRESS CODE FOR BARS:

There are plenty of really fun bars to be found in Reykjavik. It isn’t uncommon to find live music – and our obsession for crafted beers and microbreweries has resulted in a huge variety of delicious Icelandic beers to be found in a lot of venues. When it comes to dressing code, bars in Reykjavik tend to be very laid back. As long as you are not rude nor to drunk to remember your own name, you’ll be welcomed with open arms by bartenders that are happy to serve thirsty costumes regardless of what they are wearing. You can wear anything from a suit and tie – to a knitted Icelandic sweater with sneakers. Basically, whatever you’re wearing works!

DRESS CODE FOR NIGHTCLUBS:

Like most cities, Reykjavik has a lot more bars than clubs. But when it comes to nightclubs and cocktail lounges, we definitely do have some really good ones! They all seem to have a very similar level of dress code which is in short:
* No sneakers (especially white colored)
* No hiking gear (leave the hiking clothes and crampons at your hotel)
* No hoodies
* No sweat pants

Instead, they encourage their guest to wear something neat, smart and trendy. A blazer or suit will definitely work. However, it isn’t necessary to go all out in fanciness. A nice shirt and jeans for example with dark or brown shoes will work perfectly as well. But since it can get chilly during the winter time, I would recommend bringing a warm jacket, coat or blazer to keep you warm while you hop between different bars and nightclubs.

Shark tasting & Icelandic Beer. Photo taken from the Reykjavik Bar Crawl!

Like I mentioned before, the bars won’t give you any trouble if you aren’t dressed in your Sunday best. However, I always believe the most fun nights in Reykjavik to be a mix of both bars and clubs so it definitely isn’t a bad idea to put on a shirt, jeans and darks shoes to ensure that you’ll breeze into the nightclubs as well. Here are a few ideas of outfits that you’ll commonly see being sported on the vibrant Laugavegur street when the sun starts to set.

FOR GENTLEMEN:

You can’t go wrong with a shirt, jeans with a blazer or jacket. Something that looks good and works with multiple occasions in case you won’t have endless space in your suitcase for nightlife attire.

FOR LADIES:

Jeans and a top will definitely do the job. Or a simple dress and you will own the club! But like mentioned above, keep in mind that the weather can change without notice – And during the winter it will be COLD. And for that reason, many Icelandic girls will try to look their best but still bring with them a warm park, coat or jacket over their layers of clothes.

TO SUM IT UP

Iceland has a vibrant and fun nightlife scene that is definitely worth checking out. Dress code can vary on whether you’ll be visiting bars or clubs in Reykjavik. It can also be good to keep in mind that the weather can get a bit chilly, especially during the winter season. As long as you dress smart (possibly with a warm jacket,) you’ll be all set and ready to take on the awesome Reykjavik nightlife, meet the fun locals and try our delicious crafted beer and spirits.
So to you my friend, I say ‘Skál’! (cheers in Icelandic.)