What to Wear to Bonfire Night: A Warm, Safe Outfit Guide

For Bonfire Night, dress for two or three hours of standing still on cold, often damp ground. Wear thin layers under a hooded, zip-up coat, add leggings or tights under your trousers, choose waterproof boots with thick socks, and finish with a hat and gloves. Keep anything loose or trailing, such as long scarves, wide sleeves or open capes, tucked in or left at home, and wear gloves if you will be holding sparklers.

Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November this year, and many organised displays take place on the weekends either side. This guide covers what to wear from head to toe, what to choose for children and the clothing safety points worth knowing before you go.

Why Bonfire Night feels colder than you expect

Most of us dress for winter based on walking about: the school run, the commute or a trip to the shops. A fireworks display is different. You walk to the field, then stand in roughly the same spot for a long time while the ground draws heat from your feet and the evening air gets steadily colder and damper. Even a mild November afternoon can turn into a raw evening once the sun has gone.

It also helps to remember that you will be warm on one side and cold on the other if you stand near a bonfire. Layers you can open and close easily cope with this far better than one heavy jumper.

What to wear to Bonfire Night, from head to toe

1. A thin base layer

Start with a close-fitting long-sleeved top: a thermal, a fine wool top or a cotton long-sleeved T-shirt. Tuck it into your trousers so cold air cannot creep up your back when you look up at the sky. A base layer adds warmth without bulk, which matters when you also need to fit a jumper and a coat on top.

2. A warm mid layer

Over the base layer, add a jumper, a fleece or a knitted cardigan. If you are heading to the pub or a friend's house afterwards, pick something you are happy to be seen in once the coat comes off. A roll neck is a useful choice because it keeps your neck warm without the need for a long scarf.

3. A hooded coat that zips up

Your coat does most of the work against wind and drizzle. A padded coat, parka or heavy wool coat that reaches at least to the hip is ideal for standing still, and a hood is far more practical than an umbrella in a crowd. Choose a coat that fastens properly at the front so you can zip it up when the wind picks up and open it if you end up near the fire.

4. An extra layer for your legs

Legs are the layer most people forget. Jeans on their own let the cold through quickly when you are not moving, so wear leggings or thermal tights underneath, or thick opaque tights under a skirt or dress. Our thick knitted leggings are full length and one size, fitting UK 8 to 14, so they slip under jeans or a skirt easily.

5. Waterproof boots and thick socks

Footwear is where many Bonfire Night outfits go wrong. Grass that looks dry at teatime is often wet and muddy by the time the fireworks start, and cold rises through thin soles. Wellies or waterproof walking boots with a grippy sole are the safest bet. Wear thick socks, but leave a little room in the boot, because squeezing your toes cuts circulation and makes them colder. Leave canvas trainers and suede at home.

6. A hat, gloves and a neck layer

Hands, feet and ears tend to feel the cold first. A close-fitting knitted beanie keeps your ears covered and long hair tidy. For the neck, a snood, a neck warmer or a short scarf tucked inside your coat is warmer and safer than a long scarf with loose ends.

Gloves are worth packing even on a mild night. If you will be taking photos or videos of the display, a pair with touch screen fingertips means you can use your phone without exposing your hands. Our black touch screen winter gloves have conductive fingertips and a non-slip palm, which helps when you are holding a phone or a hot drink.

Clothing safety around bonfires and sparklers

Staying warm is only half the job. Fire services repeat the same clothing advice every year, and it is easy to follow:

• Wear gloves for sparklers. London Fire Brigade advises that everyone handling sparklers should wear gloves, that sparklers should not be given to children under five, and that finished sparklers should go into a bucket of cold water. Thicker gloves are the better choice for sparklers, so it can be worth keeping a separate sturdy pair just for this.
• Avoid loose, trailing clothing. Tuck in scarves, tie back long hair and skip wide sleeves, ponchos or flowing costumes near a fire or sparklers.
• Keep your distance from the bonfire. GOV.UK fire safety guidance points out that even clothes labelled "low flammability" can catch fire, so no outfit makes it safe to stand close to the flames.
• Think about fabrics. Many thin synthetic fabrics can melt if a spark or ember lands on them, and smoke clings to knits and hair. Wool and cotton outer layers are a popular choice for garden bonfires, and it is sensible to leave delicate or dry-clean-only pieces at home.
• Be easy to see. If you are walking to a display along unlit roads, a bright hat or something reflective helps drivers and your own group spot you.

What should children wear to Bonfire Night?

Children follow the same layering rules, with a few extras. Younger children often stand still for longer than adults because they are waiting and watching, and they may also sit on cold grass. A waterproof jacket and trousers, or a fleece-lined all-in-one for little ones, keeps them dry if they end up on the ground.

• Pack a spare pair of gloves or mittens, because one pair always ends up wet or lost.
• Choose a hat that covers the ears and stays on. A knitted beanie is easy to pull down over the ears and fits under a hood.
• Many children find the bangs loud, so ear defenders are worth bringing for babies and toddlers.
• Let them run about or jump on the spot before the display starts. Moving is one of the quickest ways to warm up.

A quick Bonfire Night outfit checklist

Small extras that make a big difference

• A flask of something hot. A warm drink helps you feel warmer and is handy when queues for food stalls are long.
• Hand warmers. Reusable or single-use hand warmers in your coat pockets give cold fingers somewhere to recover.
• Something to sit on. A folded blanket or a waterproof mat stops the damp coming through if you sit down.
• A small torch. Fields and car parks are dark once the display ends, and a torch helps you avoid mud and trip hazards.
• Dry socks for the journey home. If the ground is wet, a spare pair in the car is a small luxury. Our guide on how to keep your feet warm in boots has more tips for cold toes.

Frequently asked questions

What should I wear to a fireworks display in the UK?

Wear warm layers under a hooded, zip-up coat, leggings or tights under your trousers, waterproof boots with thick socks, a hat and gloves. Plan for wet grass and a long stretch of standing still.

Do you need gloves for sparklers?

Yes. UK fire services advise that everyone handling sparklers wears gloves. Hold them at arm's length, light them one at a time and put finished sparklers into a bucket of cold water.

Is a long scarf safe to wear at a bonfire?

It is better to avoid loose, trailing ends near a fire or sparklers. Tuck a short scarf inside your coat, or wear a snood or a roll neck instead.

What should I wear on my feet to Bonfire Night?

Wellies or waterproof boots with a grippy sole are best, as displays are often held on grass that gets wet and muddy. Pair them with thick socks and leave a little room for your toes to move.

Enjoy the fireworks, not the shivers

A good Bonfire Night outfit is simple: thin layers you can adjust, something extra on your legs, waterproof boots, and a hat and gloves, with nothing loose or trailing near the fire. Dress for standing still rather than walking, and you will stay comfortable from the first rocket to the walk home. If you need a few warm pieces before the night, take a look at our winter collection.