What to wear by temperature

What to wear by temperature, 0 to 100°F

Every few degrees changes the answer. Here is my honest read on everything from 0 to 100 degree weather: how each one feels, the layers that suit it, and what I think of it.

• 0 degree weather

  0°F (−18°C): insulated parka weather.

  0°F is not weather. It is the planet checking whether you are paying attention.

• 10 degree weather

  10°F (−12°C): heavy insulated coat weather.

  10°F: the snow squeaks, the car groans and so do you.

• 20 degree weather

  20°F (−7°C): insulated winter coat weather.

  20°F is the temperature where breathing becomes a visible activity.

• 25 degree weather

  25°F (−4°C): winter coat or long puffer weather.

  25°F: every surface is either frozen or thinking about it.

• 30 degree weather

  30°F (−1°C): heavy winter coat or long puffer weather.

  30°F: the sky’s way of asking whether you really needed to go outside.

• 35 degree weather

  35°F (2°C): warm coat or puffer weather.

  35°F is freezing’s cousin that never quite commits but ruins your socks anyway.

• 40 degree weather

  40°F (4°C): puffer or wool coat weather.

  40°F is cold with nothing to show for it. All the suffering, none of the snow photos.

• 45 degree weather

  45°F (7°C): medium jacket, light coat or puffer vest weather.

  45°F: the weather version of a text that just says “k”.

• 50 degree weather

  50°F (10°C): light jacket, denim jacket or hoodie weather.

  50 degrees is the weather saying “it’s fine” through gritted teeth.

• 55 degree weather

  55°F (13°C): light jacket, overshirt or denim jacket weather.

  55°F is the temperature where everybody suddenly owns a flannel.

• 60 degree weather

  60°F (16°C): t-shirt or long sleeve weather.

  60°F is perfect for about forty minutes, then a cloud shows up and ruins everything.

• 65 degree weather

  65°F (18°C): t-shirt weather.

  65°F is the weather finally doing its job and acting like it deserves applause.

• 70 degree weather

  70°F (21°C): t-shirt or short sleeves weather.

  70°F: the one temperature nobody has ever complained about. Give them time.

• 75 degree weather

  75°F (24°C): t-shirt, tank or short sleeves weather.

  75°F is the weather that makes people say “we should do this more often” and then never do.

• 80 degree weather

  80°F (27°C): cotton or linen t-shirt weather.

  80°F: the air conditioner’s time to shine and your bill’s time to cry.

• 85 degree weather

  85°F (29°C): loose cotton or linen top weather.

  85°F: the shirt sticks to your back like it has abandonment issues.

• 90 degree weather

  90°F (32°C): loose, light-coloured cotton or linen weather.

  90°F: the sun is not shining, it is supervising.

• 95 degree weather

  95°F (35°C): the lightest, loosest clothes you own weather.

  95°F: the air feels like someone left the oven door open on the whole city.

• 100 degree weather

  100°F (38°C): the lightest, loosest clothes you own weather.

  100°F: the sun has stopped being a star and started being a problem.