Guide
What to wear for the weather.
The quickest way to decide what to wear is to start with the forecast, not the closet. Temperature tells you how many layers you need; rain, wind and sun tell you which ones. Here’s a simple guide you can use every morning.
Start with the “feels like” temperature
The “feels like” number accounts for wind and humidity, so it’s closer to what your body notices than the air temperature. Use it, and use the coldest part of the day you’ll be outside: the walk to work at 8am matters more than the 3pm high if you’ll be indoors by then.
What to wear at each temperature
| Feels like | Tops and layers | Bottoms and shoes |
|---|---|---|
| Above 80°F (27°C) | Light, breathable short sleeves; linen or cotton | Shorts, skirts or light trousers; sandals or canvas shoes |
| 70–80°F (21–27°C) | T-shirt or light shirt | Light trousers, jeans or a skirt; sneakers |
| 60–70°F (15–21°C) | Long sleeves, or a T-shirt plus a light layer | Jeans or trousers; closed shoes |
| 50–60°F (10–15°C) | A knit or sweatshirt, plus a light jacket | Full-length bottoms; closed shoes or boots |
| 40–50°F (4–10°C) | Warm mid-layer under a proper coat | Heavier trousers; boots; consider a scarf |
| Below 40°F (4°C) | Thermal or base layer, warm knit, insulated coat | Warm socks and boots; hat, scarf and gloves |
Adjust for rain, wind and sun
- Rain: swap canvas or suede shoes for something water-resistant, choose a hooded or water-resistant outer layer, and avoid long hems that soak up puddles.
- Wind: a tightly woven outer layer does more than a thicker knit. Treat a windy day as a row colder in the table.
- Strong sun: light colors and loose fits stay cooler; add sunglasses and a hat. Treat a still, sunny day as a little warmer than the number says.
- Humidity: on humid days, breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen matter more than how few layers you wear.
When the morning and afternoon disagree
A big swing between the low and the high is the hardest kind of day to dress for. Build the outfit for the afternoon, then add one layer for the morning that’s easy to carry: a cardigan, overshirt or packable jacket. Avoid a heavy coat you’ll be holding by noon.
Make it automatic
If you’d rather not think about any of this, a closet app can do the matching. Cotton checks Apple Weather for your approximate location and builds the day’s outfit from your own clothes, choosing warmth, layers and shoes for the forecast, and writes a one-line reason under it. The location goes only to Apple Weather. The features page has the details, and for longer trips the packing guide uses the same idea for each day.
Questions
What should I wear when it’s 60°F (15°C)?+
A long-sleeve top or a T-shirt with a light layer, such as a cardigan, overshirt or denim jacket, with trousers or jeans and closed shoes. If the morning is cooler than the afternoon, pick a layer you can carry.
What should I wear when it’s 50°F (10°C)?+
A warm mid-layer such as a knit or sweatshirt under a jacket or light coat, full-length bottoms and closed shoes. Add a scarf if it’s windy.
Should I dress for the high or the low temperature?+
Dress for the coldest part of the day you’ll be outside, then make the top layer easy to take off. If the swing is more than about 15°F (8°C), layers matter more than any single warm piece.
Is there an app that tells me what to wear for the weather?+
Cotton does this with your own clothes. It checks Apple Weather for your approximate location and picks warmth, layers and shoes for the forecast from the pieces you’ve photographed, with a one-line reason under the outfit.
Get dressed for the forecast.
Cotton for iPhone and iPad. No account, no ads, free up to 25 pieces.