# How to dress for the weather, from 0 to 30 °C

Canonical: http://localhost:3000/guides/dress-for-the-weather
Updated: 2026-09-24

> To dress for the weather, start from the feels-like temperature and pick clothes by band, from 0 to 30 °C in steps of five degrees. Outfello's paid daily planner applies the same check, comparing feels-like temperature, rain and wind with each garment's warmth and weather details. Rain and wind change the outer layer more than the temperature does.

Weather apps tell you the number; they rarely tell you what to put on. The number is a good start, but the difference between a comfortable day and a miserable one is usually wind, rain or the hour you leave the house. This guide shows how to dress for the weather by temperature band from 0 to 30 °C, then covers the three things that shift a band up or down: feels-like temperature, rain and wind.

The advice assumes an ordinary day of commuting and walking, not a hike. Everyone runs a little warmer or colder, so treat each band as a starting point and adjust after a week of noticing how you feel.

## Start from the feels-like temperature

The feels-like temperature (sometimes called "apparent temperature") combines air temperature with wind and humidity. On a still, dry day it matches the thermometer. On a windy day it drops, sometimes by several degrees, and on a humid summer day it climbs.

Use it as the number you dress for. Two days that both read 12 °C can call for different jackets: one calm and sunny, one with a strong wind off the water. The feels-like figure captures that difference in a single number.

Also look at the range. The morning low and the afternoon high matter more than the daily average, because you will be wearing the same outfit through both.

## What to wear in each temperature band

The table lists the feels-like temperature in five-degree bands and what usually works in each. "Top" means the layer against your body; "Mid layer" is anything worn over it; "Outer" is the jacket or coat.

| Feels like | Top | Mid layer | Outer | Bottoms | Shoes and extras |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0-5 °C | Long-sleeved top, thermal if you feel the cold | Warm knit or fleece | Warm, insulated coat that covers the hips | Heavy trousers or jeans; tights or thermals under skirts | Closed boots, warm socks, hat, scarf, gloves |
| 5-10 °C | Long-sleeved top or shirt | Knit jumper or cardigan | Medium-warm coat or padded jacket | Jeans, wool or cord trousers | Closed shoes or boots; scarf |
| 10-15 °C | Long-sleeved top or T-shirt | Light knit or sweatshirt | Light to medium jacket: trench, denim, overshirt | Jeans, chinos, trousers | Closed shoes; scarf optional |
| 15-20 °C | T-shirt or shirt | Optional light layer | Light jacket for morning and evening | Chinos, jeans, midi skirt | Trainers, loafers |
| 20-25 °C | T-shirt, short-sleeved shirt, light blouse | None | None, or something to carry for evening | Light trousers, skirts, shorts in casual settings | Trainers, loafers, sandals |
| 25-30 °C | Loose, breathable top in linen or cotton | None | None | Linen trousers, shorts, loose skirts or dresses | Sandals or breathable shoes; sun hat |

Two notes on reading it. First, the boundaries are soft: 10 °C in sunshine behaves like the band above, and 10 °C in drizzle like the band below. Second, the table assumes you are mostly walking. If you will be standing still outside for a long time, drop a band.

## Layering: the mid layer does the work

Layers are how one outfit copes with a day that runs from 8 °C to 18 °C. The rule is simple: dress the base for the afternoon, and add layers for the morning that you can take off.

- **Base layer.** Comfortable at the day's high. A T-shirt or shirt in cotton, linen or fine merino.
- **Mid layer.** The adjustable part. A knit, cardigan, fleece or sweatshirt that you can take off and carry.
- **Outer layer.** Protection from wind and rain as much as cold. A trench or light shell over a knit is warmer than a heavy coat over a T-shirt, and more flexible.

Thin layers beat one thick one because the air between them insulates, and because you can remove them one at a time. The exception is deep cold, around 0 °C and below, where a properly insulated coat matters more than anything under it.

## Dressing for rain

Rain changes the outer layer and the shoes more than anything else.

- **Light or occasional rain.** A water-resistant jacket, such as a trench or a treated cotton coat, is enough for a walk to the station. Carry a small umbrella.
- **Steady rain.** A waterproof jacket with a hood, taped seams if you will be out long. Avoid suede and canvas shoes; leather boots or rubber-soled shoes keep feet dry.
- **Rain and warmth together.** At 18 °C and wet, a waterproof shell over a T-shirt beats a warm coat you will be sweating in within ten minutes.

Hems matter too. Wide trousers and long skirts wick water upward; cropped or tapered bottoms stay drier.

## Dressing for wind

Wind strips warmth faster than most people expect, which is why the feels-like number drops. Three adjustments help:

1. **A wind-blocking outer layer.** Tightly woven fabrics, waxed cotton and technical shells stop wind; loose knits and open-weave jackets do not, however thick they are.
2. **Close the gaps.** A scarf at the neck and a jacket that closes fully do more than an extra layer underneath.
3. **Avoid flyaway pieces.** Loose skirts, wide scarves and unstructured hats are a nuisance in strong gusts.

## Snow, ice and extremes

Below freezing, the band table stops being enough. Grip matters more than style: boots with a proper tread, and time to walk carefully. Check local conditions before you go out, because a light frost on pavements can be more dangerous than a heavy snowfall on a gritted road. Above 30 °C, the goal flips to shade and airflow: loose natural fabrics, light colours and a hat.

## Getting weather checks on your own wardrobe

The band table works with a mental list of your clothes. It works better when each garment is described by how warm it is and how it handles weather.

In [Outfello](http://localhost:3000/use-cases/what-to-wear-today), every piece can carry those details: warmth (light, medium or warm), coverage (sleeve length, leg length, open or closed shoes), rain protection (none, resistant or waterproof), wind resistance and breathability. On paid plans the daily planner uses them. For your chosen city it checks the feels-like temperature, rain and wind for today or tomorrow, then suggests an outfit whose pieces match, skipping anything marked as in the laundry. Each suggestion is labelled "Checked", "Idea" or "Partial", and when a garment detail it needs is missing, the planner says which one so you can add it.

Two limits are worth knowing. For snow and ice the planner tells you to check conditions yourself rather than pretending to judge footing. And without a location, suggestions are labelled "Weather not checked". Only rounded coordinates, accurate to about a kilometre, are sent to the weather service. Which plans include the planner is listed on the [pricing page](http://localhost:3000/pricing).

## Dress for the weather with six ready outfits

Pick one outfit per band from what you already own and note it down. That gives you six ready answers for most of the year. [Outfit formulas](http://localhost:3000/guides/outfit-formulas) has combinations to fill each band, and if you would rather do the weather check once for the whole week, [how to plan outfits for the week](http://localhost:3000/guides/plan-outfits-for-the-week) folds the forecast into a ten-minute routine.

After a couple of weeks, notice where you land. If you are always taking the jacket off by ten, you run warm: dress from the band above the forecast. If you are cold by lunchtime, dress from the band below. The table is a map; your own notes are what make it accurate.

## Frequently asked questions

### What should I wear at 10 °C?

At around 10 °C most people are comfortable in a long-sleeved top or knit under a medium jacket, with long trousers and closed shoes. If it is windy or damp, choose a jacket that blocks wind and add a light scarf.

### Should I dress for the actual temperature or the feels-like temperature?

Dress for the feels-like temperature, because it accounts for wind and humidity, which change how warm you actually feel. The actual temperature is a useful check for things like whether rain may turn icy.

### How do I dress for a day that starts cold and ends warm?

Build the outfit in layers and dress the base layer for the afternoon high. Add a knit and a jacket for the morning that you can take off and carry later.

### Does Outfello check the weather for me?

On paid plans the daily planner suggests outfits for today and tomorrow in a chosen city and checks feels-like temperature, rain and wind against your garments. For snow and ice it tells you to check conditions yourself.