How to Know Whether a Sweater Will Be Warm Enough

Winter is tough for more reasons than just the cold. It’s also tough on your sense of fashion. It makes you question how many layers to wear, what kind of fabrics to keep handy, and what kind of sweater will keep you warm enough. But if you know your climate and your wardrobe, there are ways to know whether your sweater is going to be appropriate for the weather this morning.

Know Your Climate

Generally, if you’ve lived in one place long enough, you’ll have enough of a winter wardrobe built up that you won’t have to struggle to find the right accessories to pair with the winter weather. But if you’ve moved somewhere new recently, particularly from north to south or vice versa, your wardrobe might be entirely unprepared for what you can expect this winter.

Do a little research on your local climate to learn what kind of temperatures to expect: this will give you a basic idea of whether or not you need to invest in additional layers ranging from heavy winter jackets to simply accessories like hats and gloves.

In some climates, the weather has a habit of turning quickly, as well: be prepared for that by adding a simple layer on top more often than not. You can simply remove it if the weather is too warm for it.

Invest in the Right Clothes

There are lots of great sweaters you can buy to add a quick layer to your wardrobe that will have you ready for a cold winter, but it’s important to remember that your clothes should be tailored to your climate. If you’re in an unstable climate with a lot of temperature range in the winter, go for sweaters that can be opened, like this Zip Cardigan Sweater Silver Lightning. Sweaters with buttons only on the top won’t give you as much flexibility and tend to be more appropriate for warmer climates.

Apply this same principle to other accessories in your wardrobe. Some people in cold climates buy mittens that can be turned into fingerless gloves. Some people keep an extra pullover at their office in order to adjust to an office that’s too cold. As always, your individual strategies will depend on where you live and what you can expect through winter—even if you have to expect the unexpected.

Make Checking the Weather Part of Your Daily Routine

When it’s cold outside, you can’t exactly go out and get the mail in your pajamas—not unless you want to freeze, anyway. That’s why you should try to make checking the outdoor weather first a part of your daily routine. After all, anyone who’s lived in cold weather knows that a sunny winter day can be incredibly deceiving.

Here are a couple of resources to get you started:

• DailyDressMe doesn’t only show you the temperature in your area: it shows you what kind of outfits will be appropriate. Use this app to judge approximately how many layers you might need.
• Cloth is an app that allows you to view styles based on other options like categories, but lets you dress yourself appropriately for the weather as well.

Once you have that handled, all you need to do is shower, dress, and head outdoors.