Layering for Fall: When The Weather Goes From Hot to Cold and Back Again Throughout the Day

You know the time of year. It seems like you have to change outfits every few hours. It’s annoying, but it’s just part of the transition between seasons. In fact, some people may love getting to wear a bunch of different outfits throughout the day. It’s a great way to utilize more of your wardrobe, but it does mean a lot of extra laundry and transition time. Here are a few ways you can minimize this with layering and being prepared.

Check the Weather

The first thing you need to do is get into the habit of checking the weather every morning. You’ll find that getting into this habit will help so much with planning. Just keep in mind that things like wind, rain and humidity can change how it feels outside. Fall weather, as we know, can be super unpredictable. So, have a backup plan just in case the weather report is inaccurate.

In the Morning, Dress Like this

When you’re getting dressed in the morning, keep in mind that when you’re running out the door, you’ll want to have on all of your layers. If you aren’t familiar with layering, it’s when you layer several shirts, sweaters, coats, etc. on top of one another. You can also layer with pants (depending on how cold it is) with base-layer thermals under jeans or by utilizing tights. However, you probably don’t need to layer under pants at this point in the season.

You will want to start with a layering tee. If you're headed someplace where you need to have a more formal look, a cardigan or zip-up sweater might be the best way to go. Once you’ve decided on your second layer, consider putting a coat on top. The type of coat will vary depending on how cold it is in the morning and the evening. And as we said, make sure to check the weather and give yourself a little wiggle room in case it’s much hotter or colder than planned!

If your head and hands are cold, you also should take a light pair of knit gloves and a knit hat with you. Wear closed-toe shoes with breathable socks as well. There’s nothing worse than cold feet or cold ears.

If you need to wear a modest dress or modest skirt, you can also layer a sweater or cardigan over the top. You might just want to add some tights or leggings under your clothing to ensure your legs stay warm.

In the Afternoon, Dress like this

As the sun comes up, it will get gradually warmer. So, if you haven’t already, you’ll be able to remove your coat and sweater layers. Your base layering tee (by itself) should be perfect for the warmer weather. If you want to, you can also take a pair of open-toed shoes for afternoon wear. This might be more comfortable if your feet tend to get too hot or sweaty. 

If you’re wearing a dress or skirt, you can also remove your tights or leggings, if needed. They might make you too hot otherwise. Dresses that don’t have full sleeves may require a layering tee underneath to be modest. This can get a bit toasty in the afternoon, though. So, keep that in mind when picking out your dress and layers. You don’t want to get too hot. So, a sleeved dress might be the way to go if you easily get too hot. 

No matter how you’re dressed, just be sure to keep your top layers on hand for the evening.

In the Evening, Dress Like This

In the fall, evenings can be even more chilly than the wee hours of the morning. So, you’ll want to layer back up. Make sure to just start with your sweater or hoodie and see if that’s enough. If it’s not, add on your jacket. If it’s raining outside, you might want to skip your sweater or hoodie and just wear a poncho or waterproof jacket over your base layering tee. This way, you won’t get too hot. There’s nothing worse than sweating when you’re cold.

Speaking of sweating, you might need to change out your base tee shirt if you have a tendency to sweat a lot. Wet shirts can make you colder. So, keep this in mind as you begin to layer up again.

Don’t forget to change your shoes back to closed-toe ones with socks, if you put on sandals earlier in the day. If all else fails and you’re layered up but still cold, you can always add your smaller items such as gloves and hats. It takes time to learn what the weather will be like day-to-day, but as you learn, you’ll be more able to fine-tune your layering process.

Items to Have on Hand

While you might have some of these items from layering earlier in the day,, you might want to start carrying them with you or keep them in your car or bag!

• A windproof light jacket
• An extra sweater
• Gloves
• Hat
• Rain poncho

Having a few spare items will keep you much more comfortable, and the only thing that might take up some space is an extra jacket. All of these other items are easily packable.

Accessories are Great for All Weather

Something that you can add to your outfits that you won’t need to change with the temperatures going up and down are necklaces, earrings, headbands and bracelets. Accessories are great in all weather, and they can really dress up your outfit. So, don’t forget a few of your favorites as you’re running out the door in the morning with your bag. In addition, if you’re looking for more ways to dress up your outfits with accessories, you can read our blog post about it here.

If you’re looking for trendy modest clothing, look no further than Sweet Salt! We have clothing that is great for layering, like a wide variety of tees as well as modest dresses and skirts for all occasions!