Have you misunderestimated the changes in the weather? - YouLookFab Forum

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Have you misunderestimated the changes in the weather?

unfrumped

Veteran

First, we had the Polar Vortex Winter. Then, the Unusually Cool Summer. Then the Record Warm October.
Now we have started having cooler temps, more typical fall, but in a few days are expecting the influx of the arctic air mass or New Polar Vortex, before it's Thanksgiving, even.

I feel like I've almost missed "fall" and am ready to start in on my warmest clothes. That's good for getting wear out of some new cozy sweater purchases, but I had some mid-weight items that may get skipped over. I'm ready for a coat and not feeling the love for my jackets. Ormaybe I'm just getting ever more cold-natured. And in the South for heaven's sake.

I guess layering still works, and thankfully some of the fluid/oversized fits accomodate Cuddle Duds and fleece tights and other layers.
I wasn't going to add a coat this year, but am starting to consider one of the more boxy coat styles, whichever one would look best for me, over thicker knits.

Has "climate change" kept you guessing as to how many of what weight/warmth items you need? Or caused you to keep a lot more items in the active closet and not packed away as you might for predictable seasons.

22 replies

Latest reply was from tulle

columbine(erin)

Veteran

I haven't packed away anything because I still need it all. I would normally have needed to dress for snow by now. It's weirdly warm for November right now.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Last year Polar Vortex made updating my winter basics a priority: a pair of winter-worthy dress boots, a new puffer, a new puffer vest to layer under my wool coats so I can wear them more into real winter, more really warm sweaters...Our October was pretty typical this year - unlike summer which was really cool.
I still hope that real snow won't come until Christmas...this is when I really have to go into a heavy winter mode for at least 3-4 months...

Eden

I'm having the opposite problem! All stocked up for winter, but it's weirdly warm where I am (LDN), so I'm actually having to hunt for more transitional pieces. It's kind of a pain!

Lucy

Veteran

In Australia, we felt no impact from the polar vortex last year - but we do seem to have more extremes in climate, and more frequent natural disasters such as floods and bush fires. I mean, we always have these things, but they seem to be becoming more common.
In terms of dressing, I always get confused with a change of season. It is almost like I forget how to dress for a particular weather, at least for a few days! Then I get back into the groove....

unfrumped

Veteran

Lucy, that's it!
You'd think I'd know what to wear if the weather report says 65 degrees or 50 or whatever. But I found myself not ramping up warmly enough and would freeze on the way in to work and say, why am I doing this shivering act when I have all sorts of warm things back in my closet I could have worn? Or also the daytime highs would be warmer and I didn't layer correctly.
So I felt exactly that way, I had to re-program myself.

Deborah

Veteran

I echo Lucy's thoughts. We have a periods between Summer / Autumn and then Winter /Spring where the weather is all over the place. One day cold the next day hot (at least that is my experience in Melbourne and most recently Bendigo). It makes it very difficult to get your mojo happening lol. I keep all my clothing out year long which works here as much of it can transition with the seasons.

Elly

Veteran

Actually, in our area this year has been a return to more normal weather patterns with a better winter, a proper summer without crazy drought, and monsoons plus a cool fall. This is the first time since 1998 though, which means that it caught all of us off guard. Weathering this winter will be interesting depending on how it goes.

DonnaF

Veteran

Yes; we've had an unusually warm fall with temperatures averaging ten degrees warmer than usual. That's why I don't jump to get rid of clothing that I haven't worn much; the temps just may not have been appropriate to the item that *season*. I AM learning that I need to wear my few polyester items when the temps are in a certain narrow range: Cool enough so I won't get sweaty, and warm enough so the item doesn't feel clammy.

I think starting Wednesday, we will actually be getting our fall weather, so in the 60s rather than the 70s.

Echo

Veteran

Fall has always been unpredictable where I live. There are years where the kids start school in jeans and need warm gear under Halloween costumes, and years when the kids start school in shorts and barely need a jacket by December 1st. So we have never known what to expect!

But winter storm "Astro" (ruh-roh!) is headed this way now, and while we won't get much of the snow, our temperatures will be below freezing for most of next week. I am ready for it because I always prefer colder to warmer!

Anonymous

I'm in the same boat where I live and, like Sveta, have had to spend the bulk of my clothing budget this year buying clothing that will get me through what is predicted to be even colder than last winter. Brrrr!!!

That said, our cooler-than-average summer is the first summer I've ever enjoyed. I'm not a summer person.

Runcarla

Veteran

Having moved 900 km south, I'm enjoying a real autumn in my new home community. Heck, we are supposed to hit 12deg. C on Tuesday, whereas if I was still in northern Ontario I would be whinging about the snow! (They are supposed to get 15-20 cm on Tuesday.)

Because I am used to long winters, I am putting off wearing my high boots for as long as possible.

Joy

Veteran

I had planned to switch to a late fall wardrobe on November 15th, still having some sleeveless things and light weight toppers in my closet now. It looks like the switch should have been made this weekend as we may have snow and cold this week. My closet feels too stuffed.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I keep all most of my clothing out too - our weather is all over the place it can be 70 ish one day & 100 the next. I just sort my clothes from heaviest to lightest. The only things I put away are the linens in winter & I only do that because I'm too lazy to iron them twice. I wash them at the end of autumn & put them in a spare drawer un-ironed. I wash them again when I bring them out for the next summer & iron them all then.

rachylou

Veteran

Omg. I don't know if I'm coming or going. Skipped summer, bypassed fall, slammed into winter... Now hot nights in the banana walk...

Jjsloane

Veteran

I hear you exactly. I have been doing the switchover of closets - I pack away light tees that I don't layer, linen, and very summery items. I realize I don't have room for any more sweaters (remind me if I think I'm buying another one) and I've only worn my Burberry quilted jacket once (too lightweight for the vortex so this could be it). Fall is my favorite season and I do feel a bit robbed of the chance to dress for it. I feel that way about some summer items it was never hot enough for too. But I have enough winter items I'll be ok, just probably sick of them sooner than I normally would be.

crutcher

Veteran

Three cheers for cuddle duds...I have everything ready for the below freezing next few days...The storm out of Alaska is going to cause all of us to bundle more and count days to summer...
Weather has definitely changed...and not for the better...

Anonymous

I want to add that our weather is such that I don't pack anything away. On the plus side, I know what I have and don't have the out of sight out of mind problem.

catgirl

Veteran

Yes, but in my defense the weather has been BIZARRE! Today it's 45 and the snow has all melted due to this weird typhoon coming through. I am all over the place....

shiny

Veteran

What Lucy said. Complicating factors, I am traveling so much lately, it's difficult to know what to pack for a southern clime after re-acclimating to my northern one, and then back again to the south. I do find it helps to pay attention to the "Real Feel" temperature, check the wind chill, and the humidity (the higher the humidity, the warmer it feels). And of course to pack & dress in layers.

When I used to run every day, I kept a log of temperature, wind chill, humidity mapped to what I wore for the run and whether it was just right/ too hot/ too cold. It was very helpful to consult that a year later when I wasn't sure how to dress. In a similar manner, I do like going back into my WIW photos to remind myself what I was wearing this time last year for similar weather conditions.

unfrumped

Veteran

Well, it mess up my new plan for a change in closet organization. For fun, not necessity, I was going to try sort of a 40-item "seasonal" wardrobe and offload items to the spare closet, but also with seasonal organization, not hoarding, just to give more clarity and simplicity. But then I was reaching back for more lightweight items and this week I'll want items I thought I wouldn't be wearing until Dec-Jan. Oh well!
It does continue to keep me interested in wardrobe versatility and just the right layers--which layering pieces are "easy", comfortable and not fussy.
Also, DonnaF, I have had the same experience with polyester items. I had though myself rather polyester-tolerant as had a mix of types of blouse fabrics for years. But they just don't feel right in summer, and then, whoops, are not warm enough for me indoors when the season changes to even a bit of chill. Although I can layer with them in cold weather.
So that has increased my interest in "substantial cotton knits" and "thin soft merino knits" as transition items that are more comfortable than woven polyester.

Alassë

Veteran

As Shiny says, keeping a record of what temperatures you need certain weights of layers is very helpful year-to-year.

tulle

Veteran

I know what you mean. I bought three pretty leather jackets this Summer, imagining myself wearing them throughout Autumn, but October was mostly too warm for them, and now it's too cold. Luckily, two of them were thrift shop bargains, so it's not a big problem!