What to wear in 10 °C
10 °C (50 °F) is a typical spring or autumn day in much of Europe. The figure is dressed for a dry 10 °C day; turn on rain in the weather to see what changes.
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Today’s look
Sage long-sleeve tee, black jeans and black sneakers, with a forest green puffer jacket
Casual, right for 10 °C.
Why this works
- At 10 °C, the forest green puffer jacket handles the time outside and comes off indoors, where the sage long-sleeve tee keeps you comfortable.StandardSchiavon & Lee (2013)
- Forest green and sage sit next to each other on the colour wheel, so they blend naturally.ResearchSchloss & Palmer (2011)
- The forest green puffer jacket against the black jeans gives a clear light-and-dark contrast, which people tend to like.ResearchSchloss & Palmer (2011)
Or try
Wearing this today?
Log it, and the picks rotate what you wear.
How this works: Method, 7 sources,
How this works
Method
With no wardrobe it builds a look from colour schemes; with yours it picks from what you own, leaving out pieces archived, in the wash or worn recently. A pick must suit the occasion and the weather, then it is scored on colour harmony (the Ou–Luo model and scheme rules, in OKLab), light against dark, warmth (garment insulation summed as in ISO 9920, against the UTCI clothing model), formality and rotation. The same day and wardrobe give the same pick until you shuffle.
Sources
- Ou, L.-C. & Luo, M. R., "A colour harmony model for two-colour combinations", Color Research & Application 31(3) (2006)
- Schloss, K. B. & Palmer, S. E., "Aesthetic response to color combinations", Attention, Perception & Psychophysics 73(2) (2011)
- Ottosson, B., "A perceptual color space for image processing" (OKLab) (2020)
- ISO 9920, Ergonomics of the thermal environment: estimation of thermal insulation of a clothing ensemble
- ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy (garment insulation table)
- Havenith, G. et al., "The UTCI-clothing model", International Journal of Biometeorology 56(3) (2012)
- MET Norway, Locationforecast 2.0 (weather data, CC BY 4.0)
Changes
- Added 21 pages: what colours go with navy, black, grey, beige, olive, burgundy, brown, white, denim and pink (each table from the engine), and what to wear from 40 to 80 °F and 5 to 25 °C.
- First published.
How warm the figure’s outfit is at 10 °C
The target. The UTCI clothing model gives the insulation people typically wear outdoors at an air temperature T in °C: 1.372 − 0.01866·T − 0.0004849·T² − 0.000009333·T³. At 10 °C (50 °F) that is 1.13 clo. One clo is a unit of clothing insulation.
The outfit. The figure’s garments, with their single-garment values: long-sleeve tee 0.20 + jeans 0.24 + puffer jacket 0.60 + sneakers 0.02 + underwear 0.04 + ankle socks 0.02 = 1.12. ISO 9920 turns the sum into the outfit’s insulation: 0.161 + 0.835 × 1.12 = 1.10 clo, 0.03 below the target.
The tool counts an outfit as right for the weather when it is within about a third of a clo below or four tenths above the target. Values for coats and jackets are estimates; the rest come from the ASHRAE 55 garment table.
How much to wear around 10 °C
Clothing insulation in clo: outdoors from the UTCI clothing model, indoors from the office model (Schiavon & Lee), with a typical outfit near the outdoor figure.
| Temperature | Outdoors | Indoors | About this warm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 °C (39 °F) | 1.29 | 0.67 | Long-sleeve tee, sweater, jeans and a trench coat (1.19) |
| 6 °C (43 °F) | 1.24 | 0.63 | Long-sleeve tee, sweater, jeans and a trench coat (1.19) |
| 8 °C (46 °F) | 1.19 | 0.61 | Long-sleeve tee, sweater, jeans and a trench coat (1.19) |
| 10 °C (50 °F) | 1.13 | 0.59 | Long-sleeve tee, sweater, jeans and a trench coat (1.19) |
| 12 °C (54 °F) | 1.06 | 0.57 | Shirt, jeans and a leather jacket (1.04) |
| 14 °C (57 °F) | 0.99 | 0.55 | Shirt, jeans and a leather jacket (1.04) |
| 16 °C (61 °F) | 0.91 | 0.54 | Shirt, jeans and a leather jacket (1.04) |
A proper jacket, not a coat
At 10 °C the clothing model suggests about 1.13 clo outdoors. That is a warm jacket over a long-sleeve top or jumper. The look above reaches 1.10 clo.
This is the temperature where a trench coat, a padded gilet over a jumper, or a quilted jacket all work. A heavy winter coat can feel too warm once you are moving.
10 °C and raining
Wet clothing insulates less, so a damp 10 °C day feels colder than a dry one. With rain on, the tool asks for a water-resistant outer layer and closed shoes that are not suede, a convention the tool labels as such.
Raincoats are often thin. If yours is, wear a jumper or fleece under it; the waterproof keeps you dry and the knit keeps you warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 10 degrees Celsius cold?
Cool rather than cold. Most people want a jacket outside, but not a heavy winter coat.
Coat or jacket at 10 °C?
A jacket is usually enough: a padded, quilted or trench jacket over long sleeves. Choose a coat if you run cold or will stand still outside.
Can I wear shorts at 10 °C?
For sport, yes. For a day out, most people are more comfortable in trousers.
What should I wear at 10 °C in the rain?
A waterproof jacket over a warm layer, and closed shoes or boots. Avoid suede and canvas, which soak through.