What Should I Wear in 60 Degree Weather
Your choice of sleeves, no jacket, a layer in the bag: what to wear at 60 to 65 degrees.
All 50 things to wear
The short answer
For a child at school
On a run
On a bike
For a city, a coast or an island in the 60s
Leave at home
The short answer 7
Jeans with a light windbreaker or sweater A visitor bureau says this covers most needs in its city, which averages 54 to 65 in summer. Long sleeves, if 60 feels cool to you Just under 60, six of the nine school charts still ask for long sleeves. Long-sleeved shirt and shorts, on a run at 60 A marathon organizer’s chart for 55 to 64 degrees. Short or long sleeves and no jacket, most days From 60 up, five of nine school charts read here allow short sleeves or a free choice. Short-sleeved jersey and bare knees, on a bike A cycling coach’s chart for 60 degrees and over. Short-sleeved shirt and shorts, on a run at 65 A marathon organizer’s chart for 65 to 74 degrees. Sweatshirt or fleece to pull on later A national park whose highs average in the mid-60s tells visitors to bring one.
For a child at school 5
Clothes for the feels-like 60, not the forecast high Five of nine school charts read here go by the feels-like reading, not the thermometer. Jacket or sweatshirt, on a 59-degree morning Four of nine school charts still name one below 60. Long-sleeved top from 55 to 60 An Iowa school’s playground chart, which goes by the feels-like reading. Short-sleeved shirt for recess An Iowa school and a Minnesota school both allow short sleeves from 60 degrees. Whatever the child picks Two Iowa schools make clothing the student’s choice once it passes 60.
On a run 12
Cap with a brim, in rain A brim stops rain running into your eyes, a marathon organizer says. Light gloves, if your hands get cold A marathon organizer lists them as the one extra for 55 to 64 degrees. Lightweight waterproof running jacket, in rain A marathon organizer wants one that breathes, so you stay dry without overheating. Long-sleeved wicking shirt, from 55 to 64 First of two tops on a marathon organizer’s chart for that range. Moisture-wicking running socks On a marathon organizer’s chart from 55 to 74 degrees. Reflective vest or armbands, before sunrise A marathon organizer’s advice for runs in the dark. Running cap, if you want one A marathon organizer calls a cap optional from 65 to 74 degrees. Running capris A marathon organizer’s other choice to shorts at 55 to 64 degrees. Running shorts On a marathon organizer’s chart from 55 degrees up. Short-sleeved shirt with arm sleeves A marathon organizer’s second top for 55 to 64 degrees. Short-sleeved wicking shirt, from 65 A marathon organizer’s top for 65 to 74 degrees. Sunglasses for a run On a marathon organizer’s list from 65 degrees up.
On a bike 6
Arm warmers in a jersey pocket A cycling coach says to carry a pair in case it cools off mid-ride. Bare arms and legs A cycling coach’s chart puts nothing on the limbs at 60 degrees and over. Cycling cap, or nothing under the helmet A cycling coach’s chart allows either from 50 degrees up. Short-fingered cycling gloves On a cycling coach’s chart for 60 degrees and over. Short-sleeved cycling jersey All a cycling coach’s chart asks for on top at 60 degrees and over. Wicking base layer under the jersey, or none A cycling coach’s chart allows either at 60 degrees and over.
For a city, a coast or an island in the 60s 13
Both short and long pants A national park with highs in the mid-60s and nights in the low 50s says to pack both. Cardigan to slip on and off A visitor bureau lists it with scarves and leggings for a cool city summer. Daypack or cross-body bag for the layers A visitor bureau wants one big enough to hold the layers you take off. Denim jacket as a layer A visitor bureau names it among layers that come off easily once it warms up. Extra layer for an island An island park says it is often chillier there than on the mainland. Leggings for a cool city day On a visitor bureau’s list of easy layers for a summer of 54 to 65 degrees. Scarf you can take off A visitor bureau counts scarves among the layers for a foggy city summer. Sun hat, even on a cool day A California park says the sun at the coast is bright even on a cold winter day. Supportive walking shoes Second on a visitor bureau’s summer packing list, for a city it says is best seen on foot. Sweatshirt and pants in place of a swimsuit A San Diego park’s advice for cloudy days in late spring that rarely pass 70 degrees. Warm, windproof jacket that is still lightweight First on a visitor bureau’s summer list for a city that averages 54 to 65 degrees. Waterproof outer layer, for fog and spray A national park with highs in the mid-60s warns that fog and sea spray can come at any hour. Windbreaker for an island wind On a national park’s list for islands with highs in the mid-60s and frequent wind.
Leave at home 7
No beanie on a run A marathon organizer lists a headband or beanie only below 55 degrees. No coat None of the nine school charts read here asks for a coat at 60 or above. No hat and gloves A Pennsylvania school asks for them below 32. An Iowa school, under a feels-like 50. No heavy coat in a mild city A visitor bureau warns against being stuck with one when the sun comes out. No knee warmers on a bike A cycling coach’s chart drops them at 60 degrees. No running jacket on a dry day A marathon organizer’s chart drops the jacket and the vest at 55 degrees. No tights on a run A marathon organizer’s chart drops full-length tights at 55 for shorts or capris.
How this list was compiled
The 50 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-15; no list was copied. Each row follows a page read on 2026-10-15, published by people who must tell others what to wear at this temperature: nine school recess charts: three schools of Cedar Falls Community Schools, Iowa (Cedar Heights Elementary, Recess Attire Guidelines, 21 October 2024, https://www.cfschools.org/schools/cedar-heights/blog/2024/10/21/6892-recess-attire-guidelines ; Orchard Hill Elementary, Temperature Guidelines, 22 October 2025, https://www.cfschools.org/schools/orchard-hill/blog/2025/10/22/6939-temperature-guidelines ; Aldrich Elementary, Recess Temperature Guidelines, 12 October 2022, https://www.cfschools.org/schools/aldrich/blog/2022/10/12/5429-recess-temperature-guidelines ); Twin Lakes Elementary of Minnesota’s district 728, Outside Recess Procedures (https://tles.isd728.org/families/outside-recess-procedures ); Howe Montessori and Center Based Education of Dearborn Public Schools, Michigan, Fall and Winter Weather, 16 October 2024 (https://howe.dearbornschools.org/2024/10/16/fall-winter-weather/ ); Avon Grove Charter School, Pennsylvania, Winter Recess Guidelines (https://www.agcharter.org/departments/health-services/winter-recess-guidelines ); Bismarck Public Schools, North Dakota, Weather Policies (https://www.bismarckschools.org/district-info/frequently-requested-policies/weather-policies ); Forest Grove Elementary of Hudsonville Public Schools, Michigan, Winter Weather Wear (https://www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org/forestgrove/winter-weather-wear ); and Fredericksburg Elementary of Sumner-Fredericksburg Schools, Iowa, Weather Guidelines for Chilly and Cold Weather, 7 October 2025 (https://www.sfcougars.org/o/sffe/article/2470001 ); the organizers of the Austin Marathon, Running in Different Weather Conditions: A Detailed Guide (https://youraustinmarathon.com/running-in-different-weather-conditions-a-detailed-guide/ ); a cycling coach’s article, Fine-Tuning Your Clothing Choices for Fun Fall Cycling, by a coach of Carmichael Training Systems, in the copy a cycling club’s site hosts (https://images.clubexpress.com/778568/attach/4299573_1_Cold_Cycling.pdf ); the San Francisco Travel Association, the city’s visitor bureau, 5 Things You Must Pack for Your San Francisco Summer Trip (https://www.sftravel.com/article/5-things-you-must-pack-your-san-francisco-summer-trip ) and What to Pack (https://www.sftravel.com/info/what-to-pack ), with the wording checked in the Internet Archive’s copies of 16 June 2024 and 30 July 2025; the National Park Service, Channel Islands National Park, Weather (https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/weather.htm ); the National Park Service, Cabrillo National Monument, Weather (https://www.nps.gov/cabr/planyourvisit/weather.htm ); and the National Park Service, Alcatraz Island, Frequently Asked Questions (https://www.nps.gov/alca/faqs.htm ). Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit and each band is the publisher’s own; the Celsius figures in the copy are arithmetic. The school charts are written for children at recess and are used here because schools are among the few bodies that publish a rule for an ordinary day at a given temperature; three of the nine are schools of one Iowa district. Nobody sets a rule for the weather: these are published guides, each for its own purpose. Left out on purpose: brand and shop names, prices, and advice on health. Licence: own work
How it works What should I wear in 60 degree weather? Short or long sleeves, no jacket, and a layer to pull on. These 50 things follow nine school charts, a marathon organizer, a cycling coach, a visitor bureau and three national park sites.
Read the full guide
Why 60 is the line on school charts
Schools publish what a child must wear at recess, degree by degree, and 60 is where the rules stop. Of nine charts read here, five say outright that from 60 up a child may wear short sleeves or choose freely, and the other four ask for nothing above it. Just under 60, six still ask for long sleeves and four for a jacket or sweatshirt. Sixty degrees Fahrenheit is about 16 degrees Celsius, and 65 is about 18.
What a city at this temperature packs
San Francisco’s visitor bureau puts the city’s summer average at 54 to 65 degrees. It is summer there all year between 12 and 3 p.m., the bureau says; outside those hours bring layers, because the weather can change by the hour.
Questions and answers
What should I wear in 65 degree weather?
A short-sleeved top, with the layer in your bag. A marathon organizer’s chart changes at 65 from long sleeves to a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, and none of the nine school charts read here asks for sleeves or a jacket above 60.
Do I need a jacket in 60 degree weather?
Not by the school charts: none of the nine asks for one at 60 or above. But the visitor bureau of a city that averages 54 to 65 in summer still puts a light windproof jacket first on its list, for fog and wind.
Can I wear shorts in 60 degree weather?
Yes. A marathon organizer’s chart has runners in shorts or capris from 55 degrees, a cycling coach’s chart leaves legs bare from 60, and a national park with highs in the mid-60s tells visitors to pack both short and long pants.