It never gets very cold here. A cold day for me would be 60 degrees. However, my partner has to go to Germany for a week on business. He’s been told to expect temperatures near freezing. What do people wear when it’s that cold out? Will he be OK in jeans and a warm coat? Does he need multiple layers, or a hat, or gloves?
I realise people vary a lot in their cold tolerance, so I’m just looking to get a general idea.
I wear shorts and a tshirt.
Most people I know wear jeans a shirt and probably a coat if they’re going to be out for a while.
Warm coat, hat, gloves, scarf. Will he be out in it much, or just, you know, building to car to building?
For people who are used to it, temps in the 30s are “not that cold.” I got sweaty walking home from the subway today, and it was about 35. I was wearing an ordinary business suit (no special layers) and a heavy overcoat, unzipped. And I’ve gotten pretty soft since I left Michigan.
Obviously, it’s different if you are not used to it. There are also other factors that affect how cold it “feels”, such as the wind, and the humidity (more humid = feels colder), and if/how you are exerting yourself (continuous effort = warm vs. stop & start = sweaty then chilly.)
I would bring some jeans, and a pair of long underwear (synthetic or silk, NOT cotton in any weave) for just-in-casies. A long overcoat, and bring layers for the top (some sweaters or polarfleece pullovers, as well as lighter shirts, that can be intermixed, with the top layer removed if he gets too hot). Lightweight wool socks can be a godsend.
Avoid a rookie mistake and do up your coat, put on your gloves, etc. while you are still inside. Start warm, stay warm.
It’s easy to wear less, but if you don’t wear enough you are sad.
A quilted coat, hat and scarf. The scarf is mostly out of habit. I’ll bring gloves, but I don’t really need them in the 30s.
Warm coat and a sweater with jeans will do it if he won’t be outside much. If he’s walking more than a block or two, hat and gloves will be welcome additions.
30 deg is shorts and tshirt weather, 60 deg would probably result in widespread heat related deaths.
Jeans, sweater, coat, gloves. If I’m just going out to get the mail or something, I don’t bother with the coat or gloves.
Low 30s? You’re lucky. It was 35 here and humid, and people were fainting in the streets.
I am assuming you’re using the international standard of degrees Celcius, as you choose not to disclose your nationality and you are aware that you are posting on a message board that is viewed world-wide.
Or you could, you know, use context clues. There’s always that. Because generally when people are talking about 30 Celsius, they’re not asking if a coat is enough. I guess they don’t teach context clues in furrin schools.
Ha! The “temps near freezing” kind of gives away which low 30s the OP is talking about, doesn’t it?
Personally I have no tolerance for cold at all. 35 degrees Celsius would be my ideal temp. In near freezing temps, it would depend on how long I was out, but I’d be in jeans, boots, sweater (with a tank or t-shirt beneath), my thick winter coat, gloves, scarf and earmuffs if I was going to be walking around. Just from car to building a time or two and I would forgo the gloves, scarf and ear muffs. I’d probably also be wearing wool socks and shivering still… 
It depends on what you’re going outside for – and for how long.
If I’m just scooting out to feed the horses or something, I’ll go out in 30 degree weather in a bathrobe and slippers.
If I’ll be walking a block or two, I’ll want a long-sleeved reasonably heavy shirt and jeans.
If I’ll be outside for ten minutes or more, I’ll want a good jacket, and probably a hat.
If I’ll be driving a car that’s been sitting outside, I’ll want to add gloves.
So, I’d say a medium-weight jacket, some decent long-sleeved shirts, and some driving gloves would be a good ensemble. Leather shoes or boots don’t do much to keep the feet warm. The need for a hat varies with amount of hair.
Ahh, forget it.
It is 30 every day here for months so I have complete winter attire. Dress in layers. Wear down if you have it. A hat and gloves and wool socks. I wear insulated boots all winter to keep my feet toasty. I also have a few scarfs that are good on windy days. I wear lined pants but if you have some thermals they will help keep your legs warm.
You lose most of your body heat through your head so even if you don’t like hats they help. I heard Washington got more snow this year then people are used to. It must be hard to get around without full time plows. Good Luck!
I agree.
Here in mid-winter in Minnesota, if it gets up to 30ºF, it is shorts & t-shirt weather.
Yeah, I wasn’t sure whether to put it in Fahrenheit or Celsius, but my impression is the board is mostly American, so I went with Fahrenheit, and put ‘near freezing’ in as a clue.
The work part will be all indoors, but he has the weekend off. He wants to spend some time walking around the city, because it is full of all that old stuff (buildings, bridges) that we don’t have here (Australia). Good to know that most people feel jeans will be OK. He doesn’t really have anything else.
I suggest thermal underwear for underneath the jeans.
Mostly what Hello Again said, it depends how used to it you are. As a fr’instance, when it’s 30 degrees in October, I dress like I’m on an expedition to the Pole, and I still freeze, because I’m not used to it yet. When it’s 30 degrees in January, I’m good with a wool dress coat and gloves, because it’s become “normal”.
In Germany in a large city he will probably be outside more than he is used to. People walk all over the place and cities are set up for walking – he will be walking to get lunch, to buy things, to catch a bus, to get to and wait for the train, to the taxi stand, whatever. People do not think to mention this because they think it is just normal and that everyone in the world walks around as much as they do here. Also many buildings are warmed assuming that people are dressed in layers – so at a lower temp than they would be in the US. It is windy and the wind in city streets can be very cold.
It is 30 degrees right now and I am wearing knit stockings, jeans, a t-shirt and a fleece sweater, and walking boots. When I go outside I have a cap, a scarf, and sometimes gloves, depends on how long I will be out. My husband is wearing khakis, wool socks, leather men’s shoes, a t shirt and a light sweater. When he goes outside he wears a leather jacket and gloves and sometimes a scarf. We are used to the weather.
Your friend shoud not take more than one heavy sweater, but should take undershirts and light sweaters or heavy cotton shirts (like Docker shirts or similar). He should have warm, dry shoes and boots are better – the important thing is not the padding in the shoes, it is the amount of space between the cold ground and your feet. So thicker soles are better. And if your feet get wet all bets are off. He should take a scarf and gloves, a hat is ideal but a lot of people don’t have them. Any hat will do, it doesn’t have to be a ski cap or anything.
I’d echo what Marienee has to say. I am in a similar circumstance to your partner. I live in Florida but travel to Germany frequently. I am today wearing a turtle neck shirt beneath a cotton sweatshirt, but I have a warm, water resistant coat. It is very snowy here right now (I’m in SW Germany); we have received about 15-25 cm of snow since Tuesday. This means the ground and your feet can become wet. I’m wearing hiking boots, but this might not be acceptable at your partner’s work place, depending on what type of work, etc. Germans tend to be a little more flexible in their fashions than Americans, ime, but also some places still stand much more on formality.
Of course he can also acquire clothing items here, but shops may be closed when he arrives. Can you say which region is his destination? Will he come in via Frankfurt or Munich (most common options for long distance international flights)?