What to Wear in 40-degree Weather
It feels like the mild 60-degree temperatures disappeared in a blink of an eye, and now that it’s November, we’re seeing highs in the 40s here in Boise! Brrr! Just like how 60°F feels chilly after weeks of 80s or more, 40°F feels chilly after a few weeks in the 60s.
40-degree temperatures are sort of a weird temperature for me. If I’m going to be outside in those temperatures for a considerable amount of time, I’m going to need at least a lightweight puffer coat. If I’m just briefly walking outside for a few minutes for a few times during the day, I can get away with a wool or faux fur coat. I hate being, cold, though—you might be fine with a sweater and either a lightweight jacket or no coat!
Below, I rounded up what to wear in 40-degree weather featuring 12 outfit ideas from my archives to inspire you. In Idaho, high temperatures around 40 degrees Fahrenheit are common in the early spring, late fall, and winter, so all of the outfits I rounded up are from those three seasons. Pin your favorite looks and tweak them to work for you/your lifestyle!
READ NEXT: What to Wear in 60-degree Weather
40-Degree Weather Outfits
When it comes to putting together outfits for 40-degree weather, there are a few things to keep in mind so that you are stylish, comfortable, and—most importantly—warm!
Wear a base layer under your top
I swear by Uniqlo’s Heattech line and start to pull out my tank tops when the high temperatures hover around the 40-degree mark. You probably won’t need heavy duty base layers until the temperatures drop below freezing. A basic cotton tank or tee work well as an extra layer under your flannel shirt or sweater.
Opt for long pants or jeans
I personally wear a lot of cropped pants and jeans. To avoid cold ankles, wear long boot socks under your pants OR a pair of boots with a tall, slim shaft that fits under the pant leg. If you wear wide leg pants, you can also layer a pair of thin tights or leggings underneath!
Wear skirts and dresses with tights
Black opaque tights are my go-to, and fleece-lined tights are also an option if you’ll be spending a lot of time outside and don’t want to get cold!
Pick closed-toe shoes
Keep your feet warm by wearing closed-toe shoes! I wear a plethora of boots when the temperatures drop. Flats and sneakers are also options but may not be as warm. Don’t forget to get at least one pair of shoes that you can wear in inclement weather. I love Blondo for stylish boots that are also waterproof!
Complete your outfit with a coat and/or cozy accessories
Like I mentioned at the start, I pretty much always need some sort of coat in 40-degree weather! I really don’t like being cold. Faux fur coats, wool coats, parkas, and lightweight puffers are all great options. I save the faux fur coats for dry weather! You can also wear things to keep your ears and neck warm, like a beanie, ear muffs, and/or lightweight scarf.
Need a few outfit ideas to get your creative juices flowing? Below are 12 outfit ideas I’ve worn in the past few years to inspire your own 40-degree weather outfits! Feel free to make stylistic substitutions if anything feels dated (such as skinny jeans… which I still like, I just don’t wear them nearly as often anymore!).
What to Wear in 40-degree Weather
Faux Fur Coat + Lace-up Boots
Let’s kick things off with a 40-degree outfit classic: a cashmere sweater, black jeans, lace-up winter boots, a faux fur coat, and ear muffs! You’ll see these pieces mixed and matched a lot in the other outfits below. This is a great basic outfit made more interesting with the faux fur coat!
Monochrome Deep Red
A monochrome moment is super fun to do when the temperatures drop because then you can involve your outerwear! Coordinate the colors of your sweater, coat, and beanie; you can also opt for bottoms and shoes that match or are at least in the same color family if you want to go all-out.
Parka + Wool Sneakers
My parka is warm enough that I wear it a lot when the temperatures dip below 40°F, but in this outfit, I’m wearing it only over a long-sleeved tee. Wool sneakers keep my toes warm, but the cropped jeans aren’t protecting my ankles. This is a fine outfit for temperatures in the upper 40s!
Cozy Cable Knit + Coordinating Boots
This is still one of my favorite cozy outfits to wear in the winter! (You can easily throw on a long-sleeved base layer and heavy coat to make this appropriate for even colder weather.) This Oreo outfit features a cozy cable knit sweater, black jeans, coordinating boots, and a beanie to top it all off!
Wool Coat + Skirt with Tights
Not only is this the perfect outfit to wear for Thanksgiving, it’s also a great fall outfit when it’s 40 degrees out! There’s no need to put away your skirts and dresses when the temperatures drop; opt for a pair of opaque tights. Fleece-lined tights are truly the best at keeping legs warm in the cold!
Faux Fur Bomber + Boss Boots
I don’t like wearing big coats when I know I’m going to be in and out of stores and restaurants. For this shopping trip to downtown Boise, I donned a faux fur bomber jacket to keep warm in the chilly January weather. My shiny boss boots were the star! I wore a velvet ball cap instead of a beanie.
Fleece Pullover + Waterproof Boots
This is an example of an outfit I’d wear in rainy (or snowy!) 40-degree weather. (Except most of the time, I’d be wearing a coat.) Throw on a cozy fleece pullover (with a base layer), leggings, and Blondo waterproof boots to run errands. Then, you can easily remove the boots and curl up at home!
Cashmere Scarf + Cashmere Sweater
I remember shooting this outfit, and it was downright cold out without a coat! This is an outfit you might wear when the temperatures are closer to 50 degrees (sans the accessories). When it’s in the 40s, wear a thick cashmere sweater with a base layer, cashmere scarf, and ear muffs.
Easy, Comfortable Classics
Another coat-less outfit! Honestly, 9 times out of 10, I’d wear a coat (lightweight puffer) over an outfit like this if the temperature was in the 40s. This cozy sweater + denim + boot + accessories combo is definitely a go-to. Find your favorite cold weather outfit uniform and repeat it!
Faux Fur Coat + Velvet Boots
I love pulling out this faux fur coat any chance I get! Once the temperatures drop, it’s a fun outfit focal point. Keep the rest of your outfit neutral but still interesting by adding texture. A cashmere sweater, stark black jeans, and velvet ankle boots make this easy outfit feel the opposite of boring.
Wool Coat + Coordinating Accessories
You probably gathered by now that I love starting with a pretty simple outfit base and then making my outfits more interesting with colors and textures. It’s an easy way to build outfits! Wear a cashmere sweater in the same color family as your wool coat, and then match your bag to your shoes.
Parka + Wide Leg Jeans
Here’s one more perfect parka outfit for good measure! This outfit features a base made up of a loosely-knit cashmere sweater, wide leg jeans, and ankle boots. You may be warm enough with a base layer under the sweater. I usually add that AND still need a coat (and, of course, a warm chai)!