Few things on earth are as beautiful as waking up in the morning knowing that you’ll be able to wear shorts and a hoodie all day long. It’s not often that the gods provide a brisk enough day, and warm enough, to make a hoodie and shorts combination the perfect outfit, but when they do, Oh boyIs it good? Shorts and hoodies season isn’t just for those of us who love menswear, a similar phenomenon is happening for runners like me. I call it “long sleeves and shorts season.” While this is not truly It has its own ring, it includes more design options, which is always welcome in the gray area of not-too-hot and not-too-cold temperatures.
When creating your long sleeve and shorts running combo, you can choose from dozens of combinations, since versatility is what makes the pairing perfect for any temperature range. I wear shorts until temperatures reach the mid-40s — below that, I’ll reluctantly switch to tights — so living in New York City, I wear shorts at least 10 months of the year. Once I’ve chosen my shorts, the fun begins: it’s time to get dressed.
To get you started on your shorts-in-the-cold journey, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite pieces that work perfectly for those brisk, moderately hot days when wearing shorts is a must, but keeping your upper body comfortable is a difficult task. Mix and match as you see fit, and remember that at some point you won’t have as much freedom when it comes to wearing your running kit, so dress up as often as possible.
How to stay warm in shorts
The ideal upper body combination is a long-sleeved base layer with a short-sleeved T-shirt over it. It’s comfortable, allows me to wear a light, long-sleeved layer with something more substantial over my torso if necessary, and makes me feel like I’m in a ’90s music video — which is always an added bonus. If it’s very cold, I’ll swap out my short-sleeve T-shirt for a long-sleeve one or add a thicker item over my base layer, like a lightweight fleece, quarter zip, or sweatshirt. There’s something really fun about improving your personal style while running, whether that means pairing your favorite band’s T-shirt with a performance layer or mixing and matching layers into new combinations.
This is also a great time to play with different materials. The cold weather means you won’t sweat as much but you won’t need to dress like the Michelin Man, so if you like to run in cotton (like I do), throw on a long-sleeve shirt or hoodie. If you’re going on an all-day adventure or may experience some weather changes, choose a merino layer that will keep you cool when the sun comes out and warm when the clouds roll in. If a technical performance base layer is your thing, wear it to wick sweat and regulate temperature, then layer something different over it. The options are truly endless.
