what to wear for an afternoon in the city

When deciding what to wear for an afternoon trip to the city, it’s important to keep in mind that you will want layers. How many times have you left your house when the weather suddenly changes, and you find yourself wishing for different clothing? Living near Chicago this can happen often. The wind will change direction and it will cause a significant change in the temperature. When you are planning a fun afternoon in the city, the basic wardrobe staples still apply.

You will no doubt spend a lot of time on your feet, especially if this is a shopping trip. Always wear comfortable walking shoes. Walking is easier than trying to hail a cab or waiting for an uber during the busiest times of the day. It’s also good exercise. 

Wear layers to accommodate the changing temperatures. If its cold out, shawl scarfs are perfect as they can be wrapped around you for warmth.

When deciding what to wear in the city, make sure you have a functional, light purse. Cross-body bags are a great choice.  They are usually light, and won’t be slipping off your shoulder while you’re walking the crowded streets.

On this beautiful fall day, my husband and I drove into the city to meet our son for a late lunch. I wanted to dress nice as I knew this could be one of those days that went into evening. Which of course it was. Nevertheless, I felt comfortable transitioning from daytime to evening with this Zara embellished jacket.

I’m not sure why, but it seems people always prefer to wear black in a metropolitan area, and as you can see I went with it.

Black leggings are a favorite alternative to jeans as they are comfortable. Leggings also never bag or get wrinkled. I wore a sheer ruffled oversized white button-down shirt from White House Black Market on top of a white tee-shirt. During the afternoon the layers were on and off, but I was happy to have the jacket when the sun went down.

When purchasing an article of clothing that’s detailed or embellished, make sure you have a few options on how you wear it.

I have worn this jacket with jeans and a tee-shirt for a casual look or paired it with a skirt and dressy boots for a holiday house party. I’ve had fun with the variety of options and feel it was a good buy.

This was a great day. And just like I had thought, lunch turned into dinner with more family, and then a few more drinks with friends afterwards. Most importantly, I was comfortable and it was a fun spontaneous day.