Sweater Weather
Angela Villanueva|December 12, 2018|Column
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA) — Sweaters are essential for life in the colder Floridian months. During these winter months, our early mornings in our sunshine state seem suspended in a lifeless manner; perfect sweater weather. But by noon the frozen dew that sprinkles above the grass vanishes. The sun seems to shine brighter with each passing minute while kids in their thick sweaters melt like wicked witches of the west. And for some, pit stains ruin their brightly colored sweaters making the weather even more unbearable. This type of sudden change is not uncommon to the average Floridian. So when is Florida sweater weather? It’s not strange that our winter months start in the middle of November and can last till March. Certainly it is not in September, where the summer sun still lingers a little too long on your skin. Not in October where even an air conditioned home is still unfit for more than one comforter. Even November when the cool north winds blow south at night, is still too warm for sweater weather.
When the temperature is right and there is a picture perfect cup of coffee or hot chocolate in our hands, picking the right sweater seems almost near impossible. The heat raises even more concerns for the perfect sweater. On days where people must layer up on clothes, people are less likely to pay attention to your new sweater in the chilling cold where the constant breeze might blow you away or freeze you completely. Nobody wants a tacky sweater, not even the “cute” Christmas ones they put out each year. If the turtleneck looks a little tight, it probably is not the perfect match. If the jumper makes people look like they lost tons of weight in the past year, it is definitely not the right size. If the sweater’s too itchy, tight, big, bright, or seasonal its will never be the right sweater. Sweater weather kicks off a comfy season, full of warm clothes, hand warmers, and red noses. Across the nation sweater weather strikes at different times of the year based on wind currents and location. Even our Canadian neighbors endure the long winters for most of their year. Some Floridian sweaters endure years spent in the closet.
On some days sweater weather dies down into a mild season of hoodies and flip flops. The hoodies and flip flops plague Floridian’s everywhere confusing their temperatures. This fashion dilemma pushes the climate of sweaters out the way. Sweater weather even has references in shows like SpongeBob SquarePants in his Striped Sweater song where he talks about his own struggles with this fashion.
The sweater weather problem occurs every year and bothers us until the small spring months and summers where sweaters lose their value. The question of the appropriate time to wear a sweater is still unanswered but people come to an unspoken conclusion every year. This phenomenon may never be explainable but it is not rare to the world of passing fashion fads and revival of vintage clothing. Sweater weather should not be a problem, sweaters should be worn no matter the season or occasion.