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What to wear in Milwaukee?

Comfortable Clothes for Each Month & the Fashion Style in Milwaukee.

see 5 Day Clothes Forecast: Milwaukee

Clothes for the Seasons & each Month

We provide an overview of seasonal clothes and information on appropriate clothes for each month (Monthly Recommended Clothes).

Seasonal Overview

How's the Weather?
Average high temperatures in the peak of summer are around 80°F and in the winter the average low is around 16°F. All this being said, Lake Michigan does a beautiful job of regulating the temperature and climate of the cities and towns along its borders. Its mass allows it to hold temperatures throughout the year. This helps to maintain cooler temperatures during the summer. Think cool breezes on a hot summer day. It also aids in keeping the temperatures during the winter stable.

Summer:
Summers in Milwaukee are moderate. So bring in your sundresses, shorts, and tees. As Summer is the sunny season, you may want to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare off the building's windows. Lake Michigan breezes have potential to bring in cooler weather in the evening. If you chill easily, a light jacket should suffice for your night time adventures. However, you may not often see local Milwaukeeans donning jackets this time of year, even when cooler weather blows in.

Fall:
Coming into fall you can expect to begin with jeans and a long-sleeved shirt as the temperatures slowly drop. You will likely be paying closer attention to where that jacket is in the evenings. This is a great season for the business person in formal wear. As the leaves change and the temperature drops you may want to start wearing a sweater over a long sleeved shirt, and perhaps a windbreaker to combat those cool Lake Michigan breezes.

Winter:
The winter season in Milwaukee gets quite cold. It's best to layer up. Think things like parkas, long underwear, scarves, and hats. Cute boots are always a plus for trekking through snow. You will likely want to wear gloves. Winter clothing preferably should be easily removable for entering a museum, building, or restaurant. Layers are very important outdoors, but you don't want to overheat when entering a local hotspot.

Spring:
Spring will find you slowly shedding those layers. You can begin packing away the long underwear and gloves, but keep out some of the hats and scarves for the beginning of spring. You may also find yourself bringing out more color. Spring in Milwaukee is beautiful. Match the scenery with bright colors and look forward to the moderate Milwaukee Summer to come.

Monthly Recommended Clothes

The following are the recommended clothes for daytime and nighttime based on the average high/low temperatures for each month.

Jan - Mar
Apr - Jun
Jul - Sep
Oct - Dec

Recommended Clothes in Milwaukee

month	Clothes
Jan	Daytime: A down jacket, gloves or mittens, warm hat and so on. Very cold outside. Nighttime: Same as daytime. Sometimes extremely cold, so you should not go out for a long time.
Feb	Daytime: A down jacket, gloves or mittens, warm hat and so on. Very cold outside. Nighttime: Same as daytime. Sometimes extremely cold, so you should not go out for a long time.
Mar	Daytime: A coat or down jacket, gloves, a warm hat and so on. Nighttime: A down jacket, gloves or mittens, warm hat and so on. Very cold outside.
Apr	Daytime: Sometimes a light jacket or sweater is good, but sometimes winter clothes are necessary. Nighttime: A coat or down jacket, gloves, a warm hat and so on.
May	Daytime: A long-sleeved shirt, light jacket or sweater, but sometimes a short-sleeved shirt is good. Nighttime: A jacket or coat. Gloves and warm hat may be necessary.
Jun	Daytime: A T-shirt, tank top or short-sleeved shirt. Nighttime: A light jacket, sweater, or light winter clothes (jacket or coat).
Jul	Daytime: A T-shirt or tank top, and shorts or jeans. Nighttime: A long-sleeved shirt, light jacket or sweater, but sometimes a short-sleeved shirt is good.
Aug	Daytime: A T-shirt, tank top or short-sleeved shirt. Nighttime: A long-sleeved shirt, light jacket or sweater, but sometimes a short-sleeved shirt is good.
Sep	Daytime: A long-sleeved shirt, light jacket or sweater, but sometimes a short-sleeved shirt is good. Nighttime: A light jacket, sweater, or light winter clothes (jacket or coat).
Oct	Daytime: A light jacket, sweater, or light winter clothes (jacket or coat). Nighttime: A jacket or coat. Gloves and warm hat may be necessary.
Nov	Daytime: A jacket or coat is good, sometimes a down jacket, gloves and warm hat are necessary. Nighttime: A coat or down jacket, gloves or mittens, warm hat and so on.
Dec	Daytime: A down jacket, gloves or mittens, warm hat and so on. Very cold outside. Nighttime: Same as daytime.

Average temperature

Low : Average low temperature, High : Average high temperature

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More Information

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Birthplace of Pabst Blue Ribbon and home of The Brewers baseball team, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, located just ninety miles north of Chicago, sports beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Its multiple beaches and parks along the coast are summertime favorites amongst locals and tourists alike. Attractions include the Milwaukee Art Museum (a Sydney Opera House-esque architectural beauty), the Harley-Davidson museum, the Milwaukee County Zoo, and of course an abundance of breweries and cheese.

Famous tourist attractions

Milwaukee Art Museum
Harley-Davidson Museum
Milwaukee County Zoo
Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory

Milwaukee is a cloudy city. About 170 days of the year are overcast. This mostly takes place late fall through spring. During the summer you can expect more sunny days. Milwaukee is set just under the national average for rainfall at 35 inches per year (the national being 38 inches). However, it sets quite a bit higher for snow at 45 inches per year, as opposed to the national average of 28 inches.

Some Extra Tips:

The seasons bring variance in everyday wear in Milwaukee. Fortunately, the temperatures are fairly stable and predictable throughout the year. This makes it easy to determine when to put away those winter clothes and move on to the next season. Stylistically similar to most midwestern towns, Milwaukeean wear often consists of neutral tones and multiple layers in the winter.

The sun can really beat down in the Summer months. Milwaukee boasts a multitude of outdoor activities. If you are visiting parks and beaches, make sure you bring sunscreen for you and the kids. Windbreakers can be quite useful in the Fall and Spring.

The highest rainfall occurs from the end of March to the middle of October. So think about bringing a rain jacket or umbrella if visiting during these times (but it's never a bad idea to pack an umbrella). Gloves and hats are important in the winter. Especially if traveling with kids. Everyone is happiest when they are warm and comfortable!

Most importantly, have a great time in this beautiful city!

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