Me and my siblings were kind of odd. When we were growing up, we talked about the weather in terms of the clothes we wore. A rainy day would be a raincoat day. Winter weather was parka weather. And of course, summer was T-shirt season. It’s too bad we didn’t trademark some sort of weather forecast system based on apparel choices.
At any rate, I find myself fast approaching retirement age and thinking a lot more about T-shirt weather. I admit it, I don’t like the cold. Anything under 70° is uncomfortable. Needless to say, I look forward to the arrival of spring. Breaking out the T-shirts for women is an annual ritual.
How do I know it’s T-shirt weather? There are many signs to look for:
1. The Windows Are Open
Having the windows open is a telltale sign of T-shirt weather. If it is warm enough to let a stiff breeze blow through the house, it’s warm enough to wear a T-shirt. Of course, there are days when I am fooled. The house seems warm enough for open windows and T-shirts but stepping outside reveals it’s a little colder than I thought. That intermediate weather gets confusing.
2. Baseball Announcers Start Talking About the All-Star Game
You know it’s T-shirt weather when baseball announcers start talking about the All-Star game. For you non-fans, the All-Star game is played in early July. Announcers start talking about it toward the end of May or early June. It should be warm enough where I live to wear T-shirts at that time of year. If not, there is something wrong with the weather.
3. Evenings Are Spent on the Porch
I live in a suburban neighborhood where porches and patios are the norm. Those porches and patios don’t get much use when it’s cold out. But once the warm weather arrives, things change. If I am spending the evening hours on the porch, I know it’s T-shirt weather.
I have friends in New York City who have stoops rather than porches. I can imagine them sitting on the steps sporting their Plurawl LatinX T-shirts and talking about the neighborhood. It is just what they do when the temperatures warm up. Who wants to be stuck inside a stuffy house on a warm evening – even with the windows open?
4. You Start Hearing the Ice Cream Truck
Back in my hometown, me and my siblings definitely knew it was T-shirt weather when we heard the ice cream truck coming. And make no mistake about it, we heard it from blocks away. It played a distinct song over its loudspeaker system, loud enough to let the whole neighborhood know it was coming. I think that was the point. It gave us time to run inside and beg a quarter off mom and dad.
Yes, treats from the ice cream truck really were that cheap when I was a kid. But everything is relative. People didn’t make so much money back then, either. But I digress. This post is supposed to be about T-shirt weather.
5. The Mosquitoes Come Out
The last sign of T-shirt weather is a not-so-pleasant sign: mosquitoes. I am the type of person for whom mosquitoes live. They will find and bite me relentlessly. Nonetheless, T-shirt weather brings them out. I have to either slather on the insect repellent or go with long sleeves.
Do you classify the weather by the clothes you’re wearing? I don’t suspect a lot of people do. Me and my siblings did when we were growing up. I still do. And right now, and it feels a lot like T-shirt weather.
