Something came to my attention earlier today that I thought was worth devoting a little blog space to. One of those mysteries of the ages….why is it that even in the coldest of weather, I will see someone wearing shorts or flip flops.

Now, I know today (yesterday when this posts) isn’t winter cold…but it has been in the 50s…and it has been very windy..as one of my colleagues pointed out…it’s actually been March, where last week the weather was doing a fantastic impersonation of May. But when I was out on the streets heading to my car…people in shorts.

Now, not to stereotype…but there are a lot of college students around where I work…and when I cast my mind way back to those college days, I remember the same thing…it could be the blizzard of the century, and someone would be outside in shorts.

Something about this just….gets to me. I see women walking around with flip-flops on in sub 40 degree weather, and I want to call their mothers (I also wince at all the non-helmet wearing cyclists. I probably haven’t been on a bicycle in more than 20 years and am fairly certain I never wore a helmet and yet I can’t figure out why “kids these days” won’t wear one.) But, it just seems so wrong to me that when I’m hunching and trying to pull my coat even closer to my body, people are running around in a state of denial (and with too many clothes missing).

And of course, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become one of those women who brings extra sweaters with her to restaurants and movie theaters, who thinks the fuzzier the socks or slippers, the better. Who thinks nothing of wearing a wool scarf indoors (not to mention the fingerless gloves/wrist warmer thingys)that almost match it. And then I’ll make a cup of tea just so I can warm my fingerless-gloved hands on them.

for my perennially cold hands!

There’s no doubt about it, there’s something about heedless youth throwing on shorts because they don’t happen to see snow when they look out the window (although I’ve definitely seen shorts in snowstorms) that makes me feel old. Don’t get me wrong. It makes me feel *smart*, but it does make me feel old.

also a good hand (and lap) warmer

For me, shorts and toe exposing shoes start when the weather hits about 70-75. I will say, I remember visiting a friend in Houston when I was a teenager. It was January and it was in the 60s…so my friend’s mom started a fire in the fireplace. I was in shock saying how in New Jersey, it was almost shorts weather. But shorts in the 50s? That’s just wrong.

At what temperature are you ready to break out the shorts and flip-flops? What are your standard “just keeping warm” items of clothing?