Winter in South Florida doesn't arrive with fanfare; it slips in politely, offering mornings cool enough for a sweater, and afternoons that gently insist on sunscreen. It´s less a season than a suggestion. I do love it, and there are certainly more pressing issues in the world, but every day feels like a small negotiation with my closet.
Dressing in layers is non-negotiable. Not because I expect the weather to make up its mind, but because it won´t. A light sweater goes on in the morning, comes off by noon, and is draped over the back of a chair by dinner. Sunglasses stay put. Sunscreen is always a must.
I´m never really sure how to advise my friends visiting from the north. They pack carefully, checking forecasts and asking earnest questions about "Florida winter." I reassure them they don´t need more than one pair of jeans (if only for the plane ride), and absolutely no coat (again, except for travel). But do advise they throw an extra sweater or two just in case. Not because they’ll need it, necessarily, but because acknowledging Winter feels polite, even when it doesn’t quite earn the title.
I know I´m preaching to the choir, but don´t you just love the cooler days? It never gets old (I´ve been here, from New York, for 32 years!). Coffee tastes better when there´s a hint of chill in the air. We can open windows to let the breeze through - the breeze! In these February mornings, winter pretends it belongs here for a few hours each day. By midday though, the sun reminds us who´s really in charge, and the sweater is abandoned.
My footwear, however, is never up for debate.
In South Florida, flip-flops go with everything. Even on cooler mornings, they feel like a small rebellion against overthinking things. I wear flip-flops to the grocery store, casual dinners, long walks, and serious conversations. For more formal occasions, the shoe selection is still open-toed. Full stop. I had to purchase shoes to attend an event back home, because I didn’t own a pair of shoes that covered my entire foot. I literally forgot I would need them because I only go up north in the summer. That’s a rule I do my best to live by.
There are moments of doubt, of course. The freezer aisle at the grocery store tests one’s resolve. So does the water. But these are minor winter never quite settles in.
On the bright side, this seasonal uncertainty is a reminder of how fortunate we are. We get to flirt with winter without surrendering to it. We can layer up, peel back, and adjust as needed. Sweater or sunscreen? Both!