Dress in San Francisco
 

We are heading to San Francisco/Monterey/Napa next week from Chicago. I know SF is usually a little chilly and was wondering how to pack. I was think capris or Khakis during the day but is it warm enough for shorts? Also, was planning to bring a couple of sleeveless dresses for the evening with a sweater. Will it be too cold for sleeveless? We are only going to Napa for the day but I am assuming I will be okay in a sundress there for touring the wineries and dinner. How dressed up doing people get for dinner in SF? Thanks.

Warm. Windbreakers. It will be much warmer in Napa.

I'm not going to remember the numbers exactly, but I think I heard there are 117 microclimes in the world and SF has 114 of them. The weather is very changeable.

Almost everytime I've gone, people I'm with have had to buy a sweatshirt or wish they had brought warmer clothes. At a sales conference one year (in July) our gifts were windbreakers and there's a great picture of 5 of us waiting for the ferry just shivering - in mid-July.

When I lived in TX I met a new friend from SF that had 100% wool business suits. I was amazed. Wool blends can be too hot during the winter where I'm from. After visiting SF, now I understand. At times I've wished for a wool sweater in SF in the summer.

Take at least one change of clothes that is WARM. Maybe one pair of shorts if the day is sunny. You just never know!

Another reason why we love San Francisco:
Frozen tourists the summer! ;)
"Tourcicles"?

SF daytime temps in the summer can range from high 50s to the 90s (ah, the joy of the City!) -- fog plays an integral role in all that. Dressing in layers is the best way to visit SF.

Attire for dinner will depend on where you dine -- it's just like any other big city, but perhaps a bit more casual than Chicago.

Napa will definitely be warm -- expect daytime temps near 90; overnight can dip as low as the 60s.

I'm in S.F. and am planning to go out to dinner tonight. I'm dressed for work in knee-length skirt, long-sleeved cotton sweater, silk scarf and leather jacket. This is "dressed" enough for most restaurants. Being a near-native, I also am wearing opaque tights, since I don't want to be walking home in the evening with cold legs.

Napa is a different climate zone entirely from San Francisco. It is hot and dry during the summer days, cooling off at night. Your sleeveless dress will be fine for your day there, but take along your sweater.

Not to go on about my personal sartorial preferences, but S.F. is a place where a lightweight leather jacket is appropriate weatherwise just about any time of year, with t-shirts and/or sweaters underneath. If you have one, bring it along. Just remember I said lightweight - NOT your shearling!

Thanks. I would have never thought to bring my light leather jacket but will do so. Think I'll plan to bring more pants and sweater sets than dresses. It is hard to think about wearing tights and leather jackets when it is 90 here. Luckily, it is cooling off starting tomorrow.

You won't need shorts except when you go to Napa. The weather lately has been foggy in the AM and then sunny in the afternoon. It probably won't get above the high sixties (but with a breeze) in the daytime. The fog often rolls in at night and it is considerably cooler.

Like everyone has said, dress in layers. You're fine with jeans or capris plus a short sleeve shirt with a long sleeve something on top. If you plan to do a lot of walking, I'd even recommend a tank top as climbing the hills can make you very hot no matter what the temperature outside!

You can get away without wearing tights with a skirt in the summer, if the sun is out, IMHO. I do it often. Just make sure you wear a light jacket on top!

Hi Cerlaurie - I was just there 3 weeks ago and if you where shorts make sure you also have a summer sweater on to keep you warm in SF. I wore sleveless dresses at night for dinner but bring a light wrap.

Napa - I would say go to Sonoma instead but either way capris and a summer top is perfect.

My husband and I spent 3 days of our honeymoon in Sonoma and it was great. I've been to Napa this past time and 2 others and Napa is just overly crowded. Sonoma is like a best kept secret.

We hired a driver from 11:30-4:30 @ $45 per hr including tax and tip. We went to 6 wineries and they were all great
1)St. Francis
2)St. Jean
3) Wellington
4) Berzinger
5) Kunde
6) Valley of the Moon

Go for the reserve tastings instead of the public tastings.

Have fun.

gemjab, We are going to Sonoma for the first time in Aug. I am wine illiterate.
What is reserve tasting vs public tasting?

I am not a wine sophisticate either.
Basically, the public tasting is usually $5 per person and you taste the wine they produce and then mass market. The reserve tasteing is well- worth it. It is $10 per person and it is the wine that they produce but it's literally the cream of their crop and is not mass produced. If you must, cut down on something else but spend the money on the reserve tasteings.

"Tourcicles"

Kal, Very funny! :-)

G'Hop,
Don't encourage me...:-D

In SF in the summer downtown it's easy to spot those of us who live nearer the coast (the Richmond, Sunset and Twin Peaks areas) and those who live near the Bay (South or East) Those of us who live near the coast will not be wearing sleeveless anything and will be wearing leather jackets or coats because when we left home and when we return the sky was grey from the fog and the temps were in the high 50's. The best advice is to bring a lightweight leather jacket for night time in SF. Even if it gets to the 80's (rare) it will not stay that way into the evening. Those very, very rare ocasions when it does stay warm into the evening are quite a treat and if you live here you can tell by the numbers of people who are out and about on the streets after sunset.

Thanks, everyone! We leave Sat and are looking forward to it.