Accessories in Illinois
15.9 mph average peak wind — the highest of any state measured here.
a real winter — 101 freezing days, summers that rarely get extreme. Measured at Chicago, 5 years of daily observations.
Chicago's nickname turns out to be earned in the data: 15.9 mph average daily peak wind is the highest figure of any state in this set, ahead of Wyoming. Combined with 101 freezing days and four days at or below 0°F, that produces a windchill problem rather than simply a cold one, and windchill changes which accessories are worth owning.
What it rules out is anything loose. A draped scarf, a wide brim, a hat that sits rather than grips — all of them fail here, and they fail on the walk from the train rather than dramatically. What it rules in is coverage that fastens: a scarf long enough to wrap and tuck inside a coat, a hat that comes down over the ears, gloves rather than mittens if you need to use a phone, mittens if you do not.
Chicago is also a walking and transit city with a serious professional culture, which means the accessories have to survive the commute and still be right in an office. That double duty is the local skill, and it argues for dark colours that hide salt, a bag that stands up, and jewellery that is not disturbed by a coat going on and off six times a day.
Twenty-seven inches of snow means salted sidewalks for months. Pale suede is a single-season material here and pale leather needs wiping the day it gets splashed.
Downstate Illinois is meaningfully warmer and less windy than these figures.
What national advice gets wrong here
Temperature-only advice. Chicago at 20°F with 16 mph wind is a different problem from Boston at 20°F, and a warm accessory that lets wind through is worse than a thinner one that does not.
Lined gloves earn their place
101 freezing days a year is enough that unlined leather will disappoint by January. A thin wool lining costs a few dollars more and is the difference between wearing them and carrying them.
Humidity is what will actually ruin things
Summer humidity averages 73%. Suede marks, silk water-spots, leather grows mildew in a closed closet, and plated metal tarnishes faster. Store bags somewhere with air movement rather than sealed in plastic, and treat a protector spray on suede as mandatory rather than optional.
Wind decides what stays on your head
Average daily peak wind is 15.9 mph. A hat without a snug band or an inner sizing strip will leave, and a lightweight silk scarf tied loosely will not survive a parking lot. This is a bandana-knotted-at-the-nape climate rather than a draped-scarf one.
Worth owning here
| A scarf long enough to tuck | Windchill defeats anything draped. |
|---|---|
| A hat that covers the ears | The windiest state in this data set. |
| Dark leather | Twenty-seven inches of snow means months of salt. |
The numbers
| January low – high | 21°F – 33°F |
|---|---|
| July average high | 81°F |
| Freezing days a year | 101 |
| Days at 90°F or above | 9 |
| Annual snowfall | 27.1" |
| Annual rainfall | 44.3" over 123 wet days |
| Summer humidity | 73% |
| Bright sunshine | 8.5 hours a day |
