VERY COLD
A heavy outer layer is a must.
0°C sits at the bottom of the very cold range (0–4°C), right above freezing weather — keep one extra layer within reach.
In an average year, 0°C turns up in January, February and December. Those months share this temperature, so their outfits carry over directly.
Compared with -1°C you can drop a layer, and from 1°C upward you can leave the outer layer at home more often.
What 0°C feels like in different conditions
0°C is very cold. Not quite a cold snap, but a day that firmly calls for a heavy outer layer. Mornings and evenings can dip below freezing, so dressing light off the afternoon high is a common mistake.
A puffer or thick wool coat over a knit is a safe bet. From this temperature on, whether or not you wrap your neck changes how warm you feel.
Heavy outerwear territory. A short puffer or wool coat over a knit gives the best warmth for the bulk.
What to reach for
If you go with a coat, make the knit underneath do real work — a thin base alone cools fast in wind.
The point where puffers and wool coats diverge. Either way, plan on a knit underneath as the default.
What to reach for
Coat over a sweatshirt is the awkward pick here. Swapping in a knit alone changes how it feels.
What to avoid — A single thin cardigan, or loafers with no socks, are still too early.
If you're in and out of buildings, a wool coat over a knit is enough. For long stretches outside or strong wind, a puffer is safer.
If the knit is thick and the coat is wool, yes — but add a base layer, and block your neck with a scarf to stay much warmer.
Ankle-covering boots are ideal. If you wear sneakers, keep your ankles warm with thick socks.
A padded coat over a knit, with a thermal base underneath. A wool coat on its own runs out of warmth at 0 degrees Celsius as soon as the wind picks up.