What to Wear in Miami in January

Pack for the coolest month and the fullest calendar. NOAA's normals for Miami International Airport give January 24.6°C by day and 61.0°F at night, with 1.83 inches of rain over about 8 days, 13.3 nights below 60°F and 3.5 below 50°F in an average year. The year's lowest daily normals fall in the middle of the month, 75.9°F by day and 60.6°F at night. This winter the odds lean cooler still: NOAA's Climate Prediction Center expects a very strong El Niño, and NWS Miami says El Niño "usually" brings "cool and wet conditions". The calendar runs outdoors all month. The King Mango Strut parades through Coconut Grove on 3 January. The Orange Bowl hosts a College Football Playoff semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium at 7:30pm on 14 January, and the stadium is blunt about one item: "Due to safety and line-of-sight concerns, umbrellas are not allowed in Hard Rock Stadium." The next day the 50th Art Deco Weekend opens on Ocean Drive, which the Miami Design Preservation League calls "a free, community cultural festival". So pack a jacket for three hours in the stands, a clear bag, and daytime clothes for a warm street.

The capsule

1. 
   01

   Clear PVC stadium tote, navy trim

   Hard Rock Stadium admits "Clear plastic bags that do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″", plus a small bag or fanny pack no larger than 4.5 × 6.5 inches, and the Orange Bowl repeats the rule for its semifinal on 14 January. A clear tote cut to that size carries the cardigan, lotion sunscreen and a phone through the gate without a detour to the bag check, which charges up to $20 by card only. Navy trim ties it to the jacket and the loafers.

2. 
   02

   Navy unlined cotton chore jacket

   Your jacket for the coolest month. An average January brings 13.3 nights below 60°F at the airport and 3.5 below 50°F, and a 7:30pm kick-off keeps you in the stands until late. Unlined cotton twill cuts the wind without the bulk of a coat, three patch pockets hold what you would rather not show through a clear bag, and navy goes over every other piece here.

3. 
   03

   Cherry-red cropped V-neck cardigan

   Under the jacket at the game, on its own at Art Deco Weekend after sunset, which comes at about 5:51pm on the 15th. A cropped length sits at the waist of the lilac dress and over the flared jeans alike, and a ribbed knit adds warmth without taking up the clear tote. Cherry red lifts the navy and the lilac.

4. 
   04

   Lilac puff-sleeve knee dress, drawstring waist

   For Art Deco Weekend, from 15 to 17 January on Ocean Drive between 5th Street and 14th Place. The festival is free and outdoors, and a cotton-modal knee dress with short puff sleeves suits a 24.6°C afternoon in front of the pastel hotel fronts. The drawstring waist takes the cardigan over it when the sun drops.

5. 
   05

   Mid-wash flared jeans

   For the stands. Denim blocks a January wind in an open stadium bowl better than linen or cotton, and a flared hem falls over the loafers so no ankle shows between them. Hard Rock Stadium asks for clothing that offers "appropriate body coverage", which jeans settle without a second thought.

6. 
   06

   Navy suede boat loafers, lug sole

   Closed shoes for a cold night and a long walk. Art Deco Weekend spreads along Ocean Drive from 5th Street to 14th Place, and the stadium lots at Hard Rock mean a walk before and after the game. A lug sole handles both, leather laces keep the fit snug, and closed toes pass Carbone's dress code, which bans open-toed shoes, if you book dinner after.

7. 
   07

   Tan leather wide-strap slides

   For the warm afternoons, which January still has: even at the year's coolest point, the daily normal high at the airport is 75.9°F. A wide leather strap slips on over sandy feet on the way back from the water, which averages 72.5°F at Virginia Key this month. Keep them for the beach, though: Joe's lists sliders among the things to skip after 4pm.

8. 
   08

   Straw boater, cream band

   For the daytime parades. The King Mango Strut runs from 2 to 6pm on Sunday 3 January through Coconut Grove, and Art Deco Weekend spreads along Ocean Drive across the road from the beach. A brim all the way round shades your face and neck for an afternoon on your feet. Take it off at dinner: Joe's asks you to skip hats after 4pm.

A suggested look — cherry-red cropped cardigan, mid-wash flared jeans, navy chore jacket, navy lug-sole boat loafers.

What to avoid

• An umbrella at Hard Rock Stadium — banned for safety and sightlines
• Aerosol sunscreen at the stadium — a prohibited item
• A bag that is not clear and larger than 4.5 × 6.5 inches — sent to paid bag check
• Shorts or open-toed shoes at Carbone — banned all year
• Dressing for summer after dark — 13.3 nights below 60°F in an average January