What to Wear in Sydney in December

Dress once, for fourteen hours. NOAA's figures for the Bureau of Meteorology's Observatory Hill station put Sydney's December at 25.7°C by day and 18.4°C at night, with 73mm of rain over about 10 days, and the Bureau's own long record gives the month the year's strongest mean 3pm wind, 19.5 km/h. The Sydney to Hobart fleet leaves at 1pm on Boxing Day. Five days later, on its published hours, Mrs Macquaries Point opens at 10am for New Year's Eve and closes at 12:30am, with no sunshades and no re-entry. Sunset is at about 8pm. That leaves about ten hours of daylight under only the shade you wear: long linen sleeves, a brim tied on, a dress for after dark, and a bikini for the beach days either side.

The capsule

1. 
   01

   Pale pink linen shirt, long sleeves, tie front

   Sleeves down from 10am, because Mrs Macquaries Point allows no sunshades and the only shade you get on New Year's Eve is the shade you wear. Cancer Council Australia rates pale shades below navy or dark red of the same fabric for UV, so this shirt earns its place by sleeve length and linen weave, not colour. Knot the tie front over the gingham and it stays cool at 26°C / 79°F.

2. 
   02

   Green-and-white gingham square-neck mini dress, front pockets

   One dress for three dates: Carols in The Domain on Saturday 19 December, 1pm to 11pm; Christmas lunch on the 25th; and the 9pm fireworks on the 31st, under an hour after sunset. Green-and-white check hides the grass marks from a day on the lawn. Front pockets take a phone and a card, so the bag stays shut in a crowd of up to 10,000 on the point.

3. 
   03

   Cobalt-blue square-neck bikini top, high-waist bottoms

   Pack it for the beach days on either side of Christmas, and swim in this rather than the shirt: Cancer Council Australia warns, "Fabrics offer less protection from UV radiation when wet." A high waist and a square neck stay in place through a Bondi shore break. Dry off first, then put the linen back on over it for the walk up to lunch.

4. 
   04

   Tan raffia H-strap flat slide sandals

   Wear them from the towel to the water and on the way out to Watsons Bay, one of the land viewpoints the race organisers list for the Sydney to Hobart start at 1pm on Boxing Day. A flat H-strap slide comes off in a second at the sand line. Tan raffia sits under the cobalt bikini and the gingham alike, so one pair covers the beach half of the trip.

5. 
   05

   Red leather low-heel Mary Jane mules

   Red leather is the capsule's one strong accent, and against green gingham it says Christmas without a novelty print. A strap across the instep keeps a mule on through a day of getting up and down from a blanket, and on the walk out after the midnight show. Keep the heel low: a stiletto sinks into the steep grass on Observatory Hill, which opens at 2pm.

6. 
   06

   Thick ribbed cream crew socks

   Wear them scrunched over the mules. On its published hours Mrs Macquaries Point runs from 10am to 12:30am, fourteen and a half hours, long enough for any leather strap to rub a blister, and a thick rib takes the friction. Cream picks up the white squares in the gingham, so the socks read as part of the outfit rather than a repair.

7. 
   07

   Tan straw wide-brim hat, black chin cord

   The cord is why this hat made the list. The Bureau of Meteorology's long record gives December the year's strongest mean 3pm wind, 19.5 km/h, and 3pm on New Year's Eve finds you on an open lawn with no sunshade allowed. A brim that goes all the way round shades ears and neck; the black cord keeps it on, and lets it hang down your back after sunset.

8. 
   08

   Natural woven straw bucket bag, leather top handle

   City of Sydney's viewing guide warns that large bags are often banned at vantage points, and most do not let you back in once you leave. A straw bucket with a leather top handle holds the sunscreen, water and snacks on the guide's list, and very little else. It matches the hat and the slides, so straw carries the whole day.

A suggested look — Sleeveless square-neck mini dress in bold green-and-white gingham check with front pockets, Vibrant red mules with low heel, Thick ribbed cream crew socks.

What to avoid

• A pop-up shade or beach umbrella on New Year's Eve — Mrs Macquaries Point and the Opera House Forecourt list no sunshades
• A hat without a cord — December has the year's strongest mean 3pm wind
• An evening jacket — an 18°C / 64°F night, and no re-entry to drop it off
• A large bag or glass — often banned at vantage points
• Swimming in the linen shirt — wet fabric blocks less UV