How To Hand Wash Wool And Cashmere Sweaters

What does “sweater weather” mean in American English?

Sweater weather is the American (and Canadian) phrase for the early-fall stretch when temperatures drop into the 50s and 60s Fahrenheit (about 10-18°C) and a light knit feels just right. The phrase moved from casual speech into pop culture with The Neighbourhood’s 2012 indie song Sweater Weather, which charted globally and spent years on American playlists. Now Americans use sweater weather to mark the start of fall, the first cool morning, and the moment to pull sweaters out of storage. British English would say jumper weather, but the phrase is much rarer there.

In this clip, a New Yorker pulls out merino-wool sweaters and announces, “It’s about to be sweater weather here in New York.”