<p>D is a native Texan. It’s often in the 90s well into October, sometimes November, sometimes short wearing season in December. Space will be at a premium in the dorm and I’ll need to convince her to bring more cool weather clothes than warm.</p>
<p>I went to school in IL, but frankly, we pretty much didn’t wear shorts to class at all.</p>
<p>What’s your best guess of when the below 80 degree weather starts?</p>
<p>Probably a few days after she gets to school without cool weather clothes, so you can send an express package to her :)</p>
<p>I think you can count on MOST days in September being shorts days if that’s what she likes to wear. Past September, not so much. Guys however can be seen wearing shorts in the midwest (even though they might look ridiculous!) longer. </p>
<p>Shorts are one of those things in the midwest - some teens never wear them, some wear them till there is snow on the ground. </p>
<p>Also think there are “shorts” (like the 5" inch "long’ mini shorts) and “shorts” - as in bermuda-ish style.</p>
<p>LOL, kids in Maine wear shorts all year round! Seriously. It’s quite typical to see kids at a bus stop in a snowstorm wearing them. Then they will wear windbreaksers and long pants in the summer. Anything to be rebellious, I supose.</p>
<p>There may be lots of warm days in late September and October, but there will be cold days then, too, and more cold nights. A short-lover may be able to wear shorts into November and December sometimes, but she is likely to want something other than shorts to wear, too, starting pretty early.</p>
<p>If the question is, should she bring shorts to school?, the answer is of course she should. If the question is, should she bring only shorts to school?, the answer is don’t be silly.</p>
<p>In Madison, for the guys, anytime it is above 50, maybe 40, they are out wearing shorts especially if it is what passes for spring here. Don’t know about Chicago since our place is not near UC or DePaul.</p>
<p>Not to alarm you, but many years I’ve had to turn my heat on in August. (I’m a couple neighborhoods over from Hyde Park.) On the other hand, I’ve had students who wear shorts, socks with sandals and a sweatshirt up until it snows.</p>
<p>BVDs under shorts is an attractive look.</p>
<p>Agree with TSdad. Anytime we can get our white legs in shorts, and not suffer frostbite, we do. The younger crowd seems happy risking frostbite. </p>
<p>I’m from AZ, and for years I’ve said that I start getting comfortable when Wisconsinites start complaining about the heat. </p>
<p>Here, I need the long sleeve Ts and jeans in September, when a cool spell comes through.</p>
<p>Around here, it’ll be 80 Monday and 30 Friday. It can be 70 in November and earlier this month it was (with a windchill) around 20. You can wear shorts anytime though. At least for guys.</p>
<p>Bring shorts and long pants. Short sleeved shirts (how fancy depends- casual T shirts or polos et al depends on the school/person) but long sleeves/jacket for nights. Wait with winter gear until after Thanksgiving break- he’ll know what to get by then (do have warm clothes as temps will drop in Oct/Nov). A few weeks ago our further north temps went from a high of 97 (a record for the day) to 62 only 2 or 3 days later. Remember, September is still summer, plus Lake Michigan proximity matters. That large body of water is a huge heat sink- cooler near the lake than inland in summer and warmer in fall by a few degrees. </p>
<p>At first I thought you were thinking of fashion options for the visitor. You will find plenty of tourists on the “Magnificent Mile”- Michigan Ave- wearing very casual shorts/Tshirt attire so you don’t need to worry about dressing up for Chicago. Typical Midwest casualness for many regardless of the fancy shops. At his college- he chose it and knows, I hope.</p>
<p>By the end of September, I would say most shorts would pretty much be packed away. Though guys tend to wear them longer into the fall, and break them out earlier in the spring, compared to girls. Do you mean short-shorts or do you mean Bermuda / knee-length type shorts?</p>
<p>It was 59 degrees on June 11th this year when UChicago had its graduation. (I was there. I bought a jacket. I have hot flashes.)</p>
<p>When we moved S1 in freshman year, it was sunny and 80. By early November, he said he couldn’t wait til Thanksgiving for his winter coat.</p>
<p>Bring a few pairs of shorts, but more jeans and a fleece.</p>
<p>I will wear skirts with bare legs well into October, but that’s partly stubbornness on my part. I love dresses and hate tights.</p>
<p>I know there are guys who will wear shorts and flip flops in the snow. D is not like that…but she doesn’t like to be hot.</p>
<p>I always thought October was pretty chilly in Chicago- definitely fall, which is NOT the case in Dallas. There will be a few gorgeous warm days, but the general feel is that it is fall and you won’t see many shorts.</p>
<p>Casual doesn’t begin to describe the manner of dress you will see on North Michigan Ave. from the tourists.</p>
<p>And as a footnote to nothing, we were in Hyde Park a couple of weekends ago to visit the Robie House (definitely worth a visit), which is now owned by the University of Chicago.Temps in the mid-70s. Before the tour started we walked around the campus. I had no idea how beautiful and green the campus is. I was very impressed. Last weekend we spent a couple of hours at the Oak Street beach, another place worth a visit.</p>
<p>Agree with GLM on complaining about the heat in Wisconsin. We lived in DC and the WDC metro area for 30 years. The 90 plus temps and the 90% plus humidity for weeks on end kind of wears you out. I am also amused about people here who complain about the traffic. It is great to live in a city that has a Beltline and not a Beltway. </p>
<p>OTOH, the ride on some Friday evenings from O’Hare to the Ohio St. exit on the Kennedy can be beyond pain.</p>
<p>October is Indian summer for us. The Chicago Marathon is in the middle of the month and was called off due to heat a couple of years ago.</p>
<pre><code>One year, one out of four, the students outside the dorm were wearing summer clothes when I dropped Sapling off after Christmas break…January warm-up.
</code></pre>
<p>I went to Marquette & lived in Milwaukee for 2 years after graduation, I don’t honestly ever remember wearing shorts to class! Summer seemed to begin on July 1 and end on Sept 1.</p>