What to Wear in Mexico City?

As the capital of Mexico, Mexico City is a famous international metropolis. Maybe you only knew that Mexico City is the country's economic, cultural, political and transportation center, but you didn't know that there are also rich tourism resources.

Also known as the capital of murals, Mexico City has famous attractions such as “Paseo de la Reforma” and “Plaza de la Constitución”. Therefore, Mexico City is also a place worth visiting in terms of tourism. Maybe you've long admired Mexico City and have been planning about visiting there. If you're not sure what clothes you should pack for your trip to Mexico City, keep reading and we'll provide you with some ideas on what to wear in different seasons and weather.

Climate Features and Dressing Codes in Mexico City

Climate Features:

Mexico, located in the southern part of North America, always has a hot and sunny climate in people’s impression. But in fact, Mexico has a very diverse geography and climate types. The coastal and southeastern plains have distinct tropical climate characteristics, but the climate at the plateau is mild all year round. The capital, Mexico City, is located in a valley on the central and southern plateau of Mexico.

Therefore, unlike the hot climate at the southeastern region and coastal plains, Mexico City's climate is cool and pleasant all year round. The average annual temperature is around 18°C, and the year is divided into rainy season and dry season, with the rainy season from June to October each year. Even in summer, the temperature is not too high and rarely exceeds 30℃. Winter is relatively warm, with the lowest temperature usually above 5℃ and severe cold weather rarely occurs. Although not extremely hot, Mexico City always has sunny weather and plenty of sunshine for most of the days in dry season, with an annual sunshine duration of 2,000 to 2,500 hours.

Dressing codes:

Mexico City is pretty inclusive in terms of dressing in most cases, but there are a few specific dressing codes to keep in mind:

🌮The Day of the Dead is a very important festival in Mexico. On this day you will see many people putting on makeup to look like skull to memorize their ancestors. You can wear clothing with skull patterns boldly on this day, but other than this day, clothing with skull patterns is not welcomed. The skull also symbolizes death in the culture of Mexico City, and Mexicans take it very seriously, so don't challenge this principle and try to respect local dressing codes.

🌮In addition, Mexico City is a relatively conservative city in terms of dressing. Although tourists do not need to be as conservative as the locals in most cases, you still need to dress modestly when visiting religious places such as churches. In Mexico, nearly 90% of the residents are Catholics, so you need to pay special attention to this.

Distinctive Clothing in Mexico City

Local costumes often carry plenty of cultural information such as history, religion, and folklore. When you walk down the streets wearing local costumes, it will be easier for you to resonate with the locals and get closer to them. Trying on local costumes is a novel experience that adds fun and freshness to your trip. Taking photos in local costumes can also leave unique and precious memories of your trip. So, when you travel to Mexico City, be sure to try the local costumes. The local costumes in Mexico city is very distinctive. Generally speaking, they are very colorful and with a lot of exquisite embroidery. To speak more specifically, the distinctive clothing in Mexico City includes:

🌮Tehuana. This is the combination of a crop top and a maxi skirt. The crop top called Huipil is usually with square or round necklines, and abundant floral embroidery. The maxi skirt called Enagua is also made of cotton. You can often find lace or embroidery on the hem of the skirt as decoration.

🌮Charro. This is the typical costume of the Mexican cowboys and cowgirls, mainly including silver-trimmed pants, wide-brimmed hat and short jackets, and is often used in festival performances.

🌮Guayabera. This is a lightweight shirt made of cotton or linen with pockets and decorative stitching, perfect for wearing on hot days.

🌮Chiapaneca dress. This is a type of traditional Mexican women's dress, which usually uses black velvet as the main part of the dress and it is often decorated with a lot of flower embroidery. The bright colors of the flower embroidery form a sharp contrast with the black velvet fabric, and it is often used in grand events such as festivals and weddings.

What to Wear in Mexico City in Summer?

Considering the climate characteristics of Mexico City in summer, which is relatively high in terms of temperature but not too hot, and it also rains frequently during the rainy season, we recommend the following styles for you:

🌮A cotton or linen top + a midi skirt. If you want to dress in the style of Mexico City, choose a colorful top or skirt with floral embroidery. But remember, either the top or the skirt can be patterned, not both, otherwise the combination will look too flashy. This combination is much like the costume called Tehuana, but as you still need to visit different attractions, we recommend a midi skirt rather than a maxi one. And even the temperature is relatively high, a top made of cotton or linen can always keep you cool.

🌮A shirt + a midi skirt. This is a combination in simple style. This outfit might seem too conventional for most tourist attractions, but it is just right for visiting religious sites such as churches. For such a serious occasion, it is better to avoid bright colors and abundant embroidery. The simplest basic shirt and midi skirt may be the best choice.

🌮A red slip dress with ethnic patterns. The Palacio Nacional in the center of Mexico City is absolutely a must-see attraction. Mexico City is known as the capital of murals, and all kinds of murals can be seen everywhere on the streets, subway stations and residential walls. However, when it comes to the most authoritative and precious murals, they must be the works of famous artists treasured in the Palacio Nacional. What to wear to match the environment and atmosphere when visiting murals? A red slip dress is the best match for the murals in bright colors. In addition, the murals in the Palacio Nacional have distinct Mexican national characteristics, so a red dress with ethnic patterns will make you a well-deserved star.

🌮Another point worth noting is that Mexico City has long termed and intense sunshine. If it doesn't rain, remember to take a parasol, a pair of sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sunshine.

What to Wear in Mexico City in Winter?

Since Mexico City is not particularly cold even in winter, there is no need to take particularly thick clothing. However, the temperature gap in winter is larger, so the clothes you bring should be able to meet the wearing demands in different temperatures. In addition, the Day of the Dead is a major event in November. If you travel to Mexico City in November, you can also consider taking some more distinctive clothes to match with the festive atmosphere.

🌮A sweater + a shirt + a pair of corduroy pants. If you don't want to carry a coat because it's too heavy, you can consider wearing a sweater over a shirt. This will not only keep you warm, but also add a sense of layering to your look. As for bottoms, corduroy is a good fabric for your choice. It is absolutely a trump card to create the retro atmosphere. To gain extra warm, you can also wear a knitted hat and a scarf.

🌮A parka + a pair of knitted pants + a pair of snow boots. If you need to walk outdoors for a long time, a parka or a jacket is a must, because they are both windproof and waterproof. At the same time, when choosing shoes for outdoor activities, you should pay attention to keeping warm as well as being light. Otherwise, you are likely to be too tired to walk after a short while. A pair of snow boots is a good choice that satisfy both demands. It's warm enough yet light enough that you can trek through the snow for hours without feeling cold or tired.

🌮A black blazer + a purple dress with skull patterns. The limited outfit for the Day of the Dead is here! This is a costume of “Classic Katrina Skull Style”, which is both nifty and creative! The formal blazer, elegant purple dress and weird skull pattern form a sharp contrast, allowing you to fully appreciate the charm of the Day of the Dead! In addition, don't forget to put skull makeup on your face! Or you can choose a brightly colored maxi skirt with Mexican embroidery and patterns.