What to Wear in Aspen: High-Altitude Layers, Cowboy Hats ('Mountain Chic') & Trail Footwear

Aspen's fashion reputation can be summed up in three words: 'Elevated Mountain Casual' (where custom Kemo Sabe cowboy hats and designer puffers sit right next to Patagonia fleeces and dusty Salomon hiking boots at the same bar). Leave formal business suits, ties and stiletto heels at home; instead, pack around intense high-altitude sun and 18°C (32°F) mountain temperature swings.

Five Essential Packing Rules for Aspen (Summer, Autumn & Winter)

1. Even in July & August, Pack a Warm Fleece or Down Puffer Jacket: at 2,408 metres elevation in low-humidity air, once the sun dips behind Mount Sopris in the evening, a 27°C (80°F) July afternoon drops straight to 8°C to 10°C (46°F to 50°F) at night. If you drive up 3,687-metre Independence Pass, ride the Silver Queen Gondola (3,417m) or catch dawn light at the Maroon Bells (2,920m), morning temperatures sit around 2°C to 7°C (35°F to 45°F) even in mid-summer.
2. High-Altitude Sun & Dry-Air Kit (SPF 50 + Lip Balm + Sunglasses): every 300 metres of elevation increases UV radiation by 4%, making the sun atop Aspen Mountain 45% more intense than at the beach. Pack polarised UV400 sunglasses, SPF 50 sunscreen, lip balm and hand lotion for 20% humidity.

3. Lug-Soled Trail Shoes + A Light Rain Shell: in July and August, brief mountain thundershowers often roll over the peaks in the early afternoon. Keep a waterproof shell in your daypack and wear grippy trail shoes for the rocky path to Crater Lake.
4. For Winter Visits, Waterproof Rubber-Soled Snow Boots with Grip: while Downtown Aspen's pedestrian malls have heated underground snowmelt pipes under many pavements, street crossings and village paths have packed snow and ice. Wear insulated waterproof winter boots (such as Sorel or Blundstone with wool socks).
5. Evening 'Aspen Mountain Chic' for Dinner: dark jeans or corduroy trousers, a cashmere jumper, a shearling or down vest, leather boots and a felt wide-brimmed hat fit right in at Matsuhisa, Hotel Jerome, Ajax Tavern and Casa Tua. Check seasonal weather.