by Ellie Moss
As the nights draw in and the days get colder it’s time to wrap up in your favourite winter accessories to keep you snug and stylish in the run up to Christmas and beyond.
Accessories are the key to appearing glamorous on the outside while keeping warm and toasty on the inside on those bitter winter mornings when you dream of being curled up in bed.
There are a range of outdoor events this season that call for warm and stylish outerwear. It's almost impossible to get through ice-skating, fireworks or a Christmas market without a pair of chic but cosy gloves, a statement scarf and a hair-saving hat.
Gone are the days when Grandad’s thermal gloves, a knitted scarf from Auntie Vera and that bobble hat you got for your tenth birthday will do. Today we want warmth, style and practicality all in a few chill-busting, fashion-forward accessories.
Personally I think it’s worth splashing out on winter accessories, as their practicality outdoes many a seasonal fashion buy. Compare the longevity of warm winter gloves to that of wet-look leggings or a sequined blazer for example; next Christmas will no doubt see these key trends kindly donated to your nearest charity shop, while those trusty winter warmers will be brought out for another season of festivities.
From offices to coffee shops, the recession - along with a desire to be greener - seem to have done away with central heating and replaced its sweltering temperatures with a mildly disturbing indoor chill.
Slightly annoying if, like me, you despise the cold, but useful for getting even more wear out of your fabulous winter accessories.
This revelation applies less to gloves, which are awkward at the best of times. I am fairly confident, however, that hats and scarves can be carried off in most indoor scenarios.
The high street is awash with offerings for every chilly extremity this season, in a variety of fabrics and styles.
Gloves don’t easily go out of fashion and, as such, I have amassed quite a collection over the years. Top of my list are a black leather pair for smart and an elbow-length, shimmery, fingerless pair for everyday.
Snoods - the new scarves. I bought the king of all neck warmers this winter - the snood, bargain at £4.99 from H&M. Apparently the idea is that it functions simultaneously as a scarf and a hood. I've not yet braved the hooded option though as it makes me feel like I should be riding a camel through a desert storm, Laurence of Arabia style.
Hats are a notoriously difficult item to wear well and can create significant difficulties where hairstyles are concerned. They're great for keeping hair reasonably tame, especially in the recent spate of gale force winds, but at the same time they're responsible for the dreaded ‘hat hair’. I came across this furry masterpiece from H&M this week and am very tempted to buy it - if you’re going to do a hat, you might as well do it properly. Yes, it does have something of the rabbit-hunting American woodcutter about it, but I’m confident that as long as I keep it well away from a lumberjack shirt, I will be every bit the winter fashionista.
Emma: "My bank account and I are having issues at the moment so the shops were not my friends this weekend. At under a fiver, this sparkly beanie lifted my spirits though – thank heaven for Primark."
Sarah: "I hate winter but love winter clothes, accessories in particular. These are all H&M which is fantastic for affordable quality accessories. This hat is just £5.99 and adds a splash of wintry colour to any outfit. The velvet fingerless gloves are surprisingly warm and bang on trend - great for days when you want to go a bit more retro."
So get out there (or stay indoors!) and enjoy your winter accessories while you can; come summer you’ll be begging for the opportunity to get all wrapped up Christmas Carol style again. Go ice-skating in your knitted mittens, watch some fireworks in a cosy cashmere scarf, hit the Christmas markets in a seriously snuggly hat and remember to stay away from your Grandad’s thermals.
Check out our street style pages for some more winter accessory ideas.
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