When the temperatures drop and the wind starts to blow, any extra layer of protection is appreciated. Experts say the head and the feet are the two places where your body loses heat the fastest. Therefore, they should also be the best protected in terms of maintaining your body heat during cold or freezing weather.
While technically it may not be a part of the head, the neck is also a critical area for maintaining warmth and holding in the heat during cold temperatures. Winter scarves can be the key difference between feeling the frigid temperatures and feeling warm and toasty despite the temperatures. And scarves are also a must have fashion accessory this season.
Winter scarves are typically knit or crocheted from thick yarn to provide added insulation for your body. More recently, however, scarves have become fashionable in many different styles, constructed of many different materials. Today you can find scarves in just about every fabric and fiber under the sun.
Man-made fleece fabrics as well as cotton and polyester blends are popular. Soft flannel, wool, and even cashmere are appropriate. 100% cotton scarves are soft and comfortable, and unusual fibers like alpaca wool are used for a more exotic look, feel, and texture in other scarves.
Scarves can be long or short or just neck warmers. Some silk scarves come with fringe and some without. Some are thick and bulky, while others are thin and sleek or soft and silky. Still others are gathered or shirred down the middle for stretch and a “scrunch” appearance. You’ll find scarves in solids, plaids, stripes, polka dots, and more. And you can buy them in any color.
Scarves were originally created primarily for warmth. They were a practical means of helping keep out the cold. And they still serve this purpose well-especially for people with short hair or those who don’t wear a hat or hood.
But today scarves aren’t all about just warmth. Scarves are showing up this winter paired with plaid shirts and layered looks, worn with jeans and worn with skirts. And they’re being worn and seen indoors as well as out, tucked beneath a shirt color or lapel, tied or knotted at the neck or mid chest level, or just slung around the shoulders and neck.
In a way, scarves seem to be temporarily replacing necklaces as a fashion accessory. They provide a leading line directing the eye up toward a person’s face. And they accessorize the neckline itself, providing color, texture, and interest much like a necklace would do.
Scarves are also being used to belt skirts and dresses these days. This also provides a leading line and emphasis; however, it is on the waist rather than the neckline. A thinner scarf tends to narrow the waistline while a thicker, bulkier scarf does not. Depending on body shape, however, both are very attractive.
In any event, scarves are making a fashion statement this winter. And they’re also warming the bodies that wear them. So they’re definitely a smart fashion choice!
