When one of you (hi, Amy!) suggested that I talk a little about bundling up for winter, I got pretty excited. The truth is, winter is my season! While I hate the cold, I absolutely adore cold weather style. So, today I thought I’d dispense a few of my favorite tips for staying chic no matter the weather. Read on
A guide after my own heart – no wonder it’s the longest one. This is for the girl who waits by the mailbox when it’s time for Vogue to arrive, is a walking encyclopedia of what’s “in” this season, and is always on hand to lend style advice for your latest sartorial dilemma. No wonder you two have so much in common.
I spend most of the winter months bundled up like a sherpa on Everest: wearing coats and gloves indoors, huddled under blankets, crouched next to space heaters…it’s sad, really. I’ll do just about anything to get a bit of cozy this time of year. Of all my cold-weather obsessions, scarves are hands-down my first love. They add color to a neutral outfit, they can be worn a thousand different ways, and they do wonders for my core temperature.
Like all my serious obsessions, I’m incredibly picky about my scarf finds. They have to meet some pretty high standards to really qualify as a love. But friends, when I found Shepherd England, it was like kismet! The fashion heavens opened up, and in an instant, I knew I’d found my holy scarf grail.
Amazing, right? They’re a little on the splurge-y side of things, so I did what any good writer has to do – got one for myself, purely for research purposes. Short version? I haven’t taken this beauty off since.
The color is called Titian Blue…doesn’t that just make you love it even more?
Long version: Well, first, it is long – it hangs down to my knees, in fact. Which I absolutely love, as it means maximum tying versatility, extra warmth, and an extremely high cozy factor. Second, it is just so, so well made, which is increasingly hard to find. Every piece is handmade in England from superfine Geelong lambswool (which I had to Google, but I can tell you is softer and more luxe than any wool I’ve ever felt…even softer than most of my cashmere, in fact). Third, the colors and patterns are so unique, modern and fun, I get excited every time I put it on. I have literally not left the house in this scarf without getting compliments. Not once.
These beautiful scarves are a bit of a splurge, especially since the GBP just went up a bit (they’re about $265 right now). But it’s not such a splurge that you couldn’t save up for it. And friends, you should. I wear a scarf every single day, so for me, it’s every bit as worth investing in as a coat or great boots. Plus, you need a really beautiful, makes-you-smile-whenever-you-wear-it, feels-like-a-big-bear-hug scarf in your life. Truly, on those days when the snow and rain are just too much to take, and I can’t bear the thought of one more day wearing snow boots, putting on a scarf I really love improves my mood like nothing else.
Of course, all those compliments don’t hurt either.