Cocooning yourself in winter accessories like cable-knit beanies and fringed cashmere scarves may be a no-brainer during the cold months, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to play around with your looks—and right now there’s a new crop of winter accessories ready to step up your outfit game in a major way. Style influencers and editors are loving balaclavas, snoods and dickeys to keep themselves warm. And take their ’fits to the next level.
After embracing a number of offbeat trends over the last two years—silk headscarves! teeny-tiny bags! grandpa knits!—we’re not at all surprised to see these playful pieces taking off right now. Balclavas/snoods/twiggys are both practical and fashionable. They’re a great way for unpredictable weather to be conquered and can also be used as mood-boosting alternatives to the traditional cold-weather staples you already have.
You can find a new trend to be excited about, or you can experiment with your seasonal layering system. Get ready to dig into the best balaclavas and snoods below.
Balaclavas or knit hoods
Balaclavas have been a staple of skiers for many years. They are now a regular on runways and can be worn when other options like a fleece headband, pom-pom beanie, or faux fur earmuffs don’t work. This full face mask will protect your ears against harsh winds, and keep you cozy without having to wrap yourself in fabric. Best part? This wintry essential can be used in milder temperatures. You can simply pull the hood down and use it as a neckwarmer.
Snoods
Chilly temps are here to stay—and snoods, which are essentially a less fussy version of infinity scarves, are just the kind of versatile accessory you want living in your handbag or coat pocket. There are many styles and sizes of snoods. You can choose from a cable-knit neck warmer to a sherpa style. You can style snoods with almost any sweater or outerwear you already own, such as a merino-wool half-zip, a quilted puffer coat, or a trench.
Dickeys
The first cousin of the snood are the dickeys. They protect your neck from the bitter winds and act as a mini sweater vest. For maximum warmth and protection, choose a neutral style that you can throw on top of base layers or button-ups.
Source: Glamour