When the temperature dips to an uncomfortable low, it’s easy to completely forgo aesthetics for function. All those satin midi skirts and heeled boots are so quickly shoved into the depths of closets to “maybe try out next winter.” (Hey, even Rihanna turns to the comfort of early-2000s Uggs sometimes.) Where there is room for underrated flexibility, though, lives right on your neck. Often thrown on and overlooked, scarves, and specifically the blanket varieties can offer a stylish leg up on a tired coat in addition to serving their warming duties.
While a quick Google search for “blanket scarf” pulls up a handful of the same image—a flimsy version in cheap-looking, autumnally hued plaid that reads like a stock photo of fall—the thick, woolen scarf is the one to look out for. The right blanket scarf should be oversized, delightfully plush, and long enough to drape over your chest for full effect. (Though wrapping it around a few times on a brutal day sounds particularly inviting, too.)
Kill two fashion birds with one stone by opting for a flashy logo-laden scarf, courtesy of labels like Balenciaga and Off-White. Or, take a cue from the fashionable Xenia Adonts, snapped in a mood-lifting neon yellow Tory Burch number during NYFW and ensure you won’t be missed in a fluorescent color, either. An electric pink or equally vibrant orange, for example, feels like a modern upgrade on a classic-cut scarf shape. Next time the Weather app says wind chill, you know what we’ll be wrapped in.
