The Style Maven: scarves to keep you warm and stylish

BY Kate Finnigan | 14 December 2014

Not long ago I announced that I didn’t wear scarves anymore. Hadn’t for ages. But having recently had my wardrobe “managed” by Anna Berkeley , the writer and fashion buyer behind Styling Matters , I now realise that I wasn’t wearing them only because I couldn’t find them.

I had been quite pleased with my scarf-storage facility. Scarves silk, woollen and cotton were folded in a deep box on a shelf in my cupboard. All very organised but not conducive to the wearing of. As Anna pointed out, if you can’t see things, you forget about them (same with shoes in boxes) and your choices feel limited.

Anyway, since I’ve been “managed” – a dusty experience but not as painful as I’d anticipated – I’ve rediscovered my scarves in all their glory. I’ve not yet bought the multiple-trouser hanger I was instructed to purchase to drape them on (I will), but I’ve arranged them on three separate coat hangers in my wardrobe, according to fabric type and colour. I see them as soon as I open my wardrobe. And what a difference it’s made.

READ: How to wear silk scarves

I’d forgotten how a scarf pulls you together. It brings colour to the face, adds another layer of interest to a jumper or shirt, makes a coat look more luxurious, makes you look more luxurious, helps disguise a bad hair day and keeps out the cold and damp. What’s not to like?

I’ve got a number of silk scarves, but silk can be slippy and sticky. Only an Indian silk scarf in emerald green and fuchsia that I found years ago in Covent Garden and looks well with a navy Breton stripe passes muster. I prefer fine wool or wool-blends with a bit of traction so they don’t slip and some warmth – but not so much you feel you’re wearing your outdoor clothes indoors. Rose & Rose’s cashmere blends are good. They feel love-worn, as if they’ve travelled a bit.

READ: The dos and don’ts of blanket scarves

Scarves like this are a wonderful gift, if you’re still looking for inspiration. There’s something nurturing about receiving a beautifully soft scarf – a nice feeling at any time of the year but particularly this one.

Left to right: acrylic, £18, Monki ; Rose & Rose cashmere, £195, Start

Left to right: wool and silk-blend, £275, Net-a-Porter ; wool, £55, Jigsaw

Left to right: viscose-blend, £275, Liberty ; Earth Squared jersey, £24.99, Women Worldwide

Left to right: Kenzo modal and wool-blend, £138, Farfetch ; Freda modal and wool-blend, £85, Matches

Left to right: cashmere, £55, Cos ; Christopher Kane modal and cashmere-blend, £295, Net-a-Porter