As the crisp fall breezes ebb away to make room for the icy hands of winter, it is important to stay on top of outerwear to get through the snow in style. December gave us a hint of the ice storms and snowy sidewalks we can expect for the rest of January and February, so now is the perfect time to assess your wardrobe and be sure you are prepared.
Oversized Scarves
Demand has never waned for one of winterwear’s prime forms: the scarf. Specifically, the ones that are so oversized they are often compared to the average blanket by retailers. The much-loved garment has been used for centuries, so why fix it if it isn’t broken? Many different textures and patterns have been mixed, layered, and rearranged as scarves have come and gone from the fashion world.
In 2012, singer Lenny Kravitz was seen walking the streets of New York City in a brown scarf that almost swallowed his torso. The sight of him took the internet by storm, giving rise to thousands of memes and social media posts. It is unsurprising to see Kravitz in a scarf, but this one was more than five sizes bigger than his usual lineup. His fashion choice that day was such an engrossing topic that it inspired a scarf movement.
In the last decade, the scarf bandwagon has expanded. In 2021, high fashion brands such as Loewe and Acne Studios included them in their collections, using fabrics like mohair, wool, and cashmere to promote warmth during winter’s harsh conditions.
Aside from the scarf’s fashionability, its versatility allows people to wear it in different styles. A secure style is the one-loop knot, which is when it is wrapped around the neck once, and a small knot is tied in the front. Another way to wear it is like a makeshift hat, protecting not just your neck but also your ears and head at the same time.
Puffer Jackets
With styles that eerily resemble the Michelin Man, puffer jackets have always had an established prominence in the outerwear world.
Before it made its way to the fashion industry, the jacket was prioritized for its functionality. Its first appearance was in 1922 on an aspiring Mount Everest climber named George Finch. The garment was custom-made of hot air balloon fabric and deemed an “eiderdown coat.”
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Just 10 years later, outdoorsman Eddie Bauer created the first puffer jacket to replace the woolen one that froze and gave him hypothermia during a fishing trip. This alternative was made with duck feather filling and quilted fabric that boosted insulation and trapped body heat inside.
High-end fashion labels like Gucci and Louis Vuitton recently released their first-ever ski collections, and in the middle of them all were none other than puffer jackets. In 2019, Lyst, the world’s largest fashion search platform, ranked The North Face’s Nuptse puffer jacket among their hottest products of the year.
Some famous faces have also taken the jacket into their wardrobes. Robert De Niro’s character from “Taxi Driver” was channeled through supermodel Bella Hadid, who wore a puffer made by designers Arben and Kuj Durollari while volunteering to help the homeless.
Singer Billie Eilish made a statement in February 2021 when she showed up to her film release “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry” in an oversized taupe Gucci x The North Face puffer jacket patterned with little horizontal s-shaped insignias.