The thing about winter fashion is that no matter what you’re wearing underneath, your outerwear probably consists of a heavy wool coat, gloves, boots and maybe a hat, all in dark enduring variations of a brown, grey or black palette. This is just common sense as these pieces are probably the most expensive in your wardrobe each year and you want to be able to wear them as much as possible with every outfit you own and without getting bored.

Still, with all this snow, and sundown around 4pm every day, it’s pretty dull and dreary out there already, without having to push past hundreds of monotonous and uninspired pea coats on the underground. Excluding that bulky loose knit scarf in the back of your wardrobe for three quarters of the year that makes you look like a pre-schooler dressed by mum, there is one particularly stylish and versatile way to brighten your look without having to invest in some kind of Technicolor-Dream-Coat.

Taking a leaf from the Mad Men editorial, the classic neck scarf is the graceful way to decorate your lapel. There is simply nothing more luxurious than the touch of silk against your skin, and this season not only offers an array of timeless prints that you can wear for a lifetime and across every season, but a selection of design and colour combinations to suit every taste and preference.

But how to wear it without looking naff or something close to a Sloane Ranger (one who frequents or dwells in Sloane Square and spends their days wondering in and out of the stores there with a latte in hand and a string of pearls around the neck).

For a lighter silks, try the Grace Kelly look by lopping long scarves once round the neck and letting one end hang down your back and one down your front. For small silk squares, the triangular bandana look is more casual when paired with a t-shirt. Or perhaps for a more decorous look, try knotting it tight around your neck like a choker.

Miss Selfridge offers a variety of different styles this season including the sassy little satin bandana in Paris print, perfect to pair with a soft tee and denim, or the Equestrian and Vintage Chain prints smart enough for work. Whatever your preference, a neck scarf is the easy way to dress up any outfit, but when it comes to bolder and brighter prints, although colour is key, be wary not to pair them with anything too busy.

My favourite creation for those of you channelling Patti Smith and rocking biker studded boots this season, is the iconic skull print from Alexander McQueen (see image above) available online from Matchesfashion. With a wide selection of variations on theme and colour, the skull print, skull dot and skull heart scarves are available in both pashmina and chiffon. If my credit card wasn’t still recovering from Christmas, I would probably go out and buy one in each motif, to brighten the rest of this dull and dreary week.

Neck Candy

Matches Fashion

Miss Selfridge