The most stylish accessories to wrap up in on Bonfire Night

Is there any fashion item that brings as much cheer as a great scarf, hat or gloves?

Forget about the hemline index – the theory suggesting that skirt lengths rise or fall along with stock prices – it’s time to focus on the knitwear index. As this season proves, times of economic hardship don’t necessarily lead to longer skirts, but instead to bigger scarves, cosier hats and better mittens.

Delightfully thick, wonderfully warm and as tall as your average supermodel, an oversized scarf is an essential winter companion. It is never going to steal the spotlight in the way a new coat or jumper will – but it is the one purchase you might wear every day from November to March.

Pulled on with everything from a parka for dog walking to a smart navy coat for dinners out, it can act as a makeshift hood if you’re caught outside in the rain, or be the barrier between you and blue lips at the fireworks tonight. What’s more, it can add a touch of colour to an otherwise monochrome outfit – opt for a shade that flatters your skin tone as it’ll be sitting next to your face for the next six months.

As every toddler knows, no scarf is complete without matching accessories. In 2022, we’ve fallen in love with the glove: long opera styles – as worn by Audrey Hepburn and Rita Hayworth – have proved a high-fashion hit, and videos on how to wear them have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok. But as the temperature drops, we want something more practical – cue colourful pairs in leather, suede and wool, as well as an array of cheerful mittens for grown-ups (with or without finger dividers).

Bobble hats and beanies are also in. What originated in Viking-era Scandinavia has become a status symbol, and this season, the bigger the woolly hat – and the bobble – the better.

Clockwise from top left: Cashmere mittens, £53, Everlane; Lambswool hat, £45, Jigsaw; Wool scarf, £220, Mackage; Wool gloves, £36, Aspiga; Lambswool scarf, £185, Ally Capellino

Lambswool scarf, £32, The Tartan Blanket Co; Cashmere hat, £99, Johnstons of Elgin; Wool gloves, £40, Rove; Cashmere scarf, £235, Begg x Co; Wool blend hat, £15, Marks & Spencer

Read last week's column: Look to the 1930's for this autumn's unlikely style inspiration