Cool Weather, Cooler Style Pieces

Last Minute Fashion Updates for The Remaining Weeks for Winter 2012

Although the snow’s late and the temperatures have been wonky, it’s still the season of dreary days and drearier outfits. With every other guy at the office sporting some gray suit or black overcoat, there’s no time at the preset to get some really snappy style items into your fashion repertoire. Here are four of the most appropriate ones for the season.

Knit Ties
Weight is always the name of the style game during the winter, and few have the kind of sartorial touch that a knit tie can bring to the table. It’s essentially a fun, kooky twist to a formal classic, so you pretty much get the best of both worlds.

The texture is a great addition to any ensemble, but don’t be afraid to play around with the colors and patterns either. A knit tie is like a pair of good jeans: it’s hard to overdo. Even the dourest solid shirt gets a breath of new life with a fun knit tie, no matter what the weather outside is like.

Fingerless Gloves
Now that touchscreen phones have become every road warrior’s best friend, your glove selection had better keep up. The fingerless style is great for keeping your hands warm while at the same time giving the ends of your digits more precise control on the screen.

Some might be put off by the associations fingerless gloves have with the homeless guy down the street from your office. You’ll want a pair that’s either classic (read: navy or gray) with a pattern, or bright and statement-making. That, and you have to make sure that it’s clean to avoid any awkward, questioning stares. It’s a great addition to just about any outfit, whether it’s a casual puffer jacket or a full-on suit. If U2's Bono (pictures) can pull it off, so can you!

Pom-Pom Hats
Headgear is free-for-all fashion territory, especially with the low, low temperatures of late winter. It’s not a new thing, either; just a few winters ago, trapper hats were all the rage, a few months after the peak of the buffalo plaid trend that had every guy on the street looking like a would-be woodsman.

The pom-pom hat trend can feel more Harajuku than haute couture thanks to the big, loud patterns that you’re likely to find on the market. Pulling one off requires a strategy that’s very similar to what you would use for the equally graphic Fair Isle sweater: aim for a more sophisticated geometric print, and keep to a plain outfit to maintain some balance.

Suffice it to say that the pom-pom hat fad isn’t for the faint of heart nor subtle of style. Men brave enough to wear one, though, get a cheap but colorful wardrobe upgrade for the season that isn’t a necktie.

Other Suggested Articles for You:
Stylish Winter Coats for 2012
Mens Winter Boot Shopping Guide

Your Cheap-Neckties.com Team