The joy of living far from the equator is in the seasons. It’s easy to tire of sameness even if that is tropical sunshine. Returning from Mexico last summer, I remembered how much I enjoyed wearing a wool jumper on a fresh morning. Now that spring is in the air I’m enjoying taking off that same jumper even more, soaking up much needed rays. Change is a delight in itself which is why spring is such a joyful time, you can readily have three seasons in a day from hailstones to a baskingly warm afternoon. As thrilling as these fluctuations can be they do present a certain conundrum for your wardrobe. 

I was once told that a single factory in Manchester used to produce over 5000 raincoats a week. Every time I watch a British film noir I wonder where all those classic light beige raincoats have gone, worn with a scarf and trilby they were the answer to seasonal dressing. They could be slung over your arm when the rain stopped or better still, for a thriller plot, be left on a train with a calling card in the pocket. Trilbies and bowler hats seem to have vanished as well, much to my regret as without a background of bowler bedecked city workers I now feel as if I’m a psychopath exiled from the Clock Work Orange when I wear my splendid one from Lock & Co.; a great shame as they are the original hard hats and make excellent sense for cyclists.

This leaves just one item left from the classic look and that is the humble scarf. The simplest item of clothing possible seems to have stood the ravages of time and fashion to maintain its place on the modern man or indeed woman as scarves are the ultimately gender neutral.

As simple as a scarf may seem there is still an art to both designing and wearing one. We design and weave our beautiful Merino and cashmere scarves for optimum adaptability during the spring season. The ombre warp graduates from ecru to black which produces a range of shades when a single colour yarn is woven across the weft. The open weave structure and soft yarns gives a light feel even though they are over two feet wide and seven feet long. 

Luckily for you we still have a few pairs left. We have ladies gloves in our Red Raver cloth using matching red leather and lined in cashmere, they look striking with any outfit, keeping your hands warm as well as brightening up any look. Perhaps falling into a gender stereotype we have blue for boys, Navy Raver gloves also lined in cashmere and in sizes which fit manly digits.

This spring we are releasing three new colour ways, Sky blue, Apple green and Whisper white all with the same fine feel and generous size that allows so many wears of wearing. Depending on the clemency of the weather I change my scarf tying strategy. During the recent days of high wind I’ve been sporting mine in a Bedouin style, wrapping it around my head to protect myself from flying twigs as I dash through the park on my bike. Then as soon as the wind drops, I wear it in a relaxed style round my neck and if I’m feeling generous I allow George my trusty terrier he have an end wrapped around his newly shorn torso as he sits in my bike basket. In fact a scarf is a great thing to share should you be with a friend on a bench or wanting to spontaneously sit on a newly mown lawn together. Removing your woollen necking in an act of gallantry reminiscent of Sir Walter Raleigh will never go amiss and gives you yet another reason to sport a Dashing scarf. Although, should you need more I have in the past used mine as a baby papoose, a dog lead, an arm sling, a shopping parcel, a turban and a mooring line to name a few. So pick up one of our splendid scarves and I’m sure you will find even more ways for it to give you pleasure.

See the full range of scarves here.