Yahoo Lifestyle Why the knitted hood will be your cosiest companion all winter
If you were wondering what currently reigns as winter's most controversial accessory, we offer up the knitted hood for your consideration. Also known as a balaclava, snood, and bonnet, all of these retain a resemblance to a floating headpiece, but come in multiple varieties, from chunky knits to tie-fastened wraps and fine cashmere fabrics.
Practically, the knitted hood offers up a fashion-forward solution to keeping your head warm in the colder months— think of it as the more dynamic, younger sister of your ribbed beanie. It's less hassle than a scarf, sitting snugly around your head and requiring no readjustment, while having the unique benefit of keeping your whole head warm. Neck, ears and all.
Balaclava's have been around long before they turned the heads of fashion folk, originating in the Crimean War during the late 1800s when British soldiers sought protection from the plummeting temperatures. Its promotion to sleek fashion accessory status is much more recent; Copenhagen street style has favoured the knitted hood over the past few years, benefitting from its protective barrier against the Scandinavian chill. It has since trickled over to permeate London's fashion scene, ensuring you're likely to spot a balaclava or two during a stroll through Shoreditch or Soho.
If you aren't yet convinced, look to the autumn/winter 2024 shows, where knitted hoods featured heavily at Fendi and Rick Owens, popped up at Prada, while at Simone Rocha models donned crystal-embellished balaclavas. Designers have embraced the style in previous years, with Balenciaga and Molly Goddard showing a handful of looks as early as 2018 and 2o19, but it was most notably at Miu Miu's balaclava-clad autumn/winter 2021 collection that the knitted hooded started to garner attention, with Marc Jacobs and Max Mara showing similar styles in the same season.
If nothing else, the knitted hood deserves consideration in your wardrobe for its versatility. The style pairs well with wool coats, knitted jumpers, oversized blazers and leather trenches — the list goes on and on. Neutral colours offer the most styling potential, but more vivid shades will lend vibrancy to your outfits, especially if they tend to gravitate towards the darker side in winter.
When shopping for a knitted hood, you'll want to have the opportunity to try out different styles and fabrics. Most brands favour using softer cashmere or fine knit wool blends, which are less abrasive on the skin around your face and neck, but there's also thicker ribbed textures too. Then there's the shape to consider; whether you prefer a loose fit, a tie-fastening, or a more scarf-inspired style, you're spoiled for choice.
Below, shop our edit of the best knitted hoods to wear this season, and find our guide to winter outfit inspiration here.
Paloma Wool Angels balaclava
STRAW x HERD Bonnet
Cos Ribbed wool-cashmere balaclava
Fendi Ribbed balaclava
Ganni Pink soft wool balaclava
Jil Sander Knitted wool balaclava
The Row Everest cashmere balaclava
Nanushka Filco cashmere balaclava
Ruslan Baginskiy Wool-blend hood
If you were wondering what the fashion equivalent of marmite is right now, we offer up the knitted hood for your consideration. Also known as a balaclava, snood, and bonnet, all of these styles retain a similar resemblance to a floating hood, but can come in multiple styles, from chunky knits to tie-fastenings and fine cashmere fabrics.
The knitted hood offers up a fashion-forward answer to warming winter headgear, replacing the ribbed beanie as it's cooler younger sister.
If you aren't convinced of its fashion credentials, just look at the autumn/winter 24 shows, where the knitted hood featured heavily at Fendi and Rick Owens, popped up at Prada, while at Simone Rocha models walked with crystal-embellished balaclavas.
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