What to Wear This Month: Cold-Weather Accessories and Glove Care

By mid-November, the coat you already own does most of the work. Accessories do the rest. A scarf, a knit hat and a pair of gloves can make the same jacket work for a cold morning commute, a weekend walk and a late-month family dinner.

The outfits below use pieces most closets already have. The care notes that follow are meant to get those accessories through the winter without shrinking, stretching or cracking.

Five Outfits Built Around Accessories

1. The weekday commute

Wear a navy or charcoal wool coat over a crewneck sweater and dark trousers. Add a long wool scarf wrapped once around the neck with the ends hanging inside the coat. Smooth leather gloves in brown or black give the look a finished edge.

2. The weekend errand run

Pair a quilted jacket with jeans, a sweatshirt and sneakers or ankle boots. A ribbed knit beanie in a single solid color keeps the look simple. Choose one strong color for the hat or the scarf, not both.

3. The office day with a cold walk at each end

Layer a button-down shirt under a fine-knit cardigan, then add a tailored coat. A lighter scarf, folded in half and looped through itself, sits flat under the collar. Leave it on at your desk if the room is drafty.

4. The late-November dinner

Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year. A knit dress or a sweater with wool trousers works well for most family tables. Add a patterned scarf you can keep on indoors and leather gloves for the trip there.

5. The outdoor afternoon

For a park walk, a game or a market, wear a fleece or sweater under a parka, warm socks and boots. Pick a thicker cable-knit beanie and lined gloves. Stuff the hat in a pocket when the sun comes out.

Washing Wool Scarves

Heat and friction are what damage wool. For a classic wool scarf, use a mesh bag and the wool cycle at 30 °C (about 86°F), with the spin capped at 600 rpm. Use a detergent that contains no protease enzymes, because proteases break down keratin, the protein that makes up wool.

To remove wrinkles, do not press the iron directly on wool. Hold a steamer 10-15 cm away (about 4 to 6 inches), or put a damp cotton press cloth between the iron and the scarf. Dry the scarf flat in the shade.

Washing Knit Beanies

Start with the care label. Hand washing in cold water with a mild detergent is the safest method for any beanie, and for most wool hats it is the only safe one. A teaspoon or two of wool detergent is enough.

A hat labeled machine wash cold, gentle can go in a mesh bag on a delicate cycle. If the label is missing, faded or was never there, as with many hand knits, treat it as wool and hand wash in cold water. Afterward, lay the wet beanie flat on a towel and reshape it. Do not hang it, and keep it out of a hot dryer.

Caring for Leather Gloves

Clean leather gloves as rarely as you can. Frequent washing can dry the leather out and dull its shine and water resistance. One or two light hand cleanings over the winter is usually enough, depending on how often you wear them.

• Wipe while wearing. For routine cleaning, put the gloves on and wipe them with a slightly damp cloth. This helps them hold their shape while you lift off surface dirt.
• Never soak. Keep leather out of standing water and out of the washing machine.
• Dry slowly. Let the gloves dry fully at room temperature, away from direct heat. Lay them flat or place them where air can move around them.
• Condition. Rub a small amount of leather treatment into the gloves with a soft cloth, using circular motions. This keeps the leather supple and helps it resist water.

FAQ

– Can I put a wool beanie in the dryer?

No. Heat and agitation shrink wool, so every beanie should dry flat. Reshape it on a towel while it is still damp.

– Can leather gloves go in the washing machine?

No. Leather should never be soaked or machine-washed. Wipe the gloves with a slightly damp cloth instead, and let them air-dry away from heat.