Londoners Are in Love With This One Winter Accessory

I was Slack-messaging my editor Allyson Payer, who is based in the U.S., about my suggestions for a story on divisive fashion trends when it became clear that one winter accessory hadn’t quite crossed the Atlantic yet. “That one is a little too niche,” she said about knitted bonnets. However, just that week, three of my friends in London told me they had just bought one, and I see them every time I go for a lunchtime walk around my local East London park.

The knitted balaclava trend first hit Instagram in January 2022, when Alexa Chung wore a blue-and-white chunky crochet style with a leather trench coat. Since then, this has extended beyond novelty, retro-style balaclavas to include knitted hoods, triangular scarves, and bonnets. Knitted bandanas are proving particularly popular, as they can either be tied over the shoulders or worn over the head, protecting the ears from icy chills. Pair with sunglasses and you’ll feel like Audrey Hepburn in Charade—undoubtedly the chicest example of anyone wearing a balaclava.

A number of British independent knitwear brands are helping to drive this trend. Navygrey has a beautiful two-tone hood that can be worn up or down, while Herd has joined forces with Straw London (a small independent boutique based on Columbia Road) to create a nostalgic bonnet that will make you feel like the main character in a holiday movie. As for triangular scarves, the British knitwear label &Daughter (loved by Jennifer Lawrence and Paul Mescal) has beautiful ribbed cashmere scarves that have quickly become an influencer favorite.