Monday, 12 November 2007

Wrapped in checkered wool

As winter draws in, I am becoming increasingly alarmed at just how cold it's getting. It seems that my confient predictions of an Indian Winter when I bought my Paul & Joe gabardine mac in last year's sales were wrong. It's fucking freezing. I was out at 6am on Saturday morning, and not drunkenly coming back from a night out, but working with friends on a video shoot, and although I had 4 layers on, the cold still got through. Despite this, there's one item which I have had for many years now which has always kept my neck warm. This checkerboard scarf was charity shop gold. A £2.99 purchase from Help the Aged in Ilkley, it's been with me for years, across the globe, up mountains, to festivals and along pretty much every street in London. I am very much a scarf person; summer, winter, evening, day; I feel a little underdressed without a scarf. I once read that a Parisian can never have too many scarves about their person. This is one of the few maxims that I have ever followed; although I do realise the absurdity of it. Scarves are practical, easy to wear, cheap (mostly) and complete an outfit; giving it a certain flair that makes you stand out, particularly in such a dull place as the City. A scarf is a true Staple; ephemeral yet essential, the sort of thing that you buy or find that whenever you use it, it brings a smile to your face. Other Staples this week:
The Hideaway pub in Archway
Andrew Bird's album 'Armchair Apocrypha'
Papier Mâché octopus tentacles
A long woollen checkerboard scarf
Risotto from Strada
The lush colours and gorgeous cinematography of Stephen Poliakoff dramas (yes, I know i Stapled it last week)
A hardbacked paper diary

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