Men's Winter Accessories: Scarves, Gloves, Hats and Socks — A Buying Guide
Key takeaways:
- Scarves — length first: around 180cm is the benchmark. The Herringbone Scarf (£10.00) measures 180 × 30cm, in 100% polyester with a brushed finish and fringed ends.
- Gloves — the lining does the work: the Chester Gloves (£13.00) are faux leather with a soft fleece lining and an adjustable wrist strap, in black, one size.
- Hats — two shapes cover winter: the Ribbed Beanie (£9.00, acrylic rib knit) for warmth; the Smithfield Flat Cap (£5.00, herringbone tweed-look weave) for the smarter line with an overcoat.
- Socks — buy by tier: crew (£7.00 for five pairs), thermal (£18.00 for three) and boot socks (£22.00 for five, brushed inside). The full set of scarf, gloves, beanie and boot socks comes to £54.00.
WARDLEY London is our own store — prices and product facts below are taken from our own listings.
How we chose these: one worked example from Wardley's current range in each of the four categories, compared on the facts each product page publishes — price, sizes, dimensions where stated, and the cloth exactly as stated on the record — from our own product data.
Winter outfits rarely fail at the coat. They fail at the edges — the thin scarf that will not wrap, the unlined gloves, the socks that were never meant for boots. Accessories are also the cheapest part of the wardrobe to get right. This guide sets out what to check in each of the four categories that matter — scarves, gloves, hats and socks — with Wardley London's current range as the worked examples and every price and detail taken from the products' own pages.
What should you look for in a winter scarf?
The single most useful number on a scarf is its length. Around 180cm is the benchmark: long enough to loop once with the ends hanging properly, or to wrap twice on the coldest mornings. Much shorter and you are left with a token strip of cloth that neither warms nor finishes a coat.
After length, judge the finish. A brushed surface softens the cloth and makes a plain weave look richer; a woven pattern such as herringbone adds texture without colour risk, which is why it sits with camel, navy, grey and black coats alike. Wardley's Herringbone Winter Scarf (£10.00) is the worked example: 180 × 30cm, 100% polyester with a brushed finish and fringed ends, in three tonal greys — Light Grey, Charcoal and Grey Stripe. Choose the colour by your coat, not your jumper: charcoal under a light coat, light grey under a dark one.
What makes a pair of gloves warm?
With gloves, the outer material is mostly about looks and weather; the warmth lives in the lining. An unlined glove in any material is a mild-day glove. For winter, look for a fleece or brushed lining, and a wrist that closes — a strap or elasticated cuff is what stops cold air travelling up the sleeve of your coat.
Be honest about material, too. Wardley's Chester Gloves (£13.00) are faux leather, and the product page says so plainly: a smooth faux-leather outer with a soft fleece lining and an adjustable wrist strap with a press stud, in black, one size. Judge a glove like this on its lining, its wrist closure and the neatness of its finish alongside a tailored coat — that is the job it is for.
Beanie or flat cap — which hat suits winter?
The beanie is the warmth-first option. The current shape is short and cuffed — the fisherman style — worn with the cuff turned up, and pulled down over the ears when the weather turns. A rib knit stretches, which is why one size genuinely works. Wardley's Ribbed Knit Beanie (£9.00) is an acrylic-knit, turn-up-cuff beanie in Black, Grey, Olive and Navy. Pick the colour that appears elsewhere in your winter kit and the hat stops looking like an afterthought.
The flat cap is the smarter option, and the one that belongs with an overcoat. What to check: a short, stitched-down peak that sits close to the brow, and a weave with enough texture to hold its own against plain coats. The Smithfield Herringbone Flat Cap (£5.00) is a classic flat cap shape in a herringbone tweed-look weave, in Charcoal, Brown and Light Grey, one size. Pair it with the herringbone scarf and the textures do the work that colour does in summer.
How do you choose winter socks?
Winter socks come in three tiers, and buying the wrong tier is why feet get cold in good boots.
Everyday crew socks are the fine-knit layer for trousers, chinos and ordinary shoes. Look for a cotton blend (it breathes and holds its shape better than pure cotton), a ribbed cuff that stays up, and colours you do not have to think about. Wardley's Crew Socks 5-Pack (£7.00) is fine-knit cotton blend in two mixed colour packs, fitting UK 6–11.
Thermal socks step up the knit weight for cold houses, walks and wellingtons. The tells are a chunky rib knit and a blend that includes elastane, so the sock grips instead of sagging by lunchtime. The Dales Thermal Socks (£18.00 for three pairs) are a wool, polyester and elastane blend in a thick rib knit, in five colours, fitting UK 6–11.
Boot socks are the heavy tier, made for boots and cold mornings: a thick wool-blend knit, a brushed inside (that brushed layer is what traps the warmth), and a mid-calf height with a ribbed cuff so the sock clears the top of the boot and stays there. Wardley's Boot Socks 5-Pack (£22.00) is exactly that specification — five pairs in a marl wool-blend knit with a brushed inside, in Mixed, Grey, Brown and Navy. One sizing note for all three tiers: check the size range on the page before ordering; the packs above are one-size or UK 6–11 as stated, and socks are the one category where a sealed pack matters for returns, for hygiene reasons.
How does the winter accessories kit compare?
| Product | Price | Sizes | Cloth | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herringbone Scarf | £10.00 | One size (180 × 30cm) | 100% polyester, brushed finish | Best all-rounder |
| Chester Gloves | £13.00 | One size | Faux leather outer, fleece lining | Best with a tailored coat |
| Ribbed Beanie | £9.00 | One size | Acrylic rib knit | Best for warmth |
| Smithfield Flat Cap | £5.00 | One size | Herringbone tweed-look weave (no fibre breakdown published) | Best with an overcoat |
| Crew Socks 5-Pack | £7.00 | UK 6–11 | Cotton blend, fine knit | Best everyday |
| Dales Thermal Socks | £18.00 | UK 6–11 | Wool, polyester and elastane blend, thick rib knit | Best for cold houses and walks |
| Boot Socks 5-Pack | £22.00 | One size (UK 6–11) | Wool-blend knit, brushed inside (no percentages published) | Best for boots |
Bought together, the full set — scarf, gloves, beanie and the boot socks — comes to £54.00, which is the other thing accessories are for: they are the winter gifts that get used daily and the easiest way to make a coat you already own look finished.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Dales thermal socks merino?
No — they are a wool blend of wool, polyester and elastane, knitted thick and warm, and hard-wearing with it. No single-fibre claim is made for them.
What are the Dales made from?
A wool, polyester and elastane blend in a thick chunky rib knit. The maker publishes the blend without percentages, so none are stated here.
How do thermal socks differ from boot socks?
The Dales are a three-pair pack in one colour, in a chunky rib knit. The boot socks are a five-pair pack with a brushed inside and a ribbed cuff. Both are one size, UK 6–11.
What do I get in the Boot Socks pack?
Five pairs of thick boot socks in one pack. Choose from Mixed, Grey, Brown or Navy packs.
What are the boot socks made from?
A warm wool-blend knit, described on the product record as wool and cashmere, with a brushed inside for warmth and a ribbed cuff. No fibre percentages are published for this product, so none are stated here.
More in the same spirit: our guide to choosing a men's winter coat and our guide to socks for cold feet.
All Wardley accessories are sent with free tracked UK delivery: dispatch 1–2 working days, delivery 6–10 working days, with 30-day returns on unworn items (socks and underwear only if still sealed, for hygiene reasons).
Updated 30 October 2026: brought into the Journal house standard — key takeaways, a comparison table with sizes and cloth, and a questions section added; every price and product detail re-checked against the product records.
