Few words strike terror into a woman’s heart (well, this woman at least) than the word “snood”. I can’t help it, it’s an ugly sounding word, used to describe something that bears an uncanny resemblance to the sleeve from some over-sized sweater.
Of course, give the current resurgence of interest in all things eighties, it was only a matter of time before the snood was removed from moth balls, given a quick dust off, and offered to us as a scarf alternative (courtesy of Burberry, Missoni, and pricey Do It Yourself knitwear purveyor Wool And The Gang). When it first hit the catwalks it was easy to ignore, but now that colder weather is just around the corner it has to be faced that there’s likely to be a snood sighting on every block.
To be fair, my dislike of the snood is not purely linguistic; the lack of practicality irks me as well, for the snood has the warmth of a scarf without the attendant flexibility. After all, there are numerous ways to wear a scarf…worn loose, coiled tightly around the neck, and all the subtle permutations in between…heck, you can even tie it to your handbag. A snood on the other hand, worn either round the neck or as a head covering, remains rigidly defined.
