4 Winter Accessories Every Man Should Own

Accessories aren't a typical staple of the menswear wardrobe, but an exception must be made for the winter months.

In the colder time of year, winter accessories are pretty much necessary to battle the freezing cold temperatures.

We recommend you spring for wool in all of your winter accessories. In the dead of winter, cotton and acrylic are just inferior insulators.

If you have the cash, however, don't hesitate to go for the cashmere. Your skin will appreciate it.

Here are our suggestions for the warmest, most stylish winter accessories.

A Real Scarf

There's no getting around it: A scarf is necessary for keeping you warm in the winter months, no matter what kind of coat you're wearing. Choose wool for maximum insulation, and make sure you know how to tie it.

Better yet, get two: a finer knit for formality and a heavier gage chunkier knit for more casual wear. We prefer to go traditional, like this one made in Scotland with a lamb and angora wool blend. E-tailer Everlane has a great ribbed chunky scarf for your casual days.

A Pair Of Good Gloves

There are two options here: leather and wool. (Forget cotton, it will be of little help to you here, especially when it gets wet).

Leather is usually reserved for more formal occasions, though Ball and Buck's handsome brown pair is rather versatile.

If you're a smartphone user, we recommend getting a smartphone compatible pair like J Crew's Touchtech.

A Hat

Losing most of your heat through your head may be an old wives tale, but your head and ears can still get plenty cold in the whipping wind.

Most men these days elect for the wool watch cap. Your color choice will reflect its formality, but it still won't. Reject bright neon oranges and yellows, or you may be mistaken for a crossing guard.

Ball and Buck's plain wool and alpaca caps hit the right note, as do J Crew's ribbed lambswool offerings.

Avoid flat caps, as you will no-doubt be mistaken for someone's father. When it's really cold out, throw fashion out the window and just get a tuque to keep your noggin warm.

Warm, Wool Socks

It cannot be stressed how important warm socks are. A good pair of wool socks on a cold day will keep your feel toasty and warm in even the coolest of temps.

Many, however, overlook the benefits of wool socks and suffer the consequences. Though they are more expensive than their cotton counterparts, their value pays dividends with keeping your feet toasty.

Many complain that wool socks are too thick and itchy, but the benefit of the warmth far outweighs these downsides. Some of our favorite wool sock brands are SmartWool and Wigwam, both of which will keep your feet happy.