Retailers Really Want You to Buy a Snood

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Can snoods save the fashion industry? Probably not, but the Wall Street Journal reports that retailers are trying anyway. Snoods are sometimes Scarlett O'Hara-style hairnets, but in this case we're talking about long, tube-shaped scarves that can be worn as hoods, and they're being pushed by Bloomingdales, Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Ave. and apparently everyone else in the world. Burberry and Banana Republic have cashmere versions for $295 and $98, respectively. The Limited's acrylic knit version is only $39.50, and American Apparel has one for $28 that they're calling a "circle scarf."

The trend makes sense as snoods are easy to layer and different enough to pique the interest without alienating anybody. It could also be seen as mildly insidious, as WSJ opines that "the rush to the snood reflects the fashion industry's scramble to invent new types of clothing that consumers don't already possess." A lot of retailers, however, are not so keen on the word "snood," which really does sound sort of silly, but possibly not as silly as "infinity scarf," which is what Banana Republic and The Limited are calling them. The weather has been wonderfully, unseasonably warm and un-snoodlike lately, but will you wear one this winter?
· Can the Snood Save Christmas? [WSJ]