Warm that Head in Style

M. Ismail is one of NewsFlashMedia’s team members. Since late October 2011 she has been living in London and vacationing in France. She updates us here on the simple things about living abroad.

WINTER is almost over and soon Spring will be here to stay. Although it will still be a tad too cold for me, it is much better than a freezing winter. And so I do look forward to Spring although Autumn is my favourite season because of the colours it brings.

While waiting for Spring to bloom in, I am still wrapped up in layers of clothes, indoors and outdoors. Another Malaysian told me recently that despite the locals wearing lighter clothes once Spring is in she still wears hers. It will be sometime before we unacclimatised Malaysians get the hang of England’s cold weather. But this time round, my stay in England is far warmer than what I had experienced in Manchester in the 90s.

Gloves - now that's important for keeping warm in winter but is it time to rid of them now that Spring is in the air?

The winter may be at its tail’s end but there are still bouts of strong wind, the occasional rain and the biting cold despite the sun shining bright.  But looking at weather conditions throughout the world it really appears to become more and more unpredictable these days, no matter in which part of the world you are in.

Your flannels, they keep you warm and fuzzy.

I will be glad when winter is over so I can get rid of my gloves and flannels, which are really important items to have in your wardrobe when you’re living in a cold county. But if there is one thing I love having with me no matter what the weather condition is, is my BUFF. This is actually a famous brand for a multifunctional headgear and I have a preference for it because BUFF uses microfiber fabric, which makes the headgear breathable. And they also have pieces made from fleece and merino wool, which are used in extreme cold conditions such as skiing. But there are many other brands available here. You just need to choose something that suits your needs and budget.

A good selection of multifunctional headgear to add to the warmth.

BUFF headgear is designed for wind protection and so it is suitable for outdoor activities like motorcycling or just roughing it out. Back home I used it to keep my hair in place and over here I used it mainly to keep my head and neck warm. There are many ways to wear this headgear – as a bandana, a beanie, cap, wristband and scarf. Those who use it when riding, use it as face mask or a helmet liner. In fact the female participants in reality show Survivor use BUFF’s headgear as tube tops.

My personal collection.

I am not sure if there are any BUFF stockists in Malaysia because I have not come across one. I get mine from Singapore. I noticed too that some Malaysian guys wear them as a fashion statement but similar headgears sold in Malaysia lack quality and designs. Mily&Cole is available in Malaysia and the designs aren’t bad. The only thing I don’t quite like about them is that they are not seamless and the fabric used is too thick for Malaysian weather.

Looking good on the guys...

...and trendy on the ladies.

Now the good news is I can easily get BUFF’s headgear in London. They are sold everywhere, even online so I can easily make purchases. The other good thing is they are fairly cheaper than getting them from Singapore, especially when they have the sales and clearance seasons.

If you are looking for BUFF’s or any other similar headgear, just Google and see the wide choices available online.