trendspotted: ear muffs

For those of you in a cold or temperate climate, on the Northern Hemisphere, I've got a question: are ear muffs on trend this season? Because they're suddenly all the rage here in London. I'm curious if this is a local phenomenon.

I really want a pair now, because they're a) warm and b)not hats. I am so not a hat girl. I don't like the way I look in them, or the way they feel.. they kind of give me headaches. But the beauty of a muff is, it looks like you've got professional head phones on - so you can feel like you're a pop star in a recording studio - but also, they've got the 'Alice band' (translation: head band) effect. So it's two good looks in one.

There's the unfortunate connotation of the word.. you should have seen what came up when I googled it.. but still. I like it. Good trend, unfortunate word.

. . .

p.s. Eyeliah, of the eyeline, happened to refer to them as 'ear warmers', and she's in Canada which is part of the British Empire. So I'm gonna assume that since the Brits see the word muff as rude (which I don't think is the case in the states, is it? How about in other countries?) one can replace 'muff' with 'warmer'. Something we should consider if we're going to take on this trend. Which looks pretty likely. It's already spread to Madrid (altho, not yet Boston strangely, according to the Trendy Dwarf - except on untrendy people) so who knows, the muff/warmer might find it's way to your town any day soon!

IT girl

Was out with Mr. Dot on Sunday afternoon, about to switch to O2 @ the Carphone Warehouse, when we saw Lindsey floating down the King's Road, in top to toe black and white. While we spoke, she'd move her white fur ear muff ever so elegantly, as if listening to the most beautiful music in her own private world. I wonder: is that a new kind of iPhone headset?

Lindsey lives in London now, and I couldn't believe that she said she works in, of all professions, IT. One of the calmest, most serene, people I've seen in a long, long time.