‘Tis the season to start thinking about keeping warm – and stylish! – during the winter.  Sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, shawls, earmuffs, neck warmers, wrist warmers, headbands…there are lots of awesome choices, so everyone should be able to find exactly what they want/need!

Some popular winter fabrics are made of natural fibers, while others are synthetic.  Natural fibers (different types of wool and fur) are great for bad weather because they absorb moisture, which makes them resistant to static electricity.  They’re also naturally flame-resistant, which is sort of cool (although you still shouldn’t walk through fire in them).  Everyone has handled regular sheep’s wool at some point, but keep an eye out for angora, alpaca, cashmere, and other specialty fibers; they tend to be deliciously soft and long-lasting.

Synthetic winter gear is generally made from acrylic yarn or polar fleece.  Polar fleece is interesting because it is made from recycled plastic (or recycled fleece!).  It is breathable, which makes it good for winter exercise since perspiration will pass through it.  Acrylic is inexpensive and washable, and can be made to mimic different kinds of natural fibers.

Static cling occurs when two different materials touching or rubbing against each other create an electric charge; electrons in each item are attracted to each other and exchange places. which causes the items to stick together.  Winter air is dry, which lessens that chance that moisture in an item will absorb the charge.  As I pointed out above, the fact that wool absorbs moisture makes it less susceptible to static cling.

How to prevent it?  Using fabric softener or dryer sheet in the wash is a popular step.  Running a new or used dryer sheet over an affected item can reduce the cling.  Simply sprinkling with water or running a damp cloth over it will work as well (although you might want to try something else if you’re about to go out in the cold!).  Running a metal object over it can help too – try a clothing hanger in a pinch!

I rarely use fabric softeners or dryer sheets for a variety of reasons; if you’re not big on Downy, you can create the same effect by adding a bit of vinegar or borax to your laundry rinse cycle, or try a more “green” softener like Seventh Generation or Ecover.  Try to buy clothing made of natural fibers.  And use the metal hanger trick for sure!

When it comes to hair, condition, condition, condition; you need to lock in that moisture.  You should be doing this all winter no matter what, to keep your hair healthy!  Products like mousse, gel, and hairspray also help.  If your hair tends to be super dry and frizzy, try spritzing it with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part liquid fabric softener.  And don’t forget to turn on your humidifiers.

Comment if you have any other tricks for preventing static problems!