If like me you have your finger firmly on the pulse of fashion, you can't have helped noticing the resurgence of the pom pom in both commercial and hand-knitted accessories. A couple of years ago, the mere mention of pom poms in this household would have been met with a snort of derision about so-called "novelty yarns" from she-who-knits. Personaly, they put me in mind of cartoon football fans. Now however, the bobble hat, bobble scarf, a bobble wreath and presumably soon the bobble mittens, are ubiquitous. And it seems that size really matters.
So large have pom poms become, that I really wonder whether they are a sign of the society in which we live. We are forever being told that obesity is on the rise in the UK, so I wonder whether the same is true with embellishments on hats. The discrete balls that adorned the hats of 1950s mountaineers have been displaced by behemoths that, if worn for a suitable length of time, will no doubt cause all sorts of neck problems in years to come. I have recently suggested that there should be a pom pom mass index (PMI). This links the relative attractiveness with the overall weight. Hence anything under 20 would be too small for impact, anything over 30 a bit too heavy and anything in excess of 40 would need a disclaimer or neck brace.
Having moaned on, there are some great hats out there and here. I think I'll remain loyal to my thinning Felted Tweed beanie, secure in the knowledge that I'll stand out in a crowd as the one person who can hold their head up straight.