Early September is the season for those kinds of head colds than only come about when the body is so depressed at the end of summer that it feels it has no other choice than to get sick. Regardless of age, fun things like festivals and holidays and non-fun things such as buying school books and uniforms, can reduce any sentient being into an disorganised, blubbering, snotty mess.

Enter the security blanket scarf. It's been floating around in one way or another, ever since the first caveperson draped a hide jazzily over his or her shoulder, but has most recently gained some fashion cashet on the Burberry runway. A Burberry blanket scarf will set you back about a thousand euros, and custom monogramming (but of course) will cost extra. The high street has more than a few wearable options; here from New Look and Zara, with Diane von Furstenberg occupying the middle ground, price-wise.

Asos scarf, €25. Absract scarf, €1050, Burberry. Waves and dots scarf, €138, Diane von Furstenburg. Dogtooth scarf, €24.99, New Look.