There are those travelers who use their time in the sky to get things done. They catch up on reading, take advantage of the in-flight Wi-Fi and send a few emails, and live tweet the break-up taking place one aisle over (hey, for some people, that constitutes work). I am not one of those people. As a nervous flier, I look at any and every flight as an exercise in meditative breathing, finger strengthening (good thing those armrests are built to last), and attempting to appear nonchalant to my fellow seatmates (when all else fails, I have Smalls to hang on to).
I also find that—the same way tomato juice tastes better on a flight—the slightest comforts are amplified when I’m 35,000 feet in the air. A beloved playlist, a reassuring hug from my (much more brave) husband, and a comfortable piece of clothing can all keep me emotionally grounded while I’m physically the exact opposite.
So when I saw the new scarf from cult-favorite, direct-to-consumer outerwear brand The Arrivals, my thoughts immediately turned to the skies. The Høllen scarf—part of the label’s first-ever accessories collection, which launches today—is the travel wrap you’ve been waiting for. Clocking in at 7.5 feet long and more than a foot wide, this is a scarf with substance.
Made of a Peruvian Alpaca blend and available in heather gray and classic black, the Høllen does triple—no, make that quadruple—duty. Wrapped around your neck it acts as a super-chic pillow, wound over your head it’s a hood-slash-face mask, draped around your shoulders it’s a blanket that beats anything your flight attendant can offer you, and folded up it’s a head rest for anyone with a window seat. And unlike travel blankets or neck pillows, a scarf doesn’t lose its functionality once you land—it’s equally as useful (not to mention warm) when worn with a wool car coat or leather moto jacket. The Høllen might not make me a more industrious flier, but it makes me a more comfortable one, and I’ll take that any day. Check out the video below to see the scarf in action.
Høllen Scarf (thearrivals.com, $95)