Then cut it off, but be mindful how you go about the chop. You’ll need to leave about 2-3 millimeters of fringe behind so that there’s no unraveling. You don’t need to have the ends of the scarf hemmed after you’ve cut off the fringe, but this is an option if you prefer the look of a straight finished edge. I’ve never hemmed the edges of my scarves and pashminas after I’ve cut off their fringe because I prefer the look of a scarf that does not have an official front or back. In this way, a scarf is “right side up” no matter how you tie it.

Cutting off scarf fringe might sound a little dicey, but I can safely say that I’ve been doing this for years and my pashminas look great after loads of laundering and travel. No unraveling… promise!

Hints of the Spring line have come in early this year. Here are some of the headlines:

• Green, the next big “it” colour
• Orange, a close second
• Bright yellow, ink blue, tomato red and purple still strong
• One piece dressing continues to rule… dresses, dresses, dresses
• Bold ethnic patterns everywhere
• Transparent fabrications
• Voluminous and body conscious silhouettes
• ‘80’s street wear influences
• Floral footwear and handbags
• Peep-toe booties
• Soaring heel heights
• More patent
• Tribal jewelry
• Clutches, clutches, clutches

The first thing on my Spring 2008 shopping list is a pair of green converse sneakers.

End-of-season sales are here for those of us that live in the US or some parts of Asia. In Europe the sales start in the first week of January. If shopping the sales is on your calendar in the near future, remember to and to shop with a strategy and to be sale savvy. The most important things to remember:

• Get to the sales as soon as possible because sizes run out quickly.
• Don’t allow yourself to be seduced by anything that does not absolutely work for you!
• Head out early in the day to avoid the chaos.

You might even like to bring along a printout of “this season’s must haves” for easy reference.

As it turns out, Christmas colours are all the rage right now. Red continues to hold its own and green is Spring 2008’s hottest new colour. We at youlookfab wish you happy holidays, or as they say where we come from, “compliments of the season”. Travel safely and enjoy the festivities.