Cowl Craze

So there seems to be a big trend right now for knitters and crocheters to be making cowls. Some of these are small cowls and some are gigantic oversized cowls. To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the cowl, which is probably why I don't make them. The plus side to the cowl is that you get the warmth of a scarf without the bulkiness and without having something to stuff into your coat or to be left hanging outside your coat. So I think I actually do kind of like the smaller cowls. This is also why I like scarflettes, which I do make. But I just don't see the point of the giant cowls. I mean, they are so big around that they don't really snuggle up to your neck, so you still have bare skin exposed to the cold. And even though you lose the bulkiness under your coat, you still have all of this bulky stuff on top of your coat. Apparently I'm in the minority though. I have definitely seen some beautiful cowls, even the giant ones. But for the most part, I'm a form over fashion kind of person, especially in the winter. I hate being cold and will pile on the layers in the winter, even if that isn't what is in style. So while some of these huge cowls are beautiful, they don't seem very practical or functional to me. And when it comes to items to keep me warm, I'm all about the practical and functional.

So now I come to the dilemma...do I bow to the trend and make some of these cowls, even though I don't like them, since they seem to be pretty popular and I'd probably have a good chance of selling some? Or do I buck the trend and continue to only make things I like, things I'd actually wear myself, even if they may not sell as well? I've never really been the type to follow a trend unless the trend was something I liked anyway (which is one of the reasons I will NEVER own a pair of crocs). But now that I'm trying to sell things, am I a sell out if I make something I don't really like just because I think it will make me some money? Would it even turn out well if it is something that I'm not enthusiastic about making?

Having thought about all of that, I think I have come to a compromise. Since I do actually like the smaller, functional cowls, I think maybe I will make a few and see how they sell. I think I'm going to make those and some more scarflettes (especially now that I have lots of pretty buttons) and leave the big-cowl making to people who actually like to make those.