Thursday, December 4, 2008
Accessories always add flare and personality to an outfit, and a scarf is a good way to kill two birds with one stone: keeping your neck warm and giving your clothes a stylish boost.
First, I need to distinguish between cool-weather scarves—the topic of this week’s column—and cold-weather scarves. The latter are best for those unbearably chilly, snowy days that are just around the corner. Winter scarves are generally thick, knit and made of wool, and despite their utilitarian nature, they lack some vibrancy in the style department.
On the contrary, cool-weather scarves are small, lightweight and made from sheets of fabric. The last characteristic is extremely important because it makes for a plethora of colors, patterns and styles. I must reiterate the unisexual aspects of the cool-weather scarf. Guys in France are sporting more masculine colors such as navy, gray and black, while girls are adorning themselves in practically every color under the sun. The most popular pattern here for both sexes is houndstooth, but many girls are also sporting lots of floral prints.
I suggest making a trip to any Lawrence clothing store and searching for a scarf that fits your style. If you have the time and money, a weekend trip to St. Louis—home to three H&M stores—would add a definite boost to your scarf collection. The Swedish brand has a great cool-weather scarf line, and depending on which scarves you choose, you could go home with three for about $20.
How to wear a
cool-weather scarf
If you typically wear a winter scarf, you probably wrap it around your neck a couple times or fold it and put the ends through the hole. Unfortunately, these techniques don’t work well with the scarf’s cool-weather cousins. Here are some tips to help you achieve the perfect look:
1. Cool-weather scarves are normally square in shape, so fold the scarf in half, to make a triangle.
2. Bring the scarf up to you neck, putting the bulk of the triangle on your chest.
3. Wrap the two ends around the back of your neck, making sure the scarf is snug, and let the ends hang over the fronts of your shoulders.
4. Voilà! You and your French-inspired wrap can stay warm and look chic in the brisk weather.
Note: If this look makes you think of bandanas and the wild West, then you can do what I sometimes do: Instead of keeping the scarf in a triangle shape after folding it, roll it to form a sack-like formation. Follow the same directions, but tuck the ends into the wrapped portion around your neck rather than letting them drop onto your chest.
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