For someone like me, who has a very long neck, I enjoy wearing scarves for their look and because I am tend to be cold even when no one else is. Here is some information about scarves that can take your look forward into the Fall of 2013 and beyond:
Scarves are an accessory that can add pizzazz to an outfit like no other. The key is discovering which ones works the best for you. There are at least three advantages to wearing scarves:
- They can make an outfit look more elegant
- They can make an outfit look more casual and fun
- They can pull two unrelated separate pieces of clothing together
The technique to wearing scarves well is to understand color, proportion, fabric and pattern.
Color:
- Choose colors that flatter you the most. A scarf is worn close to the face, so your color choice is important.
- Choose scarves with at least 2 colors that go with clothes in your closet or that compliment your clothing.
- Use a scarf to bring two garments together – either at the neck or the waist.
- Bring fun to your outfit by adding a pop of color.
- Use a scarf at the neck to get the most from a dress or blouse that is not your best color.
- If you are petite, be careful of large square or oblong scarves that when tied overwhelm a smaller body.
- If you are large busted, be careful about the amount of fabric at the neckline.
- Wear earrings that compliment the scarf, but don’t compete for attention at the same time. Or consider no earrings at all.
- If you have a short neck or large bust try a scarf that blends with the top garment and not the bottom garment in order to elongate the body.
- Use a scarf to draw attention where you want it to go.
Fabric:
- Cotton is the most casual fabric, and any scarf that has texture, nubbiness or fringe is considered casual. Hint: if you love the scarf, but it is too casual because of the fringe, tie the ends and cut it off – believe me, it works!
- The dressiest and most expensive fabrics for scarves are silk, cashmere, wool and pashmina. Scarves that are made of velvet, satin, lace or beaded are generally considered more formal as well.
- Polyester blends (modal, acetate, nylon, rayon or the more popular and longer-wearing microfiber) are terrific for scarf fabric.
- Think about using a scarf as outerwear when you travel. An oversized square or large oblong scarf can be draped as a coat or used as a blanket.
Pattern:
- As with all patterns, make sure you love it.
- Find patterns that are in proportion to your body. Large scale prints will overwhelm someone with fine features. And the smaller the actual scarf, the smaller the print should be.
- Try to tie the scarf so that the part of the pattern you love or want to highlight is visible.
- Though not always part of the pattern that you can see well, the hem of the scarf details the richness or cost of the scarf. A hand rolled edge or hem is generally more expensive than a machine rolled hem.
There are several great scarf-tying videos out there, but here are two of my favorites: 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes (Preview) AND How to Tie a Scarf: 4 Scarves, 16 Ways.
