TIME:
10 minutes (add 20 minutes for YouTube tutorials)
YOU’LL NEED:
All scarves, shawls, stoles, pashminas
A neutral t-shirt
Any brooches you have
A mirror
Your REHOME, REPAIR and REFUSE bags
Your shopping list
ACTION:
Slip on your basic t-shirt.
Try on all scarves, shawls, stoles and pashminas.
If wearing the scarf on the top half of your body, check to see how the colour affects your skin and eye colour – does it make your them ‘pop’ or does it seem to sap the colour and life out of them? Therein lies the answer as to whether a colour works for you. If you still love a particular colour that doesn't reflect you in your best light, wear it on the bottom half of your body.
With your scarves try various ways of tying, bearing in mind the style tips below. If you have a brooch try using it to pin scarves for added visual interest.
Do the same for shawls, stoles and pashminas.
If I’m honest, I rarely part with these items – they never go out of style – once you've established your spectrum of colours, it might be a case of swapping out any you’ve worn to death or are bored with.
Store these as they were for now (colour blocked if you can) but we will revisit storage solutions down the track.
STYLIST’S TIPS:
YouTube has an endless selection of videos on how to ties scarves of various shapes and sizes. For inspo, I highly recommend checking them out. Click here for one of my favs to get the creative vibes pumping.
Lengths – in the interest of creating our longest, leanest lines, keeping the tails of your scarf long (ending around mid thigh) and the neckline open will do you the best favours. However, in cooler climates, you can wear your scarf around your neck for warmth and then open them up and elongate when you’re in a heated space. If a scarf is too long (which can be the case for those of petite in height, I recommend tying a loose knot at the back of your neck, flattening it out and tucking it into your top or layering piece, to shorten the tails.
If you have a short neck, it’s important to keep that neckline open rather and avoiding turtle-neck garments and scarves wrapped around the neck. If you have a long neck, scarf wrapping can look quite elegant.
Avoid tying knots at points of the body you don’t wish to draw attention to (larger bust, tummy etc).
Be creative – try tying larger scarves to create halter neck or strapless tops (try it under a jacket also); use them as head scarves, headbands or hair ties (totally on trend right now), tie a smaller scarf to your hand bag for a fashionable look, to add visual interest or make it work with your outfit colours. Use a long narrow type as a belt or change up your hat band. When using one as a head scarf, keep the tails long and add a long brim hat on top for an ultra-chic resort look.
With shawls and stoles, again, have a play with angles, one shouldered looks and even change up what you traditionally wear them with – add a fur stole to a basic t-shirt or slim fit jumper or tailored jacket as an example.
When looking at your collection overall, look at the colour options you have and think of the colours, shapes and patterns that will fill gaps. As a rule, I always like to have on hand a loose spectrum of the rainbow – reds, oranges, pinks, yellows, greens, blues, purples, neutrals, metallics and black in a good selection of shapes (narrow & long, wide and long, large square, small square). Multi coloured patterned scarves that can work back with a multitude of garments are going to give you impressive bang for buck.
Look for different textures and weights too – silks and cottons, wool, faux furs, laces and mesh to dress up and down.
FOLLOW UP ACTION REQUIRED:
Let those that no longer serve you go.
Scope out the sales for pieces that turn you on, will work in your wardrobe and fill any gaps.
Gold Coast, Brisbane & Northern New South Wales Stylist, Louise Chambers is available for personal styling, photo shoot & media styling, style workshops, fashion event MC bookings and media bookings.
Instagram: @stylechambers