The mystic of a hat and a scarf

My dear friend Judith from The Style Crone has a lovely blog about hats. 

Judith and I have long agreed that scarves and hats are complementary accessories. A year ago she posted this article on her blog and I am happy to share it with my readers. Enjoy!

Thank you Judith for your inspirational posts and comments♥

 

The Yellow Wide Brimmed Hat

June 30th, 2012

The vintage ywide brimmed straw hat with scarf providing shade for The SC in the rose garden.

The Charles David platform flip-flops are a frequent companion as locating most of my summer shoes in the chaos of renovation has become a difficult task. It will feel like I have an entirely new shoe wardrobe when this transition is complete.

Multicolored cotton shawl – flea market, yellow beads and multicolored bracelets – estate sales, black tank maxi dress – yoga studio.

Photos by Diana

I love wide brimmed hats, but wear them infrequently. I tend to go vertical in my hat wearing choices. But when it come to a sunny day, I check out the wide brims waiting for an outing and off into the sun I go, protected by the shade that I carry with me in the form of a chapeau. According to the site Metro Denver HERE we have 300 sunny days per year, which means that I will always have a number of wide brims to wear, especially in the summer.

The brutally hot weather continues to contribute to the raging wildfires. At times the sun disappears behind the clouds, the wind blows and then it’s completely silent and still, the calm before the storm. But the clouds give up little rain and refuse to refresh the torched and dry earth and provide relief for firefighters and the many directly and tragically affected by this crisis.

Last evening I spoke with someone who had been evacuated from her home in Boulder, which is northwest of Denver, and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in Colorado Springs, the second largest city in our state and to the south of Denver. A friend told me that he heard a spokesperson from the sheriff”s department in Colorado Springs say , ‘The firefighters had to move from one of the fire lines because a semi was heading toward them at 75 miles per hour, only it was three miles wide and on fire.’

There is a perceptible heavy sadness floating in the air like the smoke across the state, as the surreal reality of loss is slowly sinking in throughout this region whose residents have long seen this area as one of extreme natural beauty. The devastation continues today, although there is some containment, but there is no predictable end in sight.

The essential little hair scarf bow / part 2

After my previous post, some of you (hello Sam ) have asked for more photos of head scarves with a bow, styled on extra short hair. Here they are. Enjoy !

As I like to say, there is a scarf style for each woman………………………..

The essential little hair scarf bow

May is always a wonderful month, a kind of rehearsal of summer. Everything seems possible in May. A famous French proverb says:  “En avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil, en mai fais ce qu’il te plait!”  (Till April’s dead, change not a thread; in May, do what pleases you).

The latest scarf trend proves that May is the perfect time to add fun to life. Want to join? Then take a small scarf and simply tie it in your hair with a fun bow. This fresh, hip and casual style is THE en vogue style. It fits short and long hair as well. It fits all hair styles.

 

You might think this style is only for teens…. All wrong! If you belong to what newspapers like to call “more mature women” J, please give it a try. Just quiet down a little bit this style: make a small knot instead of a large fluffy one and tilt it to the side of your head. If you have long hair, another option – more classic – is to have the knot around a low ponytail.

We tried this fun headscarf during a recent scarf styling session with women of different age groups: THEY ALL LOVED IT!

Have you already tried this scarf style? If not, are you ready to? Thanks for sharing your feeling and ideas

What makes a scarf a true luxury scarf

Like everything else there are scarves and scarves. They can range from a few dollars to half a thousand dollars and sometimes it’s hard to find one’s way in the scarf world and it’s easy to be fooled. Learn how to make the difference between a true luxury and a faked one…

1. Consider the fabric

No surprise: for many reasons, natural fabrics are much classier than synthetic ones. They express elegance and sophistication. In addition to this, natural fabrics are soft and pleasant to wear. Nothing can compare with the smoothness of pure silk which by the way keeps us cool in the winter and warm in the summer. Nothing can compare to the extreme softness and coziness of true cashmere. Finally remember that the colors of a scarf appear enhanced and more vivid on natural fabrics.

The magic of silk

The magic of cashmere

2.  Consider the design

A sophisticated design is the sign of a luxury scarf. It means that the brand has invested time in creating something really unique. To make a nice design it takes hundreds of hours and it requires the skills of talented and professional scarf designers. Think about a scarf like you would think about a painting. I know, I know: in auction sales, some white “paintings” can be sold for millions of dollars – just because they bear a famous signature. But really: is it art??? No; these are just snobbish trends. Same with a scarf: the name doesn’t make it all. The true value is in the artistic result and the tiny details of a pattern.

Also, some brands and some manufacturers are very good at copying or – let’s put it nicely – in “finding close inspiration” into existing patterns. It saves time… and money. Well, sorry to say: other the fact that this is looting the work of other brands it’s also the sign of very poor creativity… A luxury scarf is meant to be unique and to reflect a brand’s creativity! It’s never flattering to discover that different brands sell the exact same scarf or pale copies of existing scarves.

The magic of a unique design

 3. Consider the colors

Did you know that the more colors a scarf has the more complex it is to create and the more expensive it is to produce? We are not always aware of it but the beauty of a scarf comes both from its design and from the number and the subtlety of its colors. A plain scarf or a scarf with a very few colors is fine if you like it this way. Yet, if you are paying a high price for a very simple design with a very few colors, then the scarf is probably overpriced without being a true luxury scarf. Or you are just paying for a name and the added value is not in the scarf you are buying.

The magic of colors

The magic of colors

4. Consider the finishing

If you think the finishing of a scarf doesn’t matter, why not? Your choice!  But then again we cannot talk about a luxury scarf if its finishing is not impeccable. And as we all know, the quality of the finishing can make a big difference.

Take for example the hem of a silk scarf: It can be machine made or hand rolled. There is a huge difference between the two! A hand rolled hem – about an hour work to do it, just to tell you – is a lovely soft finish for a scarf edge whereas a machine hem is flat and not very nice. The point is: you cannot hide the hem when you wear a scarf… Besides, when a hem is machine made, very often the corners of it are not properly cut whereas when hand rolled, they are impeccable.

The scarf label is another major “detail”. If it’s sewn in the hem you won’t be able to remove it whereas when it’s stitched you have the option to remove it if you want. Of course, the label should have the brand’s name on it.

Machine hem

Hand rolled hem

5. Consider the environment

A friend of mine told me she recently purchased a supposedly luxury silk scarf but was pretty disappointed about the packaging: she was expecting a nice box with maybe a ribbon wrapped around it whereas her scarf came into a cheap clear plastic bag… As a scarf lover she was also expecting some additional material like a catalog or a how-to-tie guide along with detailed cleaning instructions but again none of these came along with her scarf.

The environment means also everything which conveys luxury such as the photos – if there are any. These photos have a double interest: first they present the scarf in real life; second: they are part of the brand mystic.

6. Consider the price

Let’s be realistic. An expensive scarf is not always the sign of a luxury scarf but one thing is sure: a very inexpensive scarf cannot be the sign of a luxury scarf. As said above, it takes hours to design an exclusive scarf with a unique and sophisticated design and to manufacture it. Though obviously some brands take advantage of their fame and renown (Hermès prices make me sick… who can spend $410 for a 36×36 in scarf???), you won’t get a true and brand new luxury scarf for only a couple of dollars. This does not exist.

 I hope these few points will be helpful to you next time you shop around to purchase the luxury scarf you dream about. Happy scarf hunt!

Silky hugs,

Anne Touraine

A must-have book!

What I really love about the “blogosphere” is that it is made of friendship and of exchanges. Blogging is a unique opportunity to meet wonderful people and to share fun ideas and great tips.

Sylvia, from 40+ style, is one of my favorite bloggers. Not only is Sylvia nice, friendly and incredibly stylish but she always has great fashion tips, news and photos to share with others. Reading her blog on a regular basis is a must to me – and obviously to the many followers she has. Icing on top of the (fashion) cake, Sylvia loves scarves. She knows they are a major accessory. She and I were definitely meant to meet (so far virtually but hopefully one day for real) and to become friends!

Sylvia featuring some of her beautiful scarves!

Some days ago, I had the opportunity to read  the eBook / style guide Sylvia recently published.

 

What a treat! Sylvia’s book  is precious. In it, I discovered many helpful style advice explained in a very easy and simple way. Sylvia has a unique way to help other women who are looking for style inspiration. She makes them ask the right questions about who they are, how they dress, and how they could improve their style. There are simple tricks in her book I had never thought about before and which I now think about each time I am looking for the right outfit.

In addition to her eBook, Sylvia is also proposing online style courses, which I think is a wonderful thing. You have probably noticed that style coaching is trendy. You probably also know that some coaches are better than others. No doubt: Sylvia is someone we can trust for her good taste and her incomparable way to put us at our best. Thanks again for all you are doing for us, Sylvia. You are truly amazing and I am glad and honored to promote your eBook and your style courses.

Silky hugs
Anne Touraine

Scarf world and world scarves

Do you like travelling? Are you interested in other cultures? Don’t you think it’s fascinating and enriching to discover countries we are not familiar with? Thanks to fast and modern ways to travel, thanks to the internet too, the planet seems a bit smaller (!) everyday… It’s never been so easy to open our mind and our eyes to other cultures!

Please join me for a quick but intense tour around the world.  Today, The Anne Touraine travel agency suggests we play the anthropologists and explore scarves from all over the world. Let’s board for a “thematic trip” (to look trendy, it’s always better to say you went on a “thematic trip”

* Our first stop is Africa. Women there have a real talent for wrapping headscarves – so much talent that more and more Western designers find inspiration in these multiple and amazing ways they can tie a headscarf.

African women are renowned for having a wonderful bearing and a scarf emphasizes their natural striking beauty. Women wear it to look nice and also to protect themselves against evil spirits. The more skills they show in tying a scarf, the more fulfilled and proud they are.

African inspiration

* In North Africa and in the Middle East, a scarf remains a strong islamic symbol. Let’s remember though that in and around the Arabic peninsula, men wear head scarves too. Called “the keffieh” it was originally worn to protect from the sun and the sand storms. Since the 1940’s it has become a political symbol for the Palestinians.

When the Keffieh inspires Balenciaga

* A little further to the East, in rural India and more especially in Rajasthan, thin cotton or silk scarves turn into colorful veils. Called the Guunghat, it covers part of the face or the whole of it and is used as a sign of respect to elder males of the family. Most Westerners have in mind the sublime Indian dancers using their veil to dance in a lascive way. Actually, a Ghunghat is anything but a symbol of freedom and “libertinage”…

* In Russia, babouchkas love wearing a scarf  to stay warm. We all know these typical flowery scarves that women wrap around their head or around their shoulders. They look like gorgeous paintings!

BB: Babouchka Beauty

 

* At the border of Russia and China, scarves may be not so nice but young girls and women wear them with grace. They would never go out without their head scarf on…

 

* … Whereas in Ladakh scarves are made of luxury fabric and are traditionally worn for a special celebration.

* Let’s cross the sea and land to Japan. No headscarves there but imposing pieces of silk fabric worn as large belt (Obi) above the famous kimono.

* In Indonesia, women and men as well wear scarves occasionally for special events. Most of the time, these are made of colorful batik. Sometimes they can woven like on the photo below.

* Other continent, other traditions and other style: In South America, a country is famous for its shoulder scarves: here is Bolivia! Colored like a rainbow, a poncho – also called “Manta” is part of the traditional men’s and women’s costume. Made in Alpaca, it protects the shoulders from the cold. Its colors and pattern also tell about the social class its owner belongs to.

* In the islands of Martinique or Guadeloupe, the well-known madras  is a must for women who are attached to traditions. Did you know that each different head tie had a specific meaning? One pointing tip means : My heart is free. Two pointing tips : My heart is taken, but you can take a chance. Tree: I am taken; there is nothing you can do. Four: there is place for those who want it…………..

Cheating! This one doesn’t tell us if her heart is free or not!

* Finally, in France or in England, wearing a silk square scarf has no symbolic meaning other than being elegant and fashionable!

 

The great Deneuve

 

To end up with this world tour, I’d like to share with you a scarf from… nowhere. Oh wait. Who knows? It might come from the planet Mars….

A scarf from Mars…

Have you ever brought back from a trip a wonderful exotic scarf?  If yes, which one was it? If no, which one would you like to bring home? Can’t wait to hear from you.

Silky hugs
Anne Touraine