I Love Scarves

I love the variety, the colors and the patterns. I love Hermes scarves and I love flea market scarves. I love their cozy warmth on a chilly San Francisco day. Summer? It's gray skies, drizzly fog and 53 degrees here today! Scarves offer some emotional and psychic protection too, covering a vulnerable neck and chest from the outside world. I love how the right scarf can turn a tee shirt and jeans into a look. I love my lucky leopard-print scarf my aunt made for me and that I've worn on every flight for the last ten years, so far so good.  I love that they are so easy to pack.

You guessed it. This was a gift from Matt. I hinted heavily that for me to DLFW (dress like a frenchwoman), I needed an Hermes scarf. He thoughtfully selected this Ledoux designed Napolean theme in honor of my hometown,  New Orleans. 

But, have you ever tried reading the directions for how to tie a scarf? Left over right, right over left, stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight. Where’s left and right when you’re looking in a mirror? Over and under becomes a conundrum. In just a few false moves, I can wind up with a silk ball ‘o confusion around my neck.

In the last few days I’ve immersed myself a little too much into scarf tying techniques and forgot my own advice which is to have fun putting together an outfit and wear what looks good and feels good. I followed this illustration from an Hermes publication (click on "Handy PDF file") this morning as I was rushing to get ready for work.

From Cartes a Nouer by Hermes

Simple enough, but it just wasn’t working for me. It kept sliding around from the weight of my Chaine d’Ancre scarf ring. And it was too poufy to wear sitting at my desk. I kept distractedly fiddling with it, which is a sure sign that something’s not right. I popped into the ladies' and retied it my own way, raising it closer to my neck and bringing the ends to the front and through the scarf ring. I liked it so much better. That’s another thing I love about scarves, they're easy to change.