A Touch of Winter Magic: 5 Ways with Scarves

{by Brittany Sadler}

I walked into school and sat down in my seat, a little out of breath from trudging across the endless parking lot with my million pound book bag.  As I got settled and arranged all my stuff, I did my daily fashion survey. And yes. It had happened again. At least three of my closest friends were also wearing scarves.

It’s not even funny how often that happens. For some reason we all seem to think “scarf!” on the same days.  But as I resigned myself to looking like I called my friends when I got dressed in the morning, I realized that scarves really are the perfect fashion accessories.

They’re colorful and sophisticated. They’re a lot of bang for the buck, they can completely update an old outfit, or bring the wow factor to a boring one. And there are enough patterns, colors, and textures for everyone and then some.

A scarf is all about attitude. It gives you that flair, that extra pop. But only if you wear it right, and know what look you are going for. So here are some guidelines:

Classic/European

When I was in Switzerland, everyone wore scarves, and they all wore them like this. It’s easy and classy. Also, it’s not bulky, and you can still wear a long necklace if you want. This style looks great with a striped scarf or one with a horizontal pattern.

Cozy

Mmm, perfect for days curled up by the fire. Just grab a soft, fuzzy scarf and wrap it around your neck. Low key and sooo comfy. With the added benefit of looking luxuriously chic.

New York

This is the style of choice on the streets of NYC. It’s sophisticated and very warm. It also looks great peeking out of a coat-you get to see more of the scarf than with other styles. This style works with almost any scarf except for ones that are really thick.

Modified New York

First introduced to me by a friend, this style is a little more trendy and young. It looks complicated, but is actually easy to do and it lies nice and flat. Perfect for lightweight scarves that you wear inside. Loop it through like the New York style, pull one end out of the loop and then weave it over and then under the loop [opposite of the other end].

Statement

The point of this style is to make the scarf as noticeable as possible-the focal point of your outfit. Loosen it up and let it drape. This style is especially effective with a bold color or a deep jewel tone and a black shirt. [For the second look, first wrap the scarf in the Classic/European style and then tie the ends loosely].