The scarf seems to be one of those accessories that never really goes out of style but rather keeps coming back in new iterations. This spring, scarves are quietly resuming the spotlight on runways, in magazines and among fashion blogs. “There’s been stretches of time where they feel like maybe they are geared toward an older clientele but I think now is a great time because everyone is wearing them,” says Natalie Decleve, personal stylist and founder of New York City-based Natty Styles, who has seen a growing clientele in Westchester and Fairfield counties. “The scarf feels very fresh again.”
Small silk scarfs are being worn around the neck for a French girl chic look while larger silk scarfs are being worn over a blouse or tied around the waist over a skirt or slacks. For a more bohemian look, around the hair or ponytail looks soft and feminine. “The global style thing is always relevant,” says Decleve, nodding toward more bohemian iterations. But her favorite look right now is a small square rolled and tied around the neck. “It looks super charming. You can easily pull it off with a button-down shirt or a blazer,” she adds. “You can wear it with just a t-shirt. There are no rules.”
Tie a small silk scarf to a handbag, around the wrist or in a ponytail for a pop of color or pattern, adds personal stylist Maria Casabianca of Greenwich, CT-based Styled by Maria, who notes this is the second spring scarves are en vogue. “I made a video about ways to wear scarves because we all have a few in a drawer somewhere we’ve collected over the years but I feel like they’ve evolved into this main accessory and you can use them in so many different ways,” says Casabianca, who loves scarves as a layering piece for any outfit.
Color and pattern
Choosing a color or pattern can make a scarf feel more or less relevant as well. Leopard is always popular, says Decleve, but a pop of red is super trendy right now. Butter yellow, one of the biggest color trends for spring this year, may not be complementary to every skin tone, but a touch of butter yellow on a scarf can be a great way to incorporate the trend into your personal style in a way that isn’t a huge wardrobe investment.
Silk printed scarves and bandanas can add interest to a simple blouse or t-shirt, says Casabianca. “There are lots of different ways people are starting to incorporate them into their wardrobe depending on their personal style,” she notes.
The challenge for many women is figuring out what that personal style is and what it means to them. A scarf becomes a statement, but for many women, as lifestyles have changed and work and personal lives blend and overlap, determining what that new lifestyle is can be a challenge. “I think it’s very personal to you but I think it’s important to try different things and see what works for you,” she adds.
Casabianca says she enjoys tying it around her waist over a skirt because it’s something she has never done before and feels fresh and modern. Meanwhile Decleve said she loves the French Girl Chic look of a silk scarf around the neck.
“I think everyone needs to find their own comfort zone,” says Casabianca.
For many clients, says Decleve, working with a stylist is the “permission” they need to get rid of something they don’t want anymore or try something new. A scarf can be that third piece of an outfit that helps everything come together, whether pulling your vintage Hermès from the drawer or ordering something in spring’s biggest color trend. “There are lots of ways to play with it and make it feel really relevant,” says Decleve. “Accessories can create a statement. It’s just about figuring out, ‘What do I want to say?’”
