Now that we have officially entered October, scarves are making a major appearance. Want to get away from the traditional styling? Valley’s here to give you the latest advice on unique scarf looks. We talked to Heidi McNeal from Dwellings, who gave us great scarf fashion tips and tricks.
McNeal recommends scarves to “dress up any simple black ensemble.” She shares that with a pop of color you can really pull together an outfit. McNeal also says that although “the sky’s the limit” on patterns, green is going to be huge this fall. With that in mind, she also told us to pay attention to the weather to determine which texture you should go with. If it is a warmer day, stick to a cotton or linen material. On those chilling winter nights, cashmere and wool is highly recommended.
For milder nights, McNeal suggests using a scarf as a shawl contrary to a light jacket. Drape a light scarf around your shoulders and gather it in the front. When it starts to cool down in the next few weeks, you can wear the scarf looped around your neck. Put the scarf on around your neck where the ends would be in the back at first. Then, you grab the ends and take them to the front over the opposite shoulder. This will allow the ends to hang in the front while still covering your neck from those harsh winds.
To add a little flare to your attire, you can try the double pretzel, the bow, or a braided scarf. For the double pretzel, fold the scarf in half and wrap it around your neck so there is a loop on one side and the two ends on the other. Put one end through the loop. Then, twist the loop and take the end that isn’t through the scarf and put it over the top of the loop and then through it.
To achieve the bow, put the scarf behind your neck with the ends in the front, making one longer than the other. Then with the longer side of the scarf, make an upward motion loop. Next, collapse the loop and grab the middle, this is the “leg-less bow.” Take the shorter side of the bow away from you wrapping it around your “leg-less bow.” Once you have made one wrap and have the end against you, take it down through the middle of the loop your neck is in. Pull to get your bow and adjust accordingly.
To create the braided scarf, put your scarf around your neck and tie it in the front, adjusting it to the length you want it. Then, you take the end of whichever side you want the braid to be on and put it over the other end and under the entire neck loop of the scarf. Repeat the step always grabbing the same side you started with because the sides will alternate for you. Once you run out of scarf you can tie the ends or tuck them into a part of your braid.
McNeal also told us that one of the most popular and easiest looks can be attained by using the infinity scarf: “You can’t do it wrong.” You can loop the scarf once to have it longer and make your look more relaxed. Loop it twice and you have a tighter, thicker looking scarf. Finally, with a larger infinity you can try the High Neck Double Loop. You follow the directions of the latter look adjusting the scarf so that the first loop is tighter while the second becomes longer. Another trend that is making its way through the seasons, is the fur infinity. Dwellings currently has the latest collection on “fur pieces that warm up your wardrobe.”
Whatever you decide to wear try adding a scarf to tie the look together. If you want to shy away from the conventional approaches try wearing a scarf on your head or even as a vest. It may seem a bit eccentric, but if done correctly you can popularize the trend.
Those nippy days are quickly approaching, so grab those scarves and start practicing. Now you can personalize your outfit with a unique twist. If you couldn’t understand the directions, stop into Dwellings and ask for the scoop.
Let us know how it works and make sure to tweet your pictures to @ValleyMag !
Photos by Meghan Tranauskas
