Saturday, September 26, 2015

I Wore a Scarf Today

Scarves of the world united against me
 
I wore a scarf today. Bad move. I'm not a scarf person.

I praise the genius inventor of the endless scarf, of which I have several. I like the way it frames the face, acting as camouflage for the less-than-youthful neck of not-a-spring-chicken. Plus it stays "tied".

Today's scarf was of the normal, oblong variety. I intended it as the "third piece" to pull together a grey-ish over blouse and teal-ish pants. It was a teal-ish/grey-ish color itself, a silk jacquard weave with fringed ends. It looked harmless enough. I looped and knotted it in a way that worked while standing stock-still in front of the mirror.

This scarf spent the day trying to kill me. The seemingly innocent fringe caught on everything because, of course, the scarf moved when I did. Three hours in I was ready to rip it off but had no necklace to keep me from feeling incomplete.

Mostly, I guess, the scarf just wasn't me. I suddenly felt "old". It was a matronly look, an '80s look, just not a "me" look.

It was only a scarf but emblematic of how we can feel when we try to adopt something that isn't really our style. For me that's a lot of things that are many women's wardrobe staples: a blazer, a white man-tailored shirt, a trench coat, pearls, jeans... It's a pretty long list. At this point I kind of know.

Add scarf.

7 comments:

  1. Hello Michelle,
    I completely get the scarf "problem".
    I have purchased the large "serape" scarfs while in Europe, but when I wear them at home I feel like I have a costume on.I only wear them over my coat if it is very cold here in New England. I love them on other people. ---Enjoy your posts.

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    1. Not to mention that you can never see the beautiful design on a scarf such as yours when it is all scrunched up around your neck! Thank you for reading.

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  2. I also have a long list of supposed "essentials" that I never wear. White shirts--they make me look dead. But I do wear a lot of scarves in the winter. Right now in Southern California we are in an endless heat wave, so scarves of any kind will have to wait.

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    1. White anything makes me look dead too. Ecru, ivory or off-white is better. That part of my closet looks like a big laundry mishap. Hope you cool down— and get some rain— soon.

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  3. i never got the hermes scarf thing.

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  4. Count me in... the scarf idea never, ever worked for me. Oh yes, I have big fat wool one for winter that I do use- for warmth! But as a slinky chic dress up thing....nope. Too much hanging, flapping- just plain gets in the way as well as makes me feel like super old. Also, too much black......so many people use black all the time and as one gets older it just seems to consume them. I already feel pale and gray, the black seems to highlight the wrinkles and puffs. I have banned it now and substituted denim blue. No more black of any sort unless its a saddle or boots.

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    1. Sounds like you really have a handle, not only on what doesn't work anymore, but on what works FOR you. And I love your saddle reference.

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