Words Ella James
Let’s take a moment to talk about scarves. At one point or another, we’ve likely all been gifted one. Christmas just gone perhaps. They come perfectly wrapped, encased in a shallow white gift box, held together by a contrasting ribbon. You can picture it now, can’t you? Without being educated on this particular accessory, we’ll likely wear it once or twice, leaving it rather redundant for the rest of its years. However, it simply doesn’t have to be this way.
While during the colder months my scarves get a fair bit of airtime, as soon as the temperatures rise, my ability to work them into my outfits totally fails. In hope of working these underrated accessories into my wardrobe year round, I asked scarf scholar and Creative Director of BESS, Nicole Sykes for her summer styling tips. The trick, apparently, is to think of your scarf as an accessory that can cool you down rather than keep you warm. Sykes’ go-to look in the summer is a scarf styled as a head wrap, as it’s the perfect way to get your hair off your face with upmost style. I’ve certainly taken note. Goodbye hot, sticky hair. Hello smooth, cool silk.
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So, that’s our ‘driving around in our convertible’ look sorted, but what other scarf styling tips can we take on this summer? Of course, Sykes has another seasonal suggestion up her very fashionable sleeve that will take your hairstyle game to the next level. Sykes suggests weaving your scarf into a messy braid or tying around a topknot or low, sleek ponytail; three more stellar suggestions that are further opening my eyes to the scope that surrounds scarves.
Have you ever considered looping your silk scarf through the belt loop on your denim shorts or skirt? Neither had I, which is why I’m oh so glad to have spoken to Sykes. Styling a silk scarf like this is the perfect way to add the most chic splash of colour to your get up. Nicole wears hers with a crisp white tee and her best denim cut-offs, and I’ll certainly be following suit.
And what about those larger silk scarves I hear you ask? When you’re not wearing yours around your neck or as a wonderful head scarf, Nicole suggests draping yours around high-waisted bikini bottoms. Running from the ocean to the ice cream truck has never looked so damn stylish.
So there you have it. A plethora of new ways to style those silk scarves that are all too often forgotten. Nicole from BESS, you’re a summer style life saver and you’ve officially convinced me to dig out all of my scarves that I didn’t think would see daylight for months to come. Seriously, did I mention how underrated scarves were?