Scarves Determining what scarves look best on you

[eagle1002us]

-I look best in bright/jewel tones, nothing pastel. So no pastel scarves for me no matter how beautiful they might be. The brighter the color, the better. I particularly love yellow and fuschia.

-I love scarves that have a bright contrast hem. This is something Hermes does so well. It's unexpected, it immediately captures the attention and adds pizzazz to an outfit.

-At the beginning of my H journey I bought a couple of classic designs with borders: Double Sangles and l'Ocean (vintage). Oooooh boy what a mistake. My clothing style is very casual, tomboyish and modern. Those classical designs clashed completely with everything I was wearing and aged me, I felt. Whenever I try to wear something more classical I feel like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's closet. I'm 37 but I still feel like there will never come a day where I will look put together enough to carry off a classic, feminine outfit I still struggle with wearing 90s for this reason, as I can't find a way to make them seem casual. So lesson: no borders, no classical designs. I think I'm finally learning my lesson because I've only bought one 90 this season and it's to frame, not wear!

-I've discovered I actually love the way abstract or graphic patterns look on me: anything with stripes, polka dots, bandana prints... Hermes makes many many beautiful designs that are like paintings, but the truth of the matter is, when they're folded and tied, you can only see bits and pieces of the design. That bugs me somewhat. But it's not an issue with anything abstract or all over graphical. (Also, those kinds of designs match better with my casual wardrobe than, I dunno, imperial French carriages or noblemen or whatever.)

-This seems to be a general rule: If you're petite, avoid large patterns. And I'm only 5'1! So I could never wear something like the Three Graces CSGM with its enormous giraffes. I'd get lost.

-Hermes scarves are the best way to jazz up plain, neutral outfits in brown, grey, black, white... I love to use them as a pop of color. You can even do this with twillies!

-I like to wear earrings that match or complement the scarf in some way!

-In terms of formats, I like the ones that are longer/thinner rather than square: maxi twillies or losenges. A square is kind of a weird format for a scarf, you end up with extra material bunched up around your neck and I don't like the cowboy knot (just looks like a bib to me). I still have 90s and CSGMs, but they're never as easy for me to wear as the other formats.

A few illustrations:



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I love the Faubourg shawl on you, but then I am really drawn to that print. Love the way it ties on you. That colorful red is a good color on you.
To be honest, showing a bit more of your complexion might help identify the real winners or potential workhorses in your collection. However, the pencils is tied wonderfully on you, and the bottom b&w shawl looks divine on you.

@turfnsurf This is an excellent question to pose. I have a hard time identifying HS that work for me better than others. It helps to have a photo shot. From that I realized that really dark colors do not work. I still like those cws but I have tried to glom on to citrus colors for the most part. An SA said i look better with contrast so I've been trying to get a sense of that. That's a more subtle question than Color Me Beautiful considers, but I certainly have enjoyed poring over CMB advice and color charts. And I have glommed onto canary or mango yellows big time in the past 5 years.

Anyhow Turf, the answers to the thread topic you posed should give me some insight. Thank you for posing the question.

 

[eagle1002us]

Brava, you know your style and you look fantastic!

My god, you look so elegant in that green & white scarf you're wearing and your face is certainly not full, you look so elegant in the updo -- your exquisite cheekbones give your lower face a pleasing taper.

What's the name of the scarf you're wearing and can you post it flat? I'm not a winter but I like medium greens.

 

[millivanilli]

Dear all, thank you so much for you kind words!

I am really feeling sick today, so I just wanted to leave a thank you and the name of the scarf:

it's Cheval surprise.

I'll insert a picture asap, in the meantime:

it looks like that:

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back to bed I go

 

[eagle1002us]

I already packed up the scarves I'm sending back, but I think I determined that mint/teal/pale yellow/magenta don't look right on me. And if the scarf is very busy (e.g. Exposition Universelle), maybe I should try more monotone patterns. I absolutely love looking at them, but they looked juvenile on. And as much as I love the idea and softness of pastel, they're just not me. I keep trying to tell myself there's a difference between appreciating art vs wearing it, and just because I love the story behind the scarf doesn't mean I'll like the scarf itself (or that I need to own it). I plan on taking a trip this weekend to get some tips and will post after that

In the meantime, here’s pictures of my Les Artisans quarantine looks from this week.
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A bit busy paired with pjs, but I really like this knot (kudos to MaiTai and her amazing Scarf Art app).

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I wear this sweatshirt most wfh days too.
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And my personal favorite, the head scarf. It’s cold here, plus I can wear it while I eat without worry.
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Maybe next month the new season's scarves will come out. If you wait a bit you might find something that you're more sure about than simply trundling over to the boutique at this time when stock is undoubtedly low. Plus you might have the excitement of a scarf that is not only new to you but new to the world. You did very well with Les Artisans, you know that one works; the trick is to find others that give you the same confidence. BTW, I didn't buy Exposition Universalle, it was too much like 2019's Animapolis.

 

[gladhwen]

Maybe next month the new season's scarves will come out. If you wait a bit you might find something that you're more sure about than simply trundling over to the boutique at this time when stock is undoubtedly low. Plus you might have the excitement of a scarf that is not only new to you but new to the world. You did very well with Les Artisans, you know that one works; the trick is to find others that give you the same confidence. BTW, I didn't buy Exposition Universalle, it was too much like 2019's Animapolis.

Ah that’s a good point. I’ll try to stick it out

I’m still sad I couldn’t make Exposition Universelle work on me. I love dinosaurs, penguins, space, and so many things. The large Venus fly trap-like thing reminds me of Little Shop of Horrors, my favorite musical of all time. And on Jan Bajtlik’s instagram he has a long list of the different things in the scarf and their meanings. I love Animapolis too, but considering I just discovered Hermes a couple weeks ago, that one is a bit out of reach.

 

[Cordeliere]

I don't have an answer to the question of the thread, but I can throw my current relevant dilemma. I wore Trésors Retrouves on Thursday. A picture was taken of me in it. I thought I don't like the way it looks. Boring and blah. I think I will sell it. Then today as I was putting it away, I thought I love the colors in this. What was I thinking? My Trésors Retrouves is the neutral one spiced with fuchsia and purple. This observation highlighted the problem of something can look great close up and not look good at a distance. I want to look good at a distance but want to enjoy looking at my silks while they are in my hand. I can probably solve the problem for this scarf by wearing it with a fuchsia blouse (which I do not currently own). I really want to LOVE every scarf in my collection. Sigh. It is hard to look great in every scarf we own. And it is hard to know how it is going to work until you own it.

 

[Nomad]

I don't have an answer to the question of the thread, but I can throw my current relevant dilemma. I wore Trésors Retrouves on Thursday. A picture was taken of me in it. I thought I don't like the way it looks. Boring and blah. I think I will sell it. Then today as I was putting it away, I thought I love the colors in this. What was I thinking? My Trésors Retrouves is the neutral one spiced with fuchsia and purple. This observation highlighted the problem of something can look great close up and not look good at a distance. I want to look good at a distance but want to enjoy looking at my silks while they are in my hand. I can probably solve the problem for this scarf by wearing it with a fuchsia blouse (which I do not currently own). I really want to LOVE every scarf in my collection. Sigh. It is hard to look great in every scarf we own. And it is hard to know how it is going to work until you own it.

Yes yes! I have found that taking a picture of myself REALLY helps my decision of whether I should keep it or not/buy it or not. I can go out thinking I look like a million bucks loving something I have on and see a picture of myself and be horrified what I look like in it. I feel since most people see us from a distance then it should look great that way. But that’s just me.
If I love love a scarf pattern that doesn’t look good on me then I think I should hang/display it then.

 

[LouiseCPH]

I don't have an answer to the question of the thread, but I can throw my current relevant dilemma. I wore Trésors Retrouves on Thursday. A picture was taken of me in it. I thought I don't like the way it looks. Boring and blah. I think I will sell it. Then today as I was putting it away, I thought I love the colors in this. What was I thinking? My Trésors Retrouves is the neutral one spiced with fuchsia and purple. This observation highlighted the problem of something can look great close up and not look good at a distance. I want to look good at a distance but want to enjoy looking at my silks while they are in my hand. I can probably solve the problem for this scarf by wearing it with a fuchsia blouse (which I do not currently own). I really want to LOVE every scarf in my collection. Sigh. It is hard to look great in every scarf we own. And it is hard to know how it is going to work until you own it.

i very much agree! I am an analytical person, and I try to analyze “what colors do I need I my wardrobe” combined with knowledge about existing favorites and questions about “why do I alway reach for this scarf?”
And yet, I seem to have equal luck with scarves bought online with sales goggles om and well thought out buys from the Hermès Store. It is the challenge but also the magic of H that new colors and combinations can surprise when you use them. I will not stop analyzing, but I will also sometimes take a chance....

 

[Maedi]

Dear all, thank you so much for you kind words!

I am really feeling sick today, so I just wanted to leave a thank you and the name of the scarf:

it's Cheval surprise.

I'll insert a picture asap, in the meantime:

it looks like that:
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Le Brech & Associés - Maison de ventes aux enchères

Retrouvez toute l'actualité de la maison de vente Le Brech & Associés : prochaines ventes, résultats, actualités, guide pratique

lebrech-associes.com

back to bed I go

Gute Besserung and I really like your description and wardrobe/color analysis.

 

[papertiger]

I definitely kept it - I love it sooo much! Now I just need to figure out what I like about it so much vs what I hated about the other ones I picked out.

And your style isn’t boring at all! I sometimes wish I could pull off more delicate looks too, but whenever I buy things like that they sit unworn until I eventually pass them on. It’s so much more important to feel confident in your clothes, and we can appreciate the delicate looks on others

You look like fab in LA. Only going on the photos, I think it works because the predominant red is soft (suits nearly all) and there's no yellow (hence why you probably don't look good in teal). It also has a contrast of scale, neither all large nor all detail, your features are harmonious but strong curves, so maybe there needs to be a strong point of interest in the scarf design to bring a bit of edge, but not all-over busy and low contrast, which traditionally may suit a low-contrast visage, but can also be too safe and boring.

 

[papertiger]

What an educational thread!

So, how do I choose...? Let me say, that this is one of the sad things in my life, that things I really like won't suit me, no matter how.
I love pastell colors, I love small patterns, I love anything girly, I love lace, I love pearls, I love gold. Wearing only one of these I'll look petty bourgeois...

In my younger years I had only small money but always wanted to look good - even though my derriere would make Kim Kardashian crawl under a rock. (my body type ist liker hers waist down. waist up: Charlene v. Monaccho) and only slim figures were en vogue. So I had to do a lot of reseach, which helped me a lot later on.

I figured out the undertones of my skin (Lord, that was a long journey, I still don't understand it, so I asked for help). Obviously I am "deep winter" who can wear those extrem bright and extreme colors pretty well. Remembering, that when wearing all black, people were complimenting me on my style helped feeling secure about that. Actually my wardrobe contains black and white, that's it. (I would LOVE to wear a brown Max Mara coat but... well)
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Next step was choosing the material that works best for me - for me it's heavy fabric, nothing too silky (hear hear) or girly. So these boho-chic dresses- not for me, sadly.

Next step was thinking about the "cut" of my clothes. Clean cuts work best for me, nothing too girly (again) no ruffles, no special things, just clean, straight clothes.

Next step was thinking about patterns in general. I am a darkhaired, darkeyed tall person with very ... wide hips. Everything on me is tall and not delicate, when slim, I appear athletic(The typology of Kibbe helped me A LOT!)
So unfortunately, I need big patterns. Big, bold, clear patterns, geometric patterns would be best. Houndstooth pattern - designed for me. Little flowers, small items, delicate patterns- nope.

Are you still with me? Yes? Ok, now let's sum it up:
I need clothing in bright, deep colors, nothing girly or playfull, clean cut.

So if I look for a scarf, I only pick:
Scarves, that have mainly "my" colors, big patterns, best are CSGMs (because of the fabric and the length) that complement my clothing style.

And this is why, ladies and gentlemen, a hanging system moved in pretty fast, as the scarfs I like are sadly the ones that won't do anything for me. So I'll hang them on the wall.

Edit: you asked for a few mod shots, I'll insert only one I already have (full face, sorry) with a "perfect for me" scarf. Sorry, feeling a little bit under the weather today, so I would look terribly with any scarf on - will try when feeling better, if you want me to

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You look positively gorgeous.

You (my mother and Liza Minelli) rock the colours I'd die to wear but unfortunately, most would kill me. The grass is always greener (or royal purple) on the other side (of the spectrum)

For a brown perhaps try a cool ebony (Ebene)

 

[gladhwen]

You look like fab in LA. Only going on the photos, I think it works because the predominant red is soft (suits nearly all) and there's no yellow (hence why you probably don't look good in teal). It also has a contrast of scale, neither all large nor all detail, your features are harmonious but strong curves, so maybe there needs to be a strong point of interest in the scarf design to bring a bit of edge, but not all-over busy and low contrast, which traditionally may suit a low-contrast visage, but can also be too safe and boring.

Wow, thanks, this is so helpful! Pretty much all the ones I picked out online were very busy and high contrast, and none of them worked for me. I was frustrated because in my mind LA has high contrast too, but you’re right - there’s more of a focal point, and calmer transitions between colors. I did end up driving to the store a few hours from me, and finally found an Exposition Universelle that works! cw14 blanc/tabac/rose pâle. The background is the same color throughout vs the splotches of background colors in the more vibrant cws, and the crazy details not looking ridiculous on me makes up for the lack of color

 

[papertiger]

Wow, thanks, this is so helpful! Pretty much all the ones I picked out online were very busy and high contrast, and none of them worked for me. I was frustrated because in my mind LA has high contrast too, but you’re right - there’s more of a focal point, and calmer transitions between colors. I did end up driving to the store a few hours from me, and finally found an Exposition Universelle that works! cw14 blanc/tabac/rose pâle. The background is the same color throughout vs the splotches of background colors in the more vibrant cws, and the crazy details not looking ridiculous on me makes up for the lack of color
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I think you look beautiful and happy in that cw I think you are defiantly and definitely on the right track, understanding what works for you. Take your time and only buy what makes you truly, truly happy, one scarf at a time.

BTW, this is the same cw family as my Les Danse des Amazones which pretty much a neutral on me, also a bit of an edgy design and mismatched patterns.

 

[gladhwen]

I think you look beautiful and happy in that cw I think you are defiantly and definitely on the right track, understanding what works for you. Take your time and only buy what makes you truly, truly happy, one scarf at a time.

BTW, this is the same cw family as my Les Danse des Amazones which pretty much a neutral on me, also a bit of an edgy design and mismatched patterns.

Thank you so much.

If you have a picture, I’d love to see you rocking your “neutral” Danse des Amazones

 

[millivanilli]

Dear all, thank you so much for your kind words and your Gute Besserungs-Greetings

I am still feeling not so good, but I had a lot of fun making these pictures.
And again I really want to thank you for opening that thread, I never took pictures of all scarfs on one day (luckily - or sadly I just have a few of them.. ).
So today I put a little makeup on (nothing too heavy) fought with my hair (not successfull) and put each H scarf on I have in my closet, even the ones I bought only for "hanging on the wall" purpose. I am most surely not the best version of myself, so sorry for that unhealthy swollen (?) look.

I'll rank the scarfs from " works for me" down to " hell NO!!!!" (which sadly includes my favorite scarf, So I'll start with a short overview and then from up to down best, second best...

Picture	Name of the scarf and orginial picture	My 2 cents
	Fantaisies indiennes / L'abre du vent / early America / Apaloosa
	from left to right: Mythiques Phoenix / Sweet dreams / La legende de la foret / l'ombre des pivoines / Les Nouveaux Amoureux de Paris scarf 90 /Grand Prix du Fabourg / Nuèes imaginaire / Bolduc au carrees	that's an overview of 9 scarfs (could only insert 9 total) - I found it totally interesting, what impact the scarfs have on my apperance
	Fantaisies Indiennes	Originally bought for the purpose of just "having it" this 140 cm Silk scarf is actually one of my best scarfs (you'll see later why..). The only problem I have are the orange parts of it, as orange won't do anything for me (you'll see later)
	L'ombre di pivoines	I felt in love really badly with it and haunted it through half of my country. It was supposed to hang on the wall, as I was afraid that the tiny details wouldn't work for me.
	Appaloosa de steppes	I thought that scarf would work perfectly with my Birkin (which is brown, too!). Actually I am having troubles wearing the scarf as I have to make sure that the brown part won't come to near to my face.
	Hermes Les Nouveaux Amoureux de Paris	Actually I like that scarf better on my than the Appaloosa scarf. Actually red is a tricky color for me, yet that kind of red works.

I am only allowed to aattach 12 images, so I'll jump over to the " omg NOOO" section in the next comment (and sorry, I have a flu so I am fighting with words...)