No matter what shape, size, colour, pattern or material, a scarf is the way to add an extra dimension to your outfits this winter. They won’t only look stylish but will serve for warmth as well.
The weather in the UK has been the worst in decades this winter season. Cold, wet and windy, bad weather can make it difficult to dress appropriately whilst remaining stylish. As a result, statement scarves are being seen more than ever, not only on the high street but also on the catwalks.
Designer brands like Iceberg, Akris, Issey Miyake and Alexander McQueen all featured statement scarves in their pre fall 2014 collections and we’ve seen even more surface with the fall 2014 RTW collections being shown. Utilising a range of materials, the collections highlighted the sheer diversity of the scarf and the assortment of ways in which it can be made a statement. Colour blocking, patterns and oversizing have all proven popular methods of combining form with function.
As well as being weather appropriate the scarf can be an easy way to add style to an outfit without breaking the bank. Online fashion and beauty store, Beauty and The Boutique have seen the trend flourish over the last three years, “In 2011 and 2012 at the height of the economic downturn statement scarves were really big! They were a great way to change up the look of an old jumper, t-shirt, jacket etc. and to do so relatively inexpensively.” However they have seen the trend fall in the last year and put this down to fashionable people being more willing to splurge on accessories. “Perhaps people are feeling a little more affluent and can afford more as we very slowly edge our way out [of the economic downturn.]”
The scarf has always been present in our wardrobes, even if absent from the fashion scene. Having been originally used by labour workers to collect sweat and keep dirt from their face, the scarf was purely an article of function. It wasn’t until scarves morphed and the military began using them to signify rank and status that they became more an item of form but they still weren’t exploited entirely for their aesthetic. The 50s and 60s saw it become nothing but a fashion accessory with small silk neckties and chiffon headscarves being the epitome of stylish. Now we are seeing function and form come together in a complete reinvention of the trend. Genelle Aldred from the Sade Rose Boutique said, “scarves are getting bolder and the prints are more defined.” Perhaps what we are seeing on the streets isn’t being reflected in the stores straight away though, Genelle doesn’t feel like the trend has completely taken off just yet, “As we go into SS14 I think we will see more statement scarves as block colours take over.” She also added, “If the finer materials like organza take off as expected, we will see more scarves due to the climate.”
Scarves have boomed in popularity over the last year and have taken the role of one of our most important accessories closely following shoes and bags; it seems no outfit is complete in the absence of a scarf. Like many street trends this appears to have been influenced by celebrity culture with the likes of Kate Hudson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stepping out with Alexander McQueen flowing from their necks or even Kathy Hilton using a Hermes scarf to accessorise her Birkin bag. Richard James from The Scarf Boutique said, “It all develops from an aspirational brand, scarves, like perfume, have moved into the bracket of an affordable designer statement. A scarf can cover up a hundred flaws, one scarf from a designer brand can provide an illusion against the Primark outfit, it confuses, it provides a distraction.” As a popular retailer The Scarf Boutique has noticed, “people either want cheap or designer, there tends to be no half way house.” With the high street picking up on this we have seen cheap but aesthetically pleasing scarves in abundance in the shops and consequently on the street.