About a year go, I wrote a pretty popular post about how to isolate the perfect scarf from among a range of similar items. My thesis is that your new purchase should feel as if it’s coming home to be among it’s relatives…
Someone sent me a question – they love this particular scarf design, and they’ve got a few orange garments. But how do you make the final choice?
Hermes De la Mer au Ciel
You’ve got garments kind of like this to wear with the scarf that you finally choose.
Tee shirt – Sandwich, cardigan – James Lakeland, v-neck sweater – Vanessa Bruno Athe
Are you fond of the high contrast between the orange and cooler tones of greens and blues?
Ring – Ippolita, woven bracelet – LeJu, loafers – Anna Baiguera, bag – Marc by Marc Jacobs, bead bracelet – Teodoro Melendez and Family, socks – Falke, pants – ‘S Max Mara
Or is the base of your wardrobe mostly subtle beige and ivory tones?
Necklace – KALAN by Suzanne Kalan, beaded necklace – Alexis Bittar, earrings – Givenchy, flats – Stuart Weitzman, bag – Fossil, bracelet – Vivien Frank Designs, socks – Maria La Rosa, pants – Dorothy Perkins
Necklace – Anusara, bag – Rebecca Minkoff, socks – Falke, amethyst bracelet– Anusara, loafers – Ferragamo, trousers – Max Mara Studio
Bracelet – Ippolito, ring – Lana Jewelry, bag – Chloe, stud earrings – Givenchy, jasper necklace – Sasina, loafers – Tod’s, pants – Windsmoor
Or maybe orange is the brightest expression of your love of coral. A fondness for rose gold might be a hint here.
Ring – KALAN by Suzanne Kalan, bag – Brahmin, mesh bracelet – Milena Zu, loafers – Trotters, socks – Falke, coral bead bracelet – Loft, trousers – Weekend by Max Mara
Earrings – Kate Spade, bracelets – Sequin, carnelian necklace – Mahavir, socks – Topshop, loafers – Tod’s, bag – Merona, navy pants – Dorothy Perkins
2011 – I completely concur with this Vivienne Veto: posterior prose.
2012 – We thought there was something to celebrate. What the heck – Everybody, do the Dance of Joy!
2013 – One of my favorite color combinations: Black, White and Pink – expanding on a core wardrobe.
Glorious! I enjoy how you see color.
This is a beautiful scarf. I was fantasizing about middle top row (cw 4, I believe) for my big bday scarf–and mostly black wardrobe. there's a little black, I think. Alas, the big bday scarf may have to wait another year, since I need to shlep stuff both ways for my daughter in Serbia. My other face is called della something–cavalliera (?)–magenta/purple/ maybe a teeny bit of black. Perhaps you can do something with that scarf also. Love these posts.
OK, that was just amazing to behold. You're a genius! Thanks for putting in all the work for this post.
Your eye for color is astonishing, Janice. I love this post–and love the way it's widely applicable to thinking about color combinations in the closet– and out. It gets more and more difficult to say which are my all-time favorite posts, but this one is definitely elbowing some other contenders for pride of place.
Gorgeous! I love ALL of those collections – you'd just be making it far harder to choose if I were the lucky person who was getting to chose a Hermes scarf.
Oh gosh – I wish this were a problem I was facing!
I'd go with the beige one.
It's amazing how each of those outfits uses orange in such a different way! I learn so much from reading these earlier posts. I'd choose the high contrast blue/green.
This is probably THE most intelligent and informative "how to choose an Hermes scarf" post I've ever read — and believe me, I've read them all. ;) Thank you for providing a logic with which to evaluate the relationship between a scarf and the rest of one's wardrobe as well as one's overall tastes. You're a genius. I continue to be a fan of your blog b/c it is smart, creative, practical, considerate of larger contexts of all kinds, and ethical all at the same time. Please do this kind of accessory/scarf post often!
Loved this. I would also like to see you do more of these. I really benefit from multiple applications of the same concept!
What a wonderful post! I, too, would love to see more posts like this. I have yet to make the leap and purchase my first Hermes scarf, but I was "screen" shopping the other day and admiring this particular design myself. One of my big issues is the concern that such an expensive piece be able to really pull its weight in my closet, so I like to see your interpretation of the possibilities. I think the two best options for me would be the top left and bottom middle colorways.
The timing of this was perfection. While in Vegas this weekend I found 10 bucks on the floor. Decided to play my 'free' money on the slots. First spin turned it into 200. I decided Vegas wanted me to treat myself and I've always adored Twillys AND Vegas has 3 H boutiques. So I reviewed your excellent advice and set out asking for a blue/green color way. I must have rejected 15 Twillys that fit my request but weren't quite right. I laugh because the SA told me the color way I chose was a 'challenging' one and yet works in my closet like I had it custom made. Thank you!
Brilliant!