I have too many scarves. It’s just that simple – when I’m looking for a specific one, I struggle to find it, and I wander past a LOT of beautiful scarves that aren’t getting the love and attention they deserve.
So I decided to clean up!
For no really good reason I can think of, I decided to choose 10 scarves to send out into the world. And from there, my methodology was bizarre, but effective…
First off, I got to thinking about how there are really only two kinds of clothes – good ones and bad ones. You can define these two terms however you like, but for me, good means good fabric, well constructed, by people who are paid a decent wage and work in decent surroundings, and which are sold by people who are also treated with respect and dignity.
And then, secondly, clothes fall into the camp of being suitable for you – your style, your taste, and your life – or being unsuitable.
So with two criteria, we get four quadrants. (yes, I love graphs…)
This is more like life in the modern clothing retail world – a ton of stuff that’s not worth your attention, a fair number of things that appeal but that aren’t right for you, and a wee corner of the world that’s perfect for you…
And thus, I was able to see that, while my scarves are of good to excellent quality, they don’t suit me. Some of them are perfect for me except that they are redundant for my needs i.e. WAAAAAY too much of a good thing…
So these are the scarves that I’m going to sell between now and the end of the year. (now you can start scheming which one you most want!) My plan is to do a blog post about each scarf, which will include more photographs of all the scarf details. I will build a wardrobe around the scarf, and ask that anyone interested in purchasing that specific scarf leave a comment explicitly stating their interest. (this way, people who don’t want to buy the scarf can still leave comments and initiate discussions)
Venice theme, from Frey Wille. Absolutely gorgeous. 2 shades of red. Contrast hem. NEVER worn. The equal to an Hermes scarf, in my humble opinion.
Gucci four seasons. I have the same scarf with a black border, I don’t need 2… sigh… Each corner has a different grouping of flowers which are supposed to represent the four different seasons. I’m pretty certain that we’re looking at Spring, in this photograph.
Les Instructions du Roy, from Hermes. Yes, it has spots on 1, and only 1, corner. Jacquard fabric, which is discontinued and thus increasingly precious. For a blond, summery person, this would be stunning.
Hermes L’Hiver, or Winter. It looks like a painting by Pieter Brughel the Elder. I adore this scarf with absurd levels of intensity, but it is all wrong colors for me. Very very old; soft suede-like feel to the fabric.
Hermes Cheval Fleuri – a mounted horseman drawn entirely of flowers. If you love shades of red and pink, and if black is your neutral, this is your scarf. I, sadly, already have 2 pink and black scarves that are precious mementos; this one will never be worn…
Another L’Hiver… Very old, very soft, very beautiful. If you wear denim and khaki, this scarf could be the answer to your Hermes dreams. It’s age means that you can be a little bit less fanatic with it than you might be with a brand new scarf.
Soleil du Soie, or Sun of Silk, from Hermes. An obvious sign of my red, black and white addiction! The design is a radiant pattern of segments taken from other scarf designs – note the keys and tassels at the top, which come from the icon Les Clefs.
Napoleon. It has little bees woven into the fabric, which were, or course, one of Napoleon’s signature emblems. The pink is warm, the details include a lot of brown and soft grey…
Napoleon again! Black border, bright red and green accents, with gold. The black border looks oddly greenish in some lights, but that doesn’t really alter the fact that this is one of those scarves that you can look at for 10 minutes without getting bored. All four corners, and the middle, have images taken from Jacques-Louis David paintings… Only the French!
Another Les Instructions du Roy, with that amazing jacquard fabric of a mounted horseman. Pretty quintessentially my colors, and perfect for a “Winter” looking for a gorgeous scarf.
Seven days later, I will choose someone at random to buy the scarf from me. This keeps the sales from being strictly “first come, first served”, which is heavily biased against the West Coast of North America!
I hope you’re all okay with this plan – if you have better suggestions, I’m always eager to make improvements that will help us all.
love love love,
Janice
My shelf is also filled with various kinds of scarfs. But it seems strange to me how these scarves you have presented came into your possession. At first glance and I have never met you or see You, they are obviously not going with You, Your style and spirit. I like silk scarf with four season flowers. So sunny!!
Regards, Maja
I think this is proof that even those of us who try to shop and plan our wardrobes with meticulous precision can be lead astray and make mistakes! No shame in that, if we learn from our errors, and don't hoard the beauty that doesn't get used as it should.
They are all beautiful and you've inspired me to examine my own scarf collection. Sadly, none of them designer but they are pretty and versatile.
I can't wait to see the wardrobe you build around each of those scarves, particularly the Gucci which has lots of vibrant colours which I've been increasingly drawn to over the past year.
However you devise that system… that first scarf featured is speaking to me loudly. Can't wait to throw my hat in the ring.:))
My favourite as well – my colours and not a horsey theme. I am not an equine person.
My hat is in the ring for Napolean pink! Looking forward to the wardrobes you create!
Karen
That scarf with the flowers! It will be out of my price range even secondhand, but so lovely!
I would love to see a wardrobe done with that using lots of the bright colors as accents. Something like leaf and olive greens as the primary neutral, white/cream/beige as a secondary neutral (but lots more green!), and the blue, pink, purple, red, and yellow as accents (ideally in that order). Of course it's your blog, not mine, so you'll do whatever you want and I'll enjoy it :-) Maybe I'll try it myself.
But I have a new theory that leaf green counts as a neutral because flowers come in all colors and are always beautiful.
– Kaci
Im definitely interested in anything with red and white in it, my hat is in the ring for a scarf with those colours. Looking forward to your wardrobe matches.
I know that I have way too many scarves you have reminded me to have a clear out.
Hello – If you wish to part with your scarf of FOUR SEASONS, consider me a candidate for the sale. Happy sorting to you. I find the task difficult as I am such a sentimentalist.
Bizzzz, from Paris,
Swan
That pink Napoleon would fit into my upper right hand corner box.
I'm looking forward to seeing the wardrobes for each of these scarves.
I can't wait to see the Four Seasons scarf (I would probably wear this every day in the year, folding it different ways for each season). But the one that calls to me is the second L'Hiver. I pretty much live in denim and khaki. Plus it is winter, has dogs and crossbows. If ever there was a Hermes scarf that you could wear into Cabela's, this is it. :)
I once had an Hermes from the 70's that I found (for about 5 euros…) in a resale shop – one of the images was of a hunting dog tearing out the throat of a stag! Talk about a hunting motif…. oh my heavens….
Maybe now I know why it was in a resale shop!
The scarves are beautiful and I always appreciate the mathematical beauty of your systems.
I love the L'Hiver with the red border. I think your future posts uses these scarves with clothing will be fascinating.
I recently bought a very inexpensive silk scarf that was on sale. The brand–Vince Camuto–the colors black red and white. What I love about the scarf is its lightness and its size. It is substantially larger than a typical Hermes scarf, much lighter weight–and so much easier to wear!
Your system is excellent! I have done my purge of my scarves and Now my small collection is very satisfying. While my process was not as deliberate as yours, I think it was pretty much the same.
Deb from Vancouver
I think everybody thinks about the criteria of "good" and "appropriate for me" in some way or another, if not as explicitly expressed as it was with me. I was with someone last night who donated an outfit that she used to wear a lot, with the explanation "It's worn out its welcome!". That made sense to me…
Can't wait to see the various collections to match the scarves. I have my eye on two of those beauties.
Cheval fleuri!!! Sigh, it's beautiful!
Going to do this not only with scarves, but entire wardrobe! Maybe even today :-) Regardless, throwing my hat into the purchase ring for Les Instructions du Roy, from Hermes.
I'd love to buy the black-bordered Napoleon or the black-bordered Soleil de Soie. And you don't happen to have a Neige d'Antan lying around that you want to sell, do you. ;) I really wish Hermes would reissue that scarf!
Love your graphical interface (I'm an old engineer & love blueprints & flowcharts & anything related). I'm using a much more simplified idea while purging my post-retirement wardrobe, more Marie Kondo-inspired, but as fully hard-nosed logical. I look at every item of clothing & every accessory in my closets & jewelry box and ask myself 2 questions: do I absolutely love it AND does it make me look & feel fabulous? Everything has to meet BOTH criteria, not just one of them. I've been frankly amazed — and dismayed — at how much isn't making the cut. Kind of makes me wonder what the heck I've been thinking while dressing myself for all these years.
I think you should get the L'Hiver scarf framed. Just because you can't wear it doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.
Also, I'm having trouble posting as Anonymous.
First time commenting but have enjoyed your posts, sweet nature and common sense for a couple years now. I have read each and every one of your prior posts and refer to them often when I need to organize my clothing thoughts. Scarves have always been part of my wardrobe (although I have no designers') so your style is right up my alley. Lately I've decided to move toward more pink and just picked up a couple pieces in the prettiest pale/blush and like the way they work with the brown and gray in my closet. Loving all things French, I can't wait for the pink Napoleon to become available and to see how you style it!!
Hello, thank you for sharing your treasures with us. I would absolutely love the blue L'Hiver, as denim is my year round fabric of choice. Warm colors are also a passion, so khaki would also be a fabulous choice with this beauty.
None for me, though I'm tempted. I'm over my scarf limit. How smart to whittle things down. I was tempted to buy a couple things today, but I realized I had things that haven't been getting air time that I already have at home. It takes discipline to stay pared down!
I love Hermes scarves and would buy hundreds, if possible. Their cashmere shawls are exquisite.
Love the blue l'hiver. Already have it in burgundy but I have worn it to death. The hems look flat as a pancake.
The Gucci is twee and not for me. The Napoleons are ubiquitous on eBay, but finding the right color border can be a challenge.
I think I have had 3 that never worked and were rehomed. The Bee jacquard in it is awesome.
Many people collect jacquards.
I can help you sell your scarves as the old collectors have a tight network.
Any advise for someone too tall to buy clothes off the rack?
Mini tangent… The Friends of The Vivienne Files are doing cool things on the Polyvore pages including with scarves. (I can't comment on Polyvore because I haven't joined.) Carol S
Add me to the list of blue l'hiver fans. Let the games begin!
I am very very interested in your Peter Brughel the Elder l'hiver in red with the hunters in gold and their horses in green. These are all my fall-y colours, and I love to wear soft, previously-loved things. -Mary
Can't wait to see the wardrobes you create for these! I do not really think scarves look all that great on me. I do have a few, mostly the long or elliptical varieties. I'm not sure how to even wear a square one! Sad isn't it? :)
I love the blue L'Hiver! Oh, the possibilities… So many scarves, so little time, eh?
I LOVE the blue/tan L'Hiver. It would be perfect with my new navy-tan wardrobe inspired by your blog. Vi have been looking for an Hermes – my first- for some time and this would be the one! Thank you for the opportunity . Janice Collins, Washibgton, DC
I have no Hermes scarves. In fact, currently I have a total of four scarves (including two winter cashmere scarves thought I think one is not the color for me). I am very interested in the Hermes Cheval Fleuri. Red and black, c'est moi!
Thank you for sharing, love Les Instructions du Roy and L'Hiver with the blue borders. So Very pretty, can not wait to see the wardrobe you come up with for both.
Oh, wow – I would jump at the 4 seasons! I just realized that I copied a whole lot of those exact flowers for a high-school art project. It does make sense that my art teacher would have owned that scarf.
I looooove Napoleon black, red…sigh, lil pitter patter of love. Possibly, I have a Napoleon adoration. In France this spring, wherever my man had paintings, residences, monuments – I was there. :-)
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Oh, boy… I am an equine person who wears black as my neutral and red and blue as accent. I loved most of your scarfs. Will you be posting the sale price as well? It will help me decide which ones to focus on. Of course, I need to weed out my own collection but it is difficult. heavy sigh.
Blue winter or pink Napoleon.
Can't tell from my phone if I've already posted. If I have, I apologize.
That first L'Hiver (with the red border) is soooo me. I'm an "autumn" – yes, brown as a base neutral is doable! – and I share your penchant for pearls. I manage to mix tailored classics with a hint of trendy rock-n-roll bombshell. I'm very new to "pay a little more for quality" but your blog, which I only just discovered in doing searches for capsule wardrobes, is bringing me around. I'm pretty sure an Hermes is a future "must" for my wardrobe! (honeybee33 at mac dot com)
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