Cowboy Style

Scarf, Camp Foster “mall,” embellished by me. Sweater, American Rag. Denim trousers, Express. Shoes, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Ring, Rafia & Boss. Bag, Apt 9.


It’s taken me awhile to get on board with the “cowboy style” scarves so many celebs are currently sporting. To get the look, take a large square scarf, fold it in half, diagonally, and drape it around your neck like a giant bib. The ends can be tied in back, wrapped around and left to hang in front or wrapped around and tied in front. I like the look with lightweight, exotic print scarves, but I’m not so sure about the result with any other type of material:


I added buttons and tassels to this scarf to imitate the look of a scarf I saw on Anthropologie’s website. The materials cost only $5. I love the swing of the tassels when I move and the way the extra weight has altered the scarf’s drape.


Other than the cowboy look, and one wearing as a belt, I haven’t had much success styling the large square scarf. How do you wear it?

Scarf Week: Body Wrapper

Wrap, Marshall’s. Dress, London Times. Belt, Luxury Divas. Tights, Target. Boots, White Mountain. Earrings, H&M (via swap).



I’m afraid I don’t get terribly creative with my wraps. I either drape them around my arms and torso or do the chi chi wrap around my neck. I count on wraps more for warmth than ornamentation.





You can also use your wrap to bind and then torment your cat.

P.S. I tried out a new photo location today: my newly redecorated kitchen!

Scarf Week: Chi Chi Wrap

Scarf, Echo. Denim jacket, Forever 21. Blouse, H&M (swapped). Dress, Newport News. Lace-up pumps, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Bag, Payless. Earrings, Panagea. Ring, swap.


This is my favorite style of scarf, the “long” oblong. And I’ve wrapped it in my favorite manner. Someone’s probably already claimed a name for this type of wrapping, but I couldn’t find it, so I christen it the “chi chi wrap.” How to do the chi chi:


Hold on....not done yet!
All I’ve done so far is wrap the scarf around my neck twice. Next, I’ll isolate one of the loops in front of my neck, and feed both free ends of the scarf through the loop, top to bottom, to secure the wrap and create a full look over the breast (this is the “chi chi” part). You’ll need to do some adjusting to ensure that both ends hang to the same length.


SO chi chi chic!
Other ways to wear an oblong scarf around your neck include:

- Wrapped with the ends hanging free (without the tuck of the chi chi wrap)


For a cleaner look, you can hide the free ends behind your back, under a sweater or coat.
- Wrapped and knotted


- Tied in a bow


- Doubled, with the free ends pulled through the loop (also knows as the Italian or Hacking Knot)


The oblong scarf also works well as a belt and headband, but I prefer them around my neck.

Do you have another favorite way to wear an oblong scarf?

Scarf Week: Dupatta

Scarf (dupatta), Indian vendor. Dress, Merona (shortened). Tank, Merona. Cardigan, Express. Boots, Nine West. Bag, World Market. Brooch, swap.


I bought a couple of dupatta from an Indian vendor at the Marine Wives Gift Shop in Okinawa. They are both oblong and embellished at the ends with beading and embroidery. They are shorter than most oblong scarves, so they are useless as belts and a too short to wrap many times around the neck. Knotting the dupatta obscures the lovely embellishments. They are meant to be worn draped across the front of the neck, with both ends hanging behind. (At least, that’s the way I’ve seen them worn most often.) It’s a lovely look, but requires impeccable posture.


I’ve struggled with how to wear these exotic scarves in a business casual environment. They seem to work best as I’ve worn mine today, with or without the brooch. I’ve also worn this orange dupatta draped around the back of my neck with the ends aligned along my jacket’s opening. It adds a little color and can also be adjusted to conceal excessive cleavage.

Does anyone else wear their dupatta in a non-traditional manner?

I'll tackle the quintessential oblong scarf tomorrow.

Scarf Week: Plummy

Cardigan, George ME. Long-sleeved tee, Bitten. Trousers, Forever 21. Scarf, swap. Lace-up pumps, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Earrings, thrifted. Purse, Bijou Bijou.

The weather is finally properly autumnal. In honor of the chilly temperatures, I declare this Scarf Week on WIW2D. I’ll wear a different style of scarf each weekday. Not only can a scarf keep you warm as we transition into winter, but it is an inexpensive way to add interest to your existing wardrobe.


I started with the classic silk square because Sarah R sent me a desperate plea for help styling this sort of scarf in October. I think the small, square scarf is the hardest to wear.

Around the neck. My first inclination is to fold it diagonally into a strip and tie it around the neck. If your neck is short or wide, though, you look and feel as if you’re being choked. However, even those with the most swan-like of necks have trouble wearing a square knotted at the throat because of the unfortunate resemblance to a flight attendant.

In the hair. A colorful scarf looks pretty as headband, dangling from the base of a ponytail, or wrapped around a chignon. I’ve been unsuccessful wearing them in my hair, though, because they tend to slip off.

On a bag. The easiest way to use a square scarf is to knot it onto a handbag. No fuss!

Today, I’ve tried to replicate the look of a tie neck blouse by knotting the scarf around the closure of my cardigan. The scarf could also be knotted or folded and then pinned to the throat of a traditional blouse.

How do you wear a silk square?