Winter is just around the corner, it’s getting colder outside. It’s time to buy such an important and very utilitarian accessory as a leopard cashmere scarf. Do you already have a leopard cashmere scarf? Well, maybe it makes sense to buy another one to diversify your look and not look the same every day … In this article I will talk about the nuances of choosing a scarf – from its length and width to the material and different nuances.
Linen Scarf Etro
Width
Scarves differ in width very significantly, so you should pay attention to this parameter – especially when ordering a scarf on the Internet. Wide scarves provide more options for packing and tying, however some people prefer narrow scarves. It’s a matter of taste.
It should be added that a wide (50-70 cm) scarf made of thin material can be folded in half or even three times, and it will warm better. A narrow scarf (20-25 cm) cannot be folded in half, but if it is made of thick solid wool or thick cashmere, then this is not required. But I would advise you to avoid narrow scarves made of the finest wool: they play rather a decorative function and are not suitable for cold weather. Wide, thick scarves can also be impractical: yes, they provide good protection from the cold, but they often look too bulky. True, a lot depends on your figure and how you put / tie the leopard cashmere scarf and what clothes you combine it with.
Length
A very long scarf can be uncomfortable, and a very short one is not very practical, especially in cold weather. Moreover, as Hardy Amis wrote, “a short scarf is as annoying as a small portion of whiskey” . Lou Umberlee has a similar opinion; she writes: “never wear a short winter leopard cashmere scarf”. In most cases, a length of 170-180 centimeters is optimal, although longer scarves are suitable for very tall people, and slightly shorter models for short ones.
Drake’s Fair Isle Scarf There are several general patterns: for example, a long scarf, if worn with hanging ends, visually slims and slightly increases growth. In addition, a long scarf can be tied into a voluminous and fluffy bow, visually enlarging the neck (but if your neck is thick, you don’t need to do this). Long scarves generally provide more possibilities for tying and laying, and the knot on them is fixed more reliably.
Compatibility with other things
Think about whether your new purchase will be compatible not only with one of your jacket, which you wear a couple of times a month, but with most things. Try to get universal things – and remember that versatility does not necessarily mean dullness and monotony.
Choice of color and pattern
If you are wearing formal, business attire, choose a solid color, plaid, striped, or geometric pattern (such as herringbone or houndstooth). The colors should be restrained, not very bright and certainly not wild, not acidic. Gray, beige, black, red (in small quantities and not very bright), blue, brown in various shades, including reddish, are appropriate.
Scarf from Lambswool If you do not have to comply with formalities, you can choose a scarf of any color according to your taste, but again, think about how this or that color, this or that pattern will be combined with the rest of your wardrobe items, as well as with the color of your complexion, your eyes and hair. Also keep in mind that white scarves are impractical: they get dirty quickly. Bright scarves attract more attention, but sometimes they look wild. They look best against a background of monochromatic clothing in dark and / or muted tones.
Materials
Give preference to scarves made from natural materials: wool, cashmere, silk. Read more about the types of wool here in this article, here I will mention only the most popular types of wool.
Sheep wool is a good option, very versatile and affordable, suitable for fall / winter / spring. Lamb wool (lambswool) or merino wool (merino wool) is preferred: products from it are softer, often thinner and more graceful. Also camel wool is good. Very, very warm scarves are made from alpaca wool, which also pleases with its waterproofness. True, it is expensive and very rare.
Cashmere (cashmere)
Soft, delicate, very warm material. It is sometimes said that in terms of thermal insulation properties it is inferior to alpaca wool, but some believe that alpaca wool has no special advantages in terms of thermal insulation over cashmere. In any case, good cashmere is very expensive. Cashmere can be of different quality: 2-ply or even 3-ply cashmere is preferable (such leopard cashmere scarf are knitted from double or triple twisted threads and are more durable). Scottish cashmere is generally more solid and durable than Italian cashmere; on the other hand, Italian is often more pleasant and elegant.
Cashmere scarf Silk (silk, seta, seda, seide) is clearly not a winter material, it does not warm well. Shelkov is the first scarf that is worn more for beauty; it goes well with business attire and usually looks very sophisticated. Natural silk is expensive and delicate, it cannot be called a “workhorse”.
Cotton (cotone)
Costs significantly less than wool, cashmere and silk, but warms worse than wool and cashmere and usually does not look as stylish as silk, cashmere or merino wool (at least in the case of scarves). A cotton scarf can work well in the fall or spring, but for winter, go for a wool or cashmere option.
Linen (lino)
A material that is used exclusively for summer scarves; linen scarves play only a decorative function and do not heat. Sometimes linen is mixed with silk or cotton, but it looks a little rough. I admit that some linen scarves have their own charm, but these are clearly not essential items.
Rosi & Ghezzi scarf with foulard pattern (cotton and linen) Scarves are often found with the addition of synthetic materials: acrylic, viscose, polyester. Acrylic and viscose are not bad materials, and polyester is the cheapest and most primitive, practically does not heat. If you are on a budget, you can purchase a scarf that contains 50-70% wool, and the rest is acrylic and / or viscose. Such scarves warm well, sometimes look good and, most importantly, are inexpensive; however, they are less pleasant tactilely than products made of merino wool and especially cashmere.
Knitted or woven scarf?
Woven scarves go better with business wear and, in particular, with a coat. If you are not constrained by the dress code, then you have a lot of freedom of choice; both woven and knitted models can look pretty. To a large extent, the solution to this issue is a matter of taste and personal preference.
Edging
Some manufacturers, such as Calabrese, customize the edges of their scarves by sewing them on a hand-made machine. Many, however, do not bother and cover the edges in the simplest way. Which option to prefer is again a matter of taste and personal preference.
Calabrese edge 1
Inspection before purchase
Before you buy a scarf of your choice, carefully examine it: how even the edges are, how even the seams are, whether the threads are sticking out, whether the coloring is uniform, whether there are any spools, whether the labels are half torn off. If you do not like something, it is better not to buy the thing, look at other models, maybe in other stores.
Prices and brands
A good scarf can be bought for relatively little money, even within 20 dollars (most likely, however, with the addition of synthetics). You shouldn’t chase big brands anyway – even if you have a very large budget. Better pay attention to the quality of the material, design and the accuracy of sewing / finishing. Overpayments for a well-known brand are often multiple.
If you are looking for a cashmere scarf, pay attention to the models made in Scotland; they are offered, in particular, by the brands William Lockie, Johnstons of Elgin, Drake’s. Italian cashmere scarves (made by brands such as Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, Cruciani) tend to be noticeably thinner, softer, more delicate and less durable. Not bad, but very expensive scarves are offered by John Smedley.
Solid tweed scarves are produced by the Irish company Hanna Hats. The production is Irish, the tweed is also Irish. In the Four-in-Hand.ru store, these scarves are sold for 50 dollars.
Hanna Hats tweed scarf Irish woolen scarves can be found in the online store Irishwool.ru, and at very modest prices. The composition is mainly merino wool, sometimes with a slight addition of cashmere, sometimes lambswool. Brands: John Hanly, Fisherman out of Ireland. Perhaps this is one of the best options in terms of value for money.
What are you looking for?
If you are looking for a fine wool scarf, then you should pay attention to the models from Calabrese; they are sold in Gents’ Stuff at a price of 7,500 rubles. In the same store, you can buy Italian brand Rosi & Ghezzi linen scarves for 5,000 rubles.
Rosi & Ghezzi scarf (linen) The LuxOutlet.ru store has linen scarves of the Italian brand Piacenza for 100 dollars. In addition, Lardini linen, silk and cashmere scarves are sold there at prices ranging from 50 to 150 dollars.
Finally, All Seasons Comfort outlet stores offer Italian Colombo scarves; prices for linen models start at 40 dollars, for woolen ones (with the addition of silk and / or cashmere) – from 5,700 rubles. In the same stores, you can buy scarves from the old Brunello Cucinelli collections, but the prices are very high: 200-400 dollars. For 9 thousand you can buy a cashmere and silk Svevo scarf.
