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Coat and scarf

JAileen

Veteran

Smittie's thread about a white puffer and Joy's comment about dedicating a scarf to each coat has me wondering. I have the NAS Pendleton coat that I've worn several times. If I wear a scarf, should it go with my outfit or the coat? Last night I wore a grey sweater and thought about a scarf (I have the one below in grey). I didn't wear the scarf because it seemed kind of busy and mismatched. We went to our community theater and it was chilly walking the few blocks to the theater. I wished I had worn a scarf, but wasn't sure what would have looked good. What would you have done?

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Dressing

27 replies

Latest reply was from JAileen

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I would do something vivid like a kelly green or a red or go for a bright like a lemon yellow.

tulle

Veteran

Hmm...this does bear thinking about. One reason I've collected a bunch of coats is that I love a coordinated outfit/outerwear look. This way, whether I wear a coat open or closed, with a scarf, hat, gloves or not, I feel that everything works. I suspect Angie would encourage you to try the "busy" look of that scarf with the big-checked coat, and brazen it out. But if that puts your teeth on edge, maybe you'll want to invest in a few more scarves in solids and patterns that work with your coat and most of your Winter outfits? Scarves can do a lot: to bring a thrifted vintage berry-red wool coat into the present, I just bought a very (for me) maximal digital-print Stella McCartney scarf in shades of red, violet and orange. The scarf cost 10 times the price of the coat, but I think the combination adds up to more than the sum of its parts!

Joyce B

Veteran

If I was feeling cold and only had that scarf, I would have worn it. I prefer not perfect to feeling cold.
The scarf seems to have the same colors as the coat, maybe it works? Or I could just wear it under the coat.
Having a scarf for each coat is such a good idea, maybe I should consider that, too. What I do have is a pair of matching gloves in the pockets of each coat. That way my hands are never cold and I don't need to think about what gloves to wear.
Your coat and scarf are both lovely.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

My thought is...you need to be clear about whether you consider the scarf to be outerwear (worn for the purpose of warming up or protecting yourself from weather) or an accessory to your outfit. In this case, I would have worn a scarf as outerwear, but I probably would have gravitated to a bright or color-blocked woolen-type scarf. I really like both the scarf and the coat!--just not together

El Cee

Veteran

I have two types of scarves that I wear in the colder months. The first type are bulkier and are intended as outerwear. Most of these scarves are solid colors (with a few plaids and patterns thrown in) and have been purchased to match or complement my coats. The second type are my fashion scarves. They are worn as accessories for my outfits that are underneath the coats. These are only particularly visible once the coat has been shed. A few of my scarves are crossovers and can be worn either way.

Your Pendleton coat is gorgeous. It would be worth purchasing a couple of scarves with the intent of complementing this beautiful plaid. I like Ledonna's idea of going with a vivid solid color.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I am with EL Cee on this one. Depends on the scarf and the outfit. If scarf is part of the outfit, it goes under the coat and stays on when I shed the coat. If it is part of the outerwear, then I will shed it together with the coat when I reach my destination. A few scarves may pull double duty.

JAileen

Veteran

Ledonna, I think I have a red scarf. Thanks for the suggestion. Yellow sounds amazing, actually.

Tulle, that was exactly my thought. The scarf was really for the outfit, but it would show unless I had the coat zipped all the way up. It wasn't terribly cold, but my neck gets cold because I have short hair.

Joyce, I had gloves in my bag, but didn't wear them. I have a lot of scarves, but I hadn't thought through the outfit early enough. I grabbed a few plaid scarves, but that was really crazy looking! Crazy in a bad way! I need to find the red one. Or get a yellow one.

Emily, I agree that they don't look good together! This problem might be temporary actually. When it gets really cold I'll probably wear a turtleneck, and maybe a warmer coat.

El Cee, I agree with you and Ledonna regarding a bright scarf.

Bella, I guess I wanted to wear a scarf that would pull double duty. But I'll plan my complete outfit earlier, finding something that works for both the outfit and the coat.

Anonymous

I would get an 'outdoor scarf' in blue, or navy, or white. I like complete and total matching because the coat itself says enough.

Anonymous

Your scarf would be perfect for pattern mixing with your coat if the pattern was black and blue rather than white. That is assuming that the coat is a black and blue plaid. You need to find a scarf that you love with the coat. How about a tweed that includes black and blue?

JAileen

Veteran

Smittie, Joy, you both have good ideas. I'll have to start looking. Thanks! The coat is blue and black.

RobinF

Veteran

I think of scarves differently. I have thin, drapey ones that are for with outfits and heavier, usually knit or a heavy woven that are for outerwear. This coat definitely needs a special scarf to go with it. I like the idea of a print in the same colors, or what about black and white? I find my black and white scarves go with almost everything and really pop.

JAileen

Veteran

Robin, I think I will try to get a scarf for the coat. I just looked through scarves on Nordstrom. I'm going to order a couple. Here's the perfect one but I'm not going to order it.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bu.....RE%20CHECK

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RobinF

Veteran

Yikes! I can understand that! It is pretty though. Maybe you can find a faux Burberry.

JAileen

Veteran

Robin, the scarf costs more than the coat!

I ordered these scarves. I won't be keeping all of them. The first two are the same, showing phases of the moon. I took astronomy in college so of course I would like them.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bc.....proddescr2

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ha.....roductimg1

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Anonymous

I think if you're just going to need a scarf to go with your coat and not to compete with your clothes underneath if you took off your coat and kept on the scarf, then I would perhaps match the coat colours in plain styles or try pattern mixing...maybe try leopard print in colours like the coat..or spots of stripes.

JAileen

Veteran

Diane, thanks for your thoughts. I wore the coat today with jeans and a grey long sleeve tee. It was in the 30s when I was out running errands, and I was driving. I needed a scarf, not for warmth, but because the coat was itchy against my neck. I might buy some matching yarn and knit a scarf.

The other thing is, the coat is not super warm. So as we get into winter, I would probably wear a turtleneck, and then maybe add a sweater underneath, and eventually it just wouldn't be warm enough, for the depth of winter, except for the odd warm day. In the meanwhile, though, I really love it. The blue is almost electric in the sunlight!

Mirjana

Veteran

I agree with Diane G , just match the scarf with coat colours in plain styles or try pattern mixing , to me spots maybe.

Anonymous

I like the bright blue scarf the best with the coat. It could also be worn with anything navy you might have. Or grey.
The other two you chose would match well too.

JAileen

Veteran

Thanks Mirjana, Smittie. I'm just going to have to see how the colors and pattern of the scarves work. I have a turtleneck sweater that I thought was the same shade of blue, but not even close! The coat is really electric. Once I get this figured out I'm going to love wearing the coat. The fit is really great.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Either - outfit OR coat. I tend to like to tie it into both.

JAileen

Veteran

Angie, thanks! I bought some blue yarn today to knit a scarf. I wore the coat and took the yarn outside to compare the color. It's a pretty good match. I'm such a slow knitter, though..

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Lovely.

You can also pair more than one scarf with your coat. See tomorrows ensemble post for the scarf match.

JAileen

Veteran

Angie, I have a solid dark red scarf around here somewhere, and Ledonna suggested a yellow scarf. I like the sound of that, too. Now you have my curiosity up to see tomorrow's ensemble!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I try to tie the scarf into both (coat and outfit) but sometimes, in the dead of winter I have been known to wear TWO scarves!! Yes, a lighter one for my outfit and a bigger bulkier one with/ for the coat. (I admit this would bother a lot of people because of the bunching but there are times when it feels that cold here and I need a scarf I can pull up over my nose outdoors.)

Because my wardrobe colours are fairly consistent, I can pair different scarves with my coats. I don't always wear the same one.

Anonymous

Haha, I've worn two scarves too!

Jules

Veteran

I wouldn't have worn that coat and that scarf not because of clashing patterns (which often can work) but because of weight/seasonal clash, which is something that bugs me much more. The coat reads winter wool and the scarf appears to be the kind of gauzy light weight cotton I wear either as part of my indoor outfit or in the spring and fall when my clothes are in lighter fabrication but I need something for evening chill, an airplane trip or whatever (this type of scarf is actually super useful because it stuffs into a purse so easily). With my winter coats I wear heavier scarves of wool, chunky knits, fake fur, etc.
That said I have a transitional wool coat that I do feel works with some of my cotton scarves. It is cut more like a blazer however.
I find it's really trial and error with scarves, there's some generalizations to be made but you really have to try on different combos and figure out what works. And some amazing scarves seem to go with everything, so it is worth trying seemingly odd combos.

JAileen

Veteran

Suz, Smittie, two scarves?! I've never done that. I don't live in the North Pole like you guys. I always loved the giant scarf the mother winds onto the younger brother in "A Christmas Story".

Jules, the coat isn't super warm. It does look like a winter coat, but I don't think it will pass muster in the depths of winter. I wore it the other day in the 30s. When it gets really cold I'll switch to my duffle coat, and eventually my long puffer. BTW, Smittie, my duffle is navy and I can wear all sorts of colorful scarves with it. Mostly I need these really warm coats when we go out at night. I always get colder at night.

I bought some blue yarn yesterday that matches really well, and that is wool, silk and cashmere. I'm still looking for a pattern, and am open to suggestions.

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