Wearing scarves and button-up shirts: Exercise in futility?

RunnerChick

My closet is full of collared, button-up shirts - I love wearing them, and they're a core piece of my no-brainer formulas.

I also happen to have a lot of scarves. I used to find them a practical and versatile way of adding color and interest to an outfit but most of them date back to a time when I wore collarless tops.

Now that I have mostly button-ups in my closet, I either (a) don't wear the scarves or (b) I do, they fight with the collars of my shirts, I fuss and I fidget for a while, before yanking the scarf off in frustation. Most of my scarves are rectangular, and of a thicker fabric - so, they are not like the silk ones that I see some women wearing with shirts.

So - is there a good and graceful way of wearing scarves and shirts? I'm also wondering if my style (and my lack of patience) evolving to the point where I should just purge my scarves.

Thoughts, advice, and suggestions are welcome - do you wear scarves? If so, how do you style them?

13 years ago

Dressing

21 replies

Latest reply was from retailgirl

Thistle

Veteran

I can't really wear button up shirts as I can't find any that don't gap.

I am still trying to wear scarves but fidget with them all. I am sure there are others out there more knowledgeable!

13 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Are they long, rectane scarves, or silk square scarves, small or large?

I know Angie has worn silk scarves like ascots.

Here's one of my favorite videos for scarf ideas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded

here's some more I've saved (for when I make myself wear MY scarves!)

http://geekthreads.blogspot.co.....orial.html

https://texeresilk.com/main/cms/scarf_tying_guide

http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/s.....irtee.html

I just saw somewhere wearing the long rectangle scarf looped around the outside of a shirt collar and hanging down in front. It looked really nice. Not sure if that one is represented in my videos.

I have as almost as many videos saved as scarves I don't wear. Maybe we should have a scarf-a-week challenge this fall. . .

13 years ago

Carole

Veteran

That's a good question, maybe that's why I don't wear button down shirts. I have a huge scarf collection worn mostly with sweaters or cotton type pull overs. I'll be interested to see some other responses here.

13 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Found it: http://www.jjill.com/jjillonli.....N&h=M

from thsi thread
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-like-this

13 years ago

RunnerChick

Active Member

MNSara - a scarf-a-week challenge for the fal sounds like fun! Thanks for the resources!

13 years ago

Veteran

Bulky scarves are more difficult with button-downs for sure. Yesterday I found that mine worked better when I just did up the collar. A less bulky rectangular scarf works nicely in a simple loop when you give the colour enough room.

Square silk scarves can be tied as a necklace and worn inside the collar, nice for adding some colour near the face and some warmth. Or just knotted behind the neck in a triangular "bib" which is nice to fill in a plunging jacket neckline and to showcase a particularly beautiful scarf pattern.

I never ever purge a scarf in good condition. They take up too little room to make it necessary, and I never know when changes in the styles or my tastes or my lifestyle or my current wardrobe will make it absolutely perfect. Which doesn't mean you have to do things my way, of course. Also, many of my scarves were gifts; yet another reason to hang onto them. Although in recent years I have been buying more of them on my own, as my infatuation with scarves has become more of a long-standing love affair.

13 years ago

Anonymous

I am going to find myself in the same position here shortly. A year ago I was only wearing T shirts, which worked great with scarves. Now I'm the proud owner of about 11 button front shirts! I think I might button the collar all the way to the top and loop the scarf on top of that. If the scarf is thinner than a pashmina, I might try wearing it inside the open collar. Suz has had success wearing a scarf on the outside of a popped collar. I need to go watch all the videos now. Thank you for asking this question, RC!

13 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

I wore a medium size silk scarf in the first picture here:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ts-dresses

And see the second, where Vanessa Redgrave does it even better than me.

However, the best tutorials on scarf tying, hands down if you ask me are on the MaiTai page.

http://www.maitaispicturebook.com/

She is unbelievable!

13 years ago

sarah

Veteran

I wear scarves with button downs all the time - as ascots, most frequently, but also longer and looser, with the button down unbuttoned further (and a cami underneath) when the shirt is more casual, like a denim shirt.

13 years ago

RunnerChick

Active Member

JR and Claire - doing the buttons up makes a lot of sense, and did not occur to me. Many of my shirts tend to gape at the bust, so I usually wear a cami underneath and it is my tendency to leave the shirt a little unbuttoned, but with a scarf, I could button up and not worry about the gaping issue.

JR - your outfit yesterday was the inspiration for my question, actually. I thought your scarf looked good over the white shirt and was wondering how I could get my scarves and shirt to behave quite like that. I hear you on the ascot and bib, but I really do not have many - any? - scarves of the right length or fabrication to make that work.

KCS - thanks a ton for the resources. You do a good Redgrave IMO :). My issue is that the scarves I own are much bulkier than the one you are wearing...

Sarah - do you wear the scarf inside the collar (when you leave the shirt unbuttoned further) or over it?

13 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

RC, aren't you sweet!

I clicked through to another link on MaiTai and found this, which has a heavier, bulkier cotton scarf tied. She has it with a cardigan, but the same idea could work with a button down, especially worn very open at the collar with a cami underneath as Sara recommended.

http://www.mylittlescarfblog.blogspot.com/

BTW, I too would love a scarf a week challenge! You should definitely do it! I'll join too.

13 years ago

L'Abeille

Veteran

Well I am the queen of wearing button front collared shirts with scarves. (In fact I had to look up ways to wear them with Tshirts) Here are some of my favourite ways with rectangular scarves:

1. I tie it in a half Windsor, or depending on the length and fullness I want, a full Windsor (that's the traditional way of trying a man's tie). I position it outside the collar . I leave the knot really loose, and place it somewhere between my collar and my waist, adjusting till I like the effect. This has the added bonus of completely covering up any bustline gaping, thus making many shirts more wearable. This is a sort of Annie Hall look.

2. I tie the ends of the long scarf together (with tiny knots if possible) to make a big loop. Then I pretend it's an infinity scarf and loop it twice around my neck to wear sort of like a necklace.

3. Sometimes I just do a half-knot, like a winter scarf, but place the knot near bust or waist if I need to distract from bulges etc.

4. If I want the book-ending of colour that a particular long scarf can provide, but don't want it to overwhelm the outfit, I twist it like a rope, fold it in half and do a French loop, and make some sort of small unobtrusive knot or bow. I wear this like a choker or short necklace, inside an open collar. (I am the opposite of Angie; I can't breathe if my collar is done up all the way.)

So yeah, a scarf-a- DAY challenge would work for me!

13 years ago

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

http://www.alreadypretty.com/2.....hirts.html
Sally's #3 tip may be helpful - tucking the shirt collar before adding the scarf.

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I was just going to suggest Already Pretty's post!

I chose to do L'Abelle's suggestion #2 the other day in an outfit.

I have also recently worn it with the collar open and tied loosely like a tie of sorts. (I am not very skilled at scarf tying and generally just sort of aim to make it look okay. ONE of these days I will make a considered study of the tutorials!)

Sometimes I button up all the way with a scarf as well.

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13 years ago

Classically Casual

Veteran

Take a look at Already Pretty today. Sal tucks in the collar...not something that would have occurred to me: http://www.alreadypretty.com/

13 years ago

Sylvie

Veteran

How floppy/stiff is the fabric of your shirts?

I'm wearing a silk collared buttondown today with a scarf on top of it. Two buttons are undone (still decent) and the scarf sits nicely on top of the collar.

13 years ago

Anonymous

Hello I came across this forum with many I am behind you as my shirts I doors fully buttoned you should try as tie.
http://www.youtube.com/It'o-k to wear a tie

9 years ago

retailgirl

Veteran

I wear tailored cotton shirts almost every day. And I wear a scarf almost every day. Usually a 36" sq. I fold it in a bias fold and tie like a man's tie. I do a cowboy type thing and fold into a triangle and tie behind my neck. I have some smaller squares that I fold in a bias fold and tie around my neck and tuck the ends in. I do the thing with a long rectangle where you tie the ends together and treat it kike an infinity scarf. My favorite is to take a 36" square folded once in half. Put it on a flat surface with the fold at top. Pick the scarf up by the upper right and lower left corners. Put it around your shoulders and tie a knot on your left. This makes a pretty drape in front. Looks great under a jacket, or on its own. All of these go over the shirt, sometimes I pop the collars.

9 years ago

Anonymous

Retailgirl vous devez avoir un beau look avec vos chemises

9 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

It is not futile !! Don't give up. I LOVE the ideas on here. Try them out. You will become comfortable with them. I know...it happened to me. : )

Bernard said, " Retailgirl, you must have a great look with your shirts.

9 years ago

retailgirl

Veteran

Isabel, thanks for the translation! I was close, ( with my five years of HS French!) it's true though, practice makes perfect. I started with scarves because I worked in a specialty store that sold them and wanted to wear what we sold. Now I think it's a signature.

9 years ago

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