The summer scarf: Yay or nay?
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re everywhere this season: summer scarves. This trend can be spotted on celebs and real people of both sexes. From John Mayer…
…there aren’t many places these lightweight accessories haven’t been spotted. Even Rachael Ray has donned a jaunty scarf, though that didn’t work out so well for her.
You won’t see me sporting a scarf this summer. I get the arguments for: it’s an easy way to add color and pattern to an outfit. (Believe me, I went through a scarf phase about 10 years ago because I thought they were a professional way to add pizzazz to a suit. I had a very elaborate way of tying the fabric, that in retrospect, made me look like I had been decapitated and was trying to keep my head tied to my body through a small square of fabric and sheer force of will.)
Yeah, yeah, it’s versatile and can be balled up and thrown in a bag. Though I don’t quite buy the argument that a wispy piece of see-through fabric can offer any defense against full-force air conditioning. In my mind, a more substantial wrap or light jacket offers the same portability AND better insulating potential.
But here is my main argument against the scarf trend:
Gorgeous girl, cute tank. But the scarf…just no. If it’s hot enough to wear sleeveless and spaghetti straps, you don’t need to add any extra fabric around the neckular region. Has your neck ever been shivering cold while the rest of your body was sweltering? I rest my case. I would have loved to see this top paired with a colorful chunky necklace instead.
But I’m willing to be proven wrong. Do you sport a summer scarf? What do you like about the look? Is this something you’d like to see on your man, or are you saving this trend all for your own?
Comments (25)
25 Comments
I like the idea of the summer scarf but they always get too warm in summer months no matter how thin the fabric.
I save my scarf wearing for winter months.
a scarf in winter yes, but summer? NO NO NO! I just do not get it, or like it.
I don’t like the scarf look on men and I don’t like the look period during the summer. It’s a bit much. The way men are styling their scarves is just not tasteful fashion in my opinion.
I say YEAH to summer scarves. I live on the west coast and the evenings are sometimes on the cool side of things and it’s nice to wear something around your neck. Love it.
I say yes to scarves in summer time! its great to wear it when the evenings are a little more windy. and you can schoose in sooo many patterns!
I often wear an Indian/Arabic scarf (large square of decorated cotton, folded over) wound loosely around my neck in the summer. It actually helps me to keep cool, and if I need to, I can pull it over my head to shade from the sun. That is, after all, the original reason they were worn in the Middle East. Silk works just as well as cotton. If you’re going to wear a synthetic, of course that’ll make you hotter.
i think it looks silly. just as silly as people who wear boots with shorts in the summer. if it’s hot, it’s hot. if it’s cold it’s cold. if its cold enough for a scarf, then wear long sleeves. since when does warming your neck equate to warming your entire body. lets use that same silly theory in the winter, when it gets “chilly” and just put on a scarf and see how that works. i think people tend to think something is useful because hollywood has made it trendy.
Only people who are completely out-of-touch with reality would wear these scarves in a trendy way-and celebrities are out-of-touch concerning the bad economy. They are way over paid for what they do. They are over-compensated with gift swag bags and free designer clothes. I have this theory that they get the worst throw-away designs from these fashion people. The stuff in Bergdorf Goodman is a lot prettier - but way too costly for me. I’ll think about wearing a scarf when I walk my dog in the cold days of winter.
I live in Texas, and believe me, in the summertime the fewer clothes, the better. I can’t even imagine putting on a scarf! Besides, I agree with you — scarves look stupid with spaghetti straps or tank tops. Why would this be a viable fashion option for 70% of the country? It’s just too hot!!!
Scarves are great - I have drawers full of them. I love souvenir scarves - I have even more of them. And Missoni and cheap and pricey but I am not French and they just don’t work for me. I believe the French have made the wearing of the scarf a national trademark and it may even be genetic.
I try to wear them and feel not French. And silly.
Seriously. A scarf in summer? Some people are idiots. Why not a pair of Sorrel snowboots with your short shorts too?
I would wear a light scarf as a belt or tie it as a headband to pull the hair away from my face. It’s probably too hot to have it around the neck. For an evening out, I may bring a large shawl to wrap around my shoulders in case it gets chilly. There are various ways you can do it, not just around the neck.
I love scarves and wear them year round — and I’ve never once felt silly or looked ridiculous. It’s all about personal style — if someone is uncomfortable with this look then, yeah, they’ll look awkward.
This is plain silly and rediculous. I can not imagine trying to convince my guy that this is cool. In fact it is the total opposite. HOT! Maybe for fall, but in the humid and muggy Georgia heat, someone might have a heat stroke. This is a fad that wont catch on down here in the south.
I love scarfs and sometimes I want to wear them during the summer, but if you actually see someone wearing one in the summer they do look really silly.
Relevant post from the Stuff White People Like blog
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/04/30/97-scarves/
Scaves with spagetti straps do look silly, and I just cant imagine wearing a scarf on my neck in 92 degree 50% humidity weather like I am experiencing today in costal NC.
I would however consider carrying one of those “scaves” that are really more like a shawl if I were going to a restuarant or other such exeseivly airconditioned puplic place. that wopuld be enough to keep from feeling chilled in these places, but would’t look as odd as a sweater or hoodie.
Another good way to accessorize with a lightwieght scarf in summer is to tie long or short hair up and off of the neck, as a sash for a sundress or in place of a belt. These can be more cool and comortable ways to add another color, texture, or pattern than something like layerd tanks/tees or bulky jewery.
As for the guys, a scaf in summer looks pretty stupid as a fashion statement, but I have seen men who must work outside wear a pre-moistened hankerchief tucked into the back of a hat to cool and shade the back of the neck. They do this for comfort, not for looks.
Maybe men and women who live in cooler northern climes may be comfortable with a scarf tied around their neck, but it’s just not practical when it’s very hot and very humid.
[...] In addition to the fact that Vogue Italia’s landmark July issue addressed the appalling lack of black models in fashion spreads, I was psyched to peep the return of the head scarf. And let’s face it, I couldn’t resist after last week’s heated summer scarf discussion. [...]
nice!
Some people really look good wearing a scarf, and it can give an added touch to an outfit. I have many scarves, but only wear them once in awhile - just don’t have the knack. But… in the summer, unless it’s cooler weather, it doesn’t make much sense. It is all in an individual’s taste, and some can certainly get away with it!
love some colourfoul fabric around my neck or over the shoulders in a cool summer night. Wear it with a plain tank and jeans or a matching skirt and choose your jewellery, shoes and purce in coordinating colours to make a statement. FABULOUS!
When the weather is really warm and the sun is hot, wear a nice long scarf as a headband either in the city or on the beach to protect your hair from all the sunshine and look great without struggling with hairdriers and brushes in the middle of the summer!
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Everybody’s taste and style is different…
Personally, I side with the ‘for’ scarves. Despite living in Queensland, Australia, one of the most incredibly sunny and hot places this side of the world, I’ve found that they really do perk up an outfit, and the possibilities are endless. They are great because they are a cheap way to extend one’s wardrobe.
Whether worn as a belt, headband or around the neck, they’re basically an accessory (like a necklace) so most of the comments in reply to this article are surprising regarding the whole spaghetti straps issue. Whether they look ’silly’ or not depends on the wearer - if they can carry it off, why not?
Yay for me. Cause it works for certain people. http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=02420449660489nyffgsxnze6.jpg
[...] readers of The Tastemaker Diaries are well aware of my obsessive hatred of scarves. My scorn has risen to a new level with the rise of this season’s version, the so-called [...]
I love the summer scarf. I didn’t rock it at all this summer but everytime I see someone sporting it; I score them in my head
I think that John Meyer rocks it the best here.