Ties that bind

I love a good scarf, which can enhance an outfit into something personal and unique. Scarves are the real heroes of fashion. Better than shoes or bags which have a hirearchy based on designer labels finding a good scarf is a more random process and the best are just as likely to have come from a charity shop or some Etsy vendor as from some upmarket boutique, and they can cover up a bad hair day, a crepey neckline or oops, a stain on your top.

I'm here to praise a particular new company called Jewel in her Crown.  Full disclosure obliges me to tell you that this is a venture started by my niece Lauren and her partner Ross, so I may be biased, however I have no stake in their business and I do objectively think the scarves she is producing are a bit special.

The scarves are hand printed onto metre long silk squares with images taken by Ross from around Fife and the Lothians. The way that the process transfers onto the silk renders the colours and images with a vintage feel.

There are nine designs in the first collection available from the Jewel in her Crown Website and also from ASOS Marketplace  where they are shown with a number of different suggestions for wearing.

Which brings me onto the next big scarf issue. Tying the darn things. Now in winter time I tend to go for the classic noose as demonstrated by a certain Mr Fassbender in the recent masterpiece Shame ( I may be the only person keener on seeing Mr F fully clad in that movie as I was obsessed with his neckwear prowess)

However for spring and summer I think its good to do something a bit more adventurous with your scarf tying. You Tube, Pintrest and Tumblr are awash with how-to guides for this sort of thing. But I've attached details of the best demo I've seen I've spent ages hypotised by the grace and prowess the model brings to variations on the basic rectangle or square, it is great fun to try at home and you can try out the edgy new sport of spotting a boa or a waterfall on stylish passer bys and nodding sagely acknowledging another in the know scarf insider.