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Lady Violette

The Romantic Lifestyle

Posts Tagged ‘Making Scarves’

How to Tie & Style the Basic Beautiful White Silk Shawl Demonstrated by International Scarf & Accessories Stylist Tricia James

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

One Version of the Exquisite Finished Shawl Style Garnished With a White Silk Flower

One Version of the Finished Shawl Style Decorated With a White Silk Flower Corsage

Here is one of several of the beautiful decorated versions of this finished shawl style that I showed over the last two weeks. This one is decorated with a white silk flower corsage.

To create this basic tie and style Tricia used a white raw silk oblong scarf/shawl measuring 72″ long by 20″ wide ~ not counting the fringe on each end which is a nice extra touch and measures about two extra inches long on each end.

We have experimented and discovered that a pashima or a silk scarf of this approximate size will also work for this shawl tying/styling technique. You can use a solid color as we have done here, or an all over small print.

The longer the shawl is the more you will have to work with as you create your drape. We recommend the longer versus the shorter versions of these shawls for ease and success in creating this style.

 

 

Step #1

To Begin:

1) Drape the shawl over shoulders with Right side of scarf longer than the Left side ~ as in picture 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step #2

 

2) Bring the shorter Left side of shawl across your body ~ as in picture  #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step # 3

 

3) Drape it over allowing it to rest on your Right shoulder  ~ as in picture #3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step #4

 

4) Pick up lower Right longer end of shawl in your Right hand and bring it up across the center front of your body to the center of your neckline ~ as in picture #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step #5

 

5) Then tuck it under your neckline and ~ placing your Right hand up under the shawl from below, take hold of the tail and pull it down and through the center front with your Right hand, ~ while taking the upper Left shorter end of shawl (that was resting on your Right shoulder) in your Left hand and pulling it upward ~ thus making a large soft center front knot ~ as in picture #5

Begin to pull on the two ends of the shawl simultaneously, creating a custom fitted shawl around your shoulders, thus preventing the shawl from slipping throughout the day.

As Tricia says, “A custom fit is a marvelous thing, Darling!”

We all agree with that, don’t we?

 

 

 

 

Step #6

 

6) Tuck Left upper end end behind your Right shoulder and spread the shawl out styling it attractively at both top and bottom. This is very elegant and attractive just like this! You can wear it plain and simply like this, unadorned ~ as in picture #6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or,

For added interest you can decorate this beautiful basic shawl shawl tie with a silk flower corsage, a brooch, a shawl clip, a hair accessory used as a scarf clip or anything else you can think of as Tricia demonstrated in several earlier blog posts. The styling possibilities are almost endless once your imagination sets in! I really encourage you to experiment!

Be sure to visit international scarf and accessories stylist Tricia James at her website scarfgenie.com to see other interesting scarves, scarf styling options and products she has to offer.

And come back to this blog, Ladyviolette,com often because I will be posting many more shawls and scarves and ideas on how to wear them on a regular basis.

I am a great admirer of shawls and scarves and feel they add amazing elegance and options to women’s wardrobes. A scarf can be a beautiful and unique personal statement and the way one wears it is certainly one of the loveliest of feminine art forms.  I am personally committed to demonstrating this and to finding out more about how to style and wear them successfully again. I say again because I think they were worn much more in elegant previous eras and I feel it is time to bring them back, research how they were worn in the past and learn how to tie and style them once again for our enjoyment in the present ~ here and now!

Additionally there are so many new contemporary ways to wear them.  And, luckily, I have my friend,  the modern current day scarf specialist, Tricia James to collaborate with me on this project!

Tricia brings her own artistic ability to styling and tying scarves and shawls along with 20 years past experience traveling around the world while training and working with her mentor Isabella Gardener. I will interview Tricia soon and post her incredibly interesting and exotic back ground story on this blog…

I also plan and look forward to sharing some amazing examples of vintage scarves and shawls I have collected with you here in the near future. Watch for this!

And, if you have historical information to add please share it with us as well. We would love to hear from you! After all, isn’t that is what the web is for?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Christian Dior on Scarves in 1951 “Scarves can give the final touch to your frock…”

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Vintage Fleurs-de-Lis Silk Scarf

Today I was lucky to make two wonderful finds while browsing in a thrift store ~ a never worn pure silk vintage scarf with hand rolled hems and original tags still attached and a pretty little hardback book titled “The Little Dictionary of Fashion” by Christian Dior! It was written in 1951, published by Abrams, is full of good, still  pertinent advice, loaded with charm and fun to read. Since I have been writing about scarves I went right to the S section to find out what Christian Dior had to say. French women are famous for their ability to style and wear scarves with tremendous flair. In 1951 CD said,

“In many cases a scarf gives a final touch to a frock. But you have to experiment and try many ways of wearing a scarf before you find the way that suits you best. It is a very personal matter; and what one woman does will not necessarily suit another. A scarf is to a woman what a necktie is to a man and the way you tie it is part of your personality.” Christian Dior

I love the way he used the word frock instead of dress or outfit. It sounds quaint today but it is so charming and feminine! Throughout the book he also puts great emphasis on individual personality.

The scarf is an 18″ silk square. It is printed with Fleurs-de-Lis which are stylized irises that have long been associated with the French monarchy. This shape and size of scarf can be tied in many ways. I’ll experiment and demonstrate several of them soon. Fortunately this pretty little scarf is still in perfect condition. I was lucky to find the green scarf (just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day!) with its stylized iris flowers and the book for only $2.99 each!

Christian Dior would have approved of this too because he also says, in the introduction of his book, “It is possible for a woman to be elegant without spending very much money on her clothes, if she is careful to choose the clothes that suit her personality. Simplicity, good taste and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money. First you must study yourself. Learn to know what suits you and what does not. And study your own needs.”

 

 

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Instructions for Tying International Scarf Stylist Tricia James Beautiful Orange Pashima Scarf/Shawl

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

I am happy to present the instructions for tying and styling Tricia’s original and unique way of wearing an Orange Pashima Scarf/Shawl. This demonstration is by Tricia James, photos and written directions by Lady Violette. You can also visit Tricia at her website, scarfgenie.com. Tricia is an International Scarf and Accessories Stylist

The finished pashima scarf beautifully tied.

 

Begin by folding the scarf in half lengthwise.

 

Drape over shoulders.

 

Loop scarf around neck & adjust with both ends coming forward in even lengths.

 

Take Left side of scarf loop end and bring it under & around…

 

under & around…

 

several times…

 

as shown…

 

on Left side…

 

Do the same thing with the Right side of the shawl wrapping the end under & around…

 

under & around…

 

until both sides of shawl are fully wrapped,

 

and hanging down in the front.

 

Next, slip your finger into one of the loops on the upper Left hand side of the shawl as Tricia demonstrates here.

 

Next, pull that loop up and out a bit,

 

then continue to “style it out” by spreading it apart with your fingers,

 

as she demonstrates in the photos…

 

To complete the style arrange the extended loop to your liking, adjusting the fullness of the scarf to fit attractively on your neck.

 

Make sure the ends of the scarf and the fringes are hanging down and arranged neatly as shown!

 

Admire your work! You have just tied and styled your pashima beautifully!

 

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The Fine Art of Draping the Human Figure

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

The Fine Art of Draping the Figure

Artists have drawn and painted the human figure draped in beautiful folds of cloth to enhance its intrinsic grace for as long as they have been making art.

And I have been thinking about this all week as I have studied the pictures of Tricia’s beautiful scarf tying techniques.

What could be more stylish and feminine in any time in history or in any culture than a beautifully draped human figure? I can’t think of anything! But I can think of many beautiful examples of draping.

There were the, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the East Indian Women in their exquisite saris, Isadora Duncan the modern dancer, and more beautiful sculptures and paintings than anyone ever could list – just to mention a few examples. Every museum is full of them!

Draping the female figure alluringly is most definitely an example of the Feminine Arts throughout History.

Here Tricia has again used her basic wrap of the white silk shawl, then decorated it with a Ficcare Maximas Clip. These are designed to use in the hair to hold French twists and buns in place, but we have found them to work as excellent shawl and scarf clips as well.

I will post instructions for tying and styling these scarves soon. In the meantime you may visit International Scarf Stylist Tricia James at scarfgenie.com

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The White Shawl “Scrunched” to make a Fresh Stylized Flower Blooming in the Cold and Snowy Dead of Winter!

Friday, February 25th, 2011

White Shawl with Schrunchy Flower Styled by Tricia James

Here is yet another variation on the same basic wrap of the white shawl – this time “Scrunched” with a brown taffeta hair scrunchy. This flowery variation blew me away!

Tricia took a cloth covered hair scrunchy edged in beads, and pulled a section of the shawl through it, then fanned it out to create a Stylized Flower on one shoulder. After shaping it with her fingers she secured the “flower” with one corsage sized long straight pin, hiding the pearl pin head in the folds of the flower.

It is snowing outside and this is a way you can make and wear a fresh flower corsage in spite of the weather! And what a clever way to actually use that stack of seldom worn hair scrunchies made of pretty fabrics that have accumulated in a drawer! I must have 1/2 a dozen of them in various colors that I am now excited to try out as flowers on scarves!

Tricia will come back next week to help me write up directions for tying and styling these scarves which I will then post for you to follow. Meanwhile you can visit International Scarf Stylist Tricia James at scarfgenie.com

I am going to make myself some hair scrunchies  just for the purpose of wearing them as cloth shawl flowers. This seems like a great way to utilize a small bit of pretty fabric, doesn’t it? When I figure out how to make them I will post the instructions as well.

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