Lady Violette

A Dramatic Scarf Sashed at the Waist by Tricia James

Isn’t this a darling way to use a scarf!  Tricia James has taken a small pocket sized square, folded it and wrapped the waist of my little 16″ tall mannequin as if she is wearing a giant sash! She has put one of the scarf clips in her collection at the waist as if it is a pretty buckle. This is one of her own designs and is gold plated over sterling silver and set with small pearls, the epitome of classic elegance.

Of course you can use a larger scarf and make a waist sash to fit yourself. Either a square or rectangular scarf will work. Wouldn’t it be pretty to wear a vibrant silk scarf this way over a simple black dress and accent the whole with vintage or modern costume jewelry you just happen to have? I have used my string of vintage red glass beads doubled to fit the little dress form. I am able to be wear it myself as a long single strand necklace. Any brooch or scarf clip could be used as a clip at the waist. Even a hair clip will work!

I have lots of scarves languishing in my dresser drawers and I am anxious to get them out and try them in all these new ways! I can see that the strategic use of  scarves can transform and massively extend my wardrobe. I am wondering, for example, how many different looking outfits I could create with two  basic dresses and five different scarves… And what a great solution this would be while traveling  – allowing me to travel light and still have enough different looks along to be super stylish and surprising at all times! It is exciting to consider this. Also, it requires no shopping (or spending of money) so it is a very economical solution to updating one’s wardrobe for the spring season. I liken this to going shopping in my own house which is always a good thing. Everyone probably has a lot of untapped potential in their closets and drawers that they don’t realize is there or know how to use. Specifically, a lot of scarves and shawls that could come out and get used imaginatively…They are kind of wasted sitting in dark drawers aren’t they?

This small dress form pictured is the same size as a Madame Alexader Cissy doll at 16″ tall. Madame Alexander also makes the My Favorite Friend doll who is 18″ tall and is designed to be a play doll. I have discovered that you can make great outfits to dress dolls out of scarves. This is a fun way to play with dolls with little girls while teaching them ways to tie and wear scarves themselves when they grow up.

Scarf tying is a fascinating subject! Definitely an art form and definitely one of the Feminine Arts! Lovely!

I am thinking, this small one on this tiny mannequin looks like a beautiful red silk skirt worn over a straight black sheath dress. Why couldn’t I find or make a gigantic scarf into a “skirt”  like this and wear it over a straight black jersey dress, thus creating an elegant high drama look? It is all about changing the proportions. A large silk scarf made into a wide sash at the waist, human sized, is one lovely idea. And a much bigger scarf made into sash so large it becomes a dramatic overskirt is another! I am inspired and I must try it! So I will, soon…and I will post a picture of the results!

Visit International Scarf Stylist Tricia James at scarfgenie.com where she shows many of the things she is creating and producing…

The JOY perfume bottles are from Lady Violette’s personal collection of classic vintage perfume bottles.