June 11, 2025
It’s been ages since we’ve really taken a long look at a stack of scarves! When I saw that The Met Store had a few new scarves in, I thought that this was a good time to think about accessories and accent colors.
First up, I chose these six scarves upon which we could focus:
bright pink cotton scarf – The Met Store; orange cotton scarf – The Met Store; black & blue scarf – The Met Store; ginko leaf pattern scarf – The Met Store; green Tiffany stained glass silk scarf – The Met Store; Van Gogh iris scarf – The Met Store
Even if you’re not buying a scarf these days – heck, even if you NEVER buy scarves – this exercise might help you focus on what your favorite accent colors are. When you’re confronted with a number of items in different colors, even if they’re spatulas (!), it’s always interesting to see what draws your attention first, and if that initial attention translates into affection or admiration.
I still waffle back and forth between purple, brown and pink for accent colors; if anybody had this figured out, one might assume that it’s me! But it’s not easy…
For scarves, I like to think about what I would wear with them – especially what other accessories would be compatible…
Scarf – The Met Store; tee shirt – J.Crew Factory; earrings – Kendra Scott; bracelet – Gold & Honey; bag – Sol & Selene; flats – Birdies
I like to assemble these “French 5-Piece Wardrobes” with a scarf, to get a feel for how it would be to wear two or three items in a particular color.
Yes, the whole idea of a 5-Piece Wardrobe is totally outdated. Maybe some French women buy 5 major garments each season, or each year, but I suspect that the total number of things purchased is much higher. Okay, maybe they don’t buy as much cheap junk as women in other places, but 5 items is just ridiculous. Don’t you think?
Scarf – The Met Store; orange tee – Caslon; earrings – Opium Jewels; bracelet – Alex & Ani; sandals – Free People; bag – Apatchy London
Maybe you already own a couple of accessories in one of these colors, and supplementing your pieces with a couple of new things would give you a really robust accessory family?
Scarf – The Met Store; Berry Rouge tee shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Barse; bracelet – SHYMI; jelly slip-ons – Jeffrey Campbell; bag – Talbots
Yes, maybe you’re thinking of adding a few black things to your wardrobe! One woman’s essential neutral is another woman’s daring new accent color:
Scarf – The Met Store; black tee – Lands’ End; earrings – 1928; bracelet – 1928; sandals – Dolce Vita; bag – Jelavu
Finding “autumn” colors this time of year isn’t always easy! And I lust for this bracelet…
Scarf – The Met Store; estate green tee – Lands’ End; earrings – Isla Silver; bracelet – Lavish by Tricia Milaneze; sandals – Ipanema; bag – Talbots
Maybe you really love a scarf but just can’t find a tee shirt (or sandals, or bag) that look just right with it. Never forget your neutrals, or maybe even a new neutral! Ivory is easy to wear…
Scarf – The Met Store; ivory tee shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – The Pink Reef; necklace – Farra; sandals – Dolce Vita; crossbody bag – Cole Haan
Which do you love most? You’re not shocked that I’m pretty smitten with black…
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I broke one of my own rules, and based a wardrobe on navy, beige and LEOPARD!!! I don’t like animal prints, and I don’t have any good reason for that. But the leopard print definitely makes a statement!
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I got a kick out of black used as an accent — black was my base color for 40 years, but since I let my hair color go natural I’ve found big blocks of it look too harsh. I kept my best black things to wear as accents on a base of gray or navy.
I really like the ‘start with a scarf’. It’s so useful for those of us wanting a more cohesive wardrobe. In my case I don’t do it strictly, but is so handy to know the accessories that go more with the scarf than rushing for the first scarf that sort of goes with whatever you’re wearing.
I think 5 items is too low for everyday things and too much for statement or big buys. Maybe if no changes happen to you in a whole year, but to me having a kid, work, crazy weather, some unexpected travel, sensitive feet and health issues… Boy, seeing this written made me take a break 🫠. Well, let’s say I’ve bought around 6 items for hot weather. Plus, I’m not spending more than 10 bucks on a hat because it’s extremely likely that it won’t survive the summer. I guess it depends on stages of life.
Anyway, it is a good number for trying accent colors and I love your selections. Visually, I like the blue/ivory (I have a Van Gogh bias), but black and olive are so cohesive! I’m one of those who wears black as an accent and I try hard not to let it grow because I prefer navy for a neutral.
Cheers and blessings all!
My first inclination is the olive – I suspect because of the Tiffany scarf. I love Tiffany. Ultimately I would choose the orange…..
That green – I love every piece in that set.
Oh, my goodness. I just love these. They’re works of art and I’d love to frame them and have them going up a staircase or down a hallway as art!
My favorite one is the Tiffany Glass, because I’ve always been so attracted to stained glass created during the heyday of Louis Comfort Tiffany. The price is amazing too! But, they’re not my colors. If I have learned anything from you, it’s to really think about what suits me and to stay in my lane, not spending money on something that doesn’t ‘fit’ my direction.
As attracted to these scarves as I am, and I do have access to my mother’s exceptional (now vintage) collection of Hermes and Gucci ones, I just never know how to wear a square scarf that’s not oversized. The bib/bandana fold in half and tie in the back looks like a true bib on me. The necklace method (of rolling and tying in the back) hides all the beautiful pattern. The little French twist (that my chic mama pulls off effortlessly) feels like an affectation on me. Anyone have a tip on this? I can wear some stunners (in my colors) any time I like, but they just sit there, because I’m accustomed to oversized pashminas or long scarves that I can tie in creative ways.
I feel the same way. I own 2 scarves; both men’s wool scarves that I throw around my neck and let hang. I love them both! The last French-5 is my favorite as I am trying to add soft white ( without yellow undertones) to my blue wardrobe.
Hi there! I, too have trouble w/the square scarves. I don’t know if I can give any tips in tying them, but someone on this site told me about scarf magnets – available on amazon – and they help a bunch in keeping the silk in place once I have it as I like it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDKT3V51?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1
Tee hee Sheila, t’was I! I’m glad you found them as useful as I do, and continuing to spread the word!
As much as I love the color combinations of scarves, I feel like I look silly wearing them. My neck is too short or the print is too busy, too soft/harsh, too I don’t know…. It is probably a me problem and not the scarf’s fault.
I occasionally wear a scarf as a belt over a plain dress or with pants. Most often I tie them on my purse. For travel, I almost always build my capsule around a scarf. It insures that every piece goes with every other piece and I can create endless versatile outfits. Thanks for teaching me this skill! It has transformed packing .
Although the blue scarf is also very pretty,
my eyes immediately went to the olive green one. This scarf fits so well with my wardrobe.
Janice,
It’s the softly colored Van Gogh for me with its light denim blue, soft green, ivory and tan colors . Basically my Summer wardrobe colors, though I seldom wear a scarf in Summer, except on Sundays in our very air conditioned chilly church !
I love the Van Gogh Iris blue and ivory scarf the best. Second would be the olive Tiffany scarf. All are beautiful!
I buy very little, since I seem to wear things forever. I still have and wear a Perry Ellis scarf and I bought my one and only Hermes in Paris in the 80s. Twice a year I do buy 5 things, but mostly to beef up a current grouping. I don’t count replacements of basics, although my black and olive pairs of pants date from 2006. However, these posts help me group things in new ways, and I probably have a French 15 in red! I don’t think the concept is outdated at all!
For me it’s the red and yellow one with the turquoise edges. I love unexpected colour combinations. I’m very surprised at your comment about the 5 piece wardrobe. I’m not at all familiar with French shopping habits, but 5 new items per season feels reasonable to me. I agree with a previous commenter though that it really depends on your stage in life. I am fairly stable right now, but if I had an illness, body change, or had to go into the office more often, then I would definitely need more than 5 pieces. And, of course, things sometimes wear out when you don’t expect it.
I’m in love with the iris scarf with the cream wardrobe. It’s cool and pretty and one of my all time favorite colors.
And no I don’t think the French five wardrobes are out dated at all!! They are one of my favorite Vivienne Files series’s that I go back to time and time again when looking for inspiration. It’s an amazing way to try something new without committing to spending the earth for it. Also, I like getting my cores this way. A pair of pants, skirt, two tops and a topper that are all the same color and go together is a practically fool proof way to update to my mind. It’s like having one of those suits back in the day. I would probably do pants, skirt, dress, vest and blazer any time too. I adore that “buttoned up” kind of look.
I love the first grouping with the bright pink pieces; what a great starting point for a summer wardrobe…or a way to interject some cheerful color into an existing one. I couldn’t tell if the neutral in the scarf is black or navy…or is an intermediate color that would work with both. I like that the mid-blue tone in the scarf would coordinate effortlessly with blue denim/chambray, which I would always include in any wardrobe/capsule for myself.
I waffle a bit on what kind of scarf color combinations I find most personally useful: (1) ones that bring together no-brainer color combos like the bright pink, blue/chambray, white, and navy-or-black of the first scarf or (2) ones that suggest/integrate color combinations that are less obvious. I think many/most readers would vote for scarves that combine colors in their preferred, defined color palette, which is probably category 1, but for those of us with a wide ranging array of colors in our closet, sometimes a scarf from category 2 that ties unusual colors together can really unlock some interesting outfits.
The Van Gogh for me as well, love blue and cream. I also enjoyed the look back at leopard as an accent. I adore leopard, but for me in small doses so this was reaffirming for me. I have a few scarf holders which are a fun way to jazz up a look as well. Heading off to visit my daughter for a few weeks so having fun using the whatever clean template to help with my packing. Wishing you all a wonderful week.
For me, it is the Van Gogh. Also enjoyed the look back article using leopard as an accessory, loved this, as i like leopard in small doses.
Love them all, but the olive is my favorite!
I want to be the kind of woman who wears a scarf but I always feel over accessorized when I wear one. I live a suburban lifestyle and a scarf just seems more like a city item. Also, I live a very casual life and wearing a scarf then makes me feel like am a Girl Scout. I use the idea of a scarf to form a color palette. I recently went to Europe for 21 days and wore a scarf almost everyday and never felt weird. Not sure if it is a me thing or a location thing.
Just to chime in, to me it’s like wearing a hat or a sweater. If I need it, I’ll wear it. I have a sensitive throat and wearing scarves is more comfortable to me than turtle necks because you can adapt better to temperature changes. I also used to feel weird using hats, but then I dont like my head either freezing or boiling, so I got over it. So if you liked it in Europe, I bet you can rock your scarf in the suburbs 💪.
I love the Tiffany and Van Gogh scarves, but am most drawn to the hot pink accents.
I like the 5-piece concept as a way of thinking about coordinating pieces and being more mindful about consumption. Living in Lisbon, I can say that in general closets in Europe are smaller, salaries are lower, and consumer choices are fewer. As for expense, yes, we have Zara and H&M, and France has Monoprix, but the mid-level European brands such as Ba&sh, Cos, Brax, Sezane, Max Jr. seem to be more expensive than J Crew or LL Bean.