In spite of the worldwide pandemic brought forth by COVID-19, fashion trends continue to arrive at a never-ending pace - and I, being fashion’s most loyal servant, take note of these each incoming season. When I’m not spending my days scrolling past Instagram, I typically scour the internet reading everything from blogs to trend reports and following fashion shows on Vogue Runway for the latest trends to snag ahead of time. And so today, I’ll be sharing some of the trends I’ve acknowledged this past season while we relish the waning days of summer we have left.
While cottagecore was one of the trends that reigned for much of the summer, the ‘tennis court’ look was pretty much featured on every fashion girl’s Instagram. And who can forget the tie-dye trend?!? I must say, however, that no trend has ever proved be more versatile this season than the silk scarf.
The first time I ever spotted this trend being worn was the winter of 2018. As striking as it was to see such an accessory being worn during this time of the year, it was perhaps who wore it and how they wore it that stunned me the most of all. Up until then, I had always fallen under the assumption that men could never make such dainty and feminine pieces look so good as women did; but once again - I found myself being proven wrong at the sight of a male friend sporting a Celine-like scarf around his neck alongside a black tee and a pair of straight-legged jeans. At first, I admit that I might have been startled by such a bold decision on his part, but then - as I continued to observe his look throughout the day, I no longer appeared to deem the item as ‘strange,’ but rather as refreshing…and inspiring. Before then, I had never seen a man don an antiquated accessory typically associated with grandmothers in a way that made it look cool and novel again; (he looked like a male model straight out a Gucci campaign)! I was far too impressed with his styling choices that day, so I made sure to compliment him (which I admit I don’t do that often unless I’m truly impressed) and I continued to go about my day, never forgetting that scarf. He proceeded to wear it a couple more times throughout the next few months on what seemed to be special occasions (I remember the last time he wore it was on my 21st birthday later that year), but alas - the scarf was never to be seen again.
Fast-forward a year and a half later, it appears that the beloved silk scarf has reemerged in my life again - as an item heavily featured on my Instagram feed and within the pages of every fashion magazine/blog you can think of. What perhaps fascinates me about this accessory in particular is that one could wear it in a number of ways that aren’t synonymous with it being a scarf in the first place. The most common form it is being used today is as a top…and you could wear this top in more than one way. You could tie two ends at the back and wear it as an asymmetrical top or you could even tie two ends in the front and wear it as a bra top. I’ve most recently learned of a way in which you can fold a scarf over a chain necklace so it could be worn as a halter top! Another way fashion girls are donning this accessory all over Instagram is as headscarves, or Babushkas; a Russian term both used to describe a scarf that is worn over the head and a grandmother respectively. Either way - as aged as they both sound (no pun intended), I believe this is a trend that’ll continue to play out well into the early months of Fall.
At a time during which the future (as well as the present) seem so uncertain, we tend to turn towards things of the past for a sense of nostalgia and comfort. In spite of the fact that I no longer dress up to go out these days, I like to occasionally wear things that make me happy - even if I’m simply bound to wear them within the confinement that is my home where no one is allowed to see them; and whenever I decide to wear the silk scarf my aunt got me from her last trip to Paris, I almost feel reverted back to a time in which it was liberating to be free, young and in love; a time that was as socially progressive as this and where people weren’t dying from a lethal virus but rather, from the aftermath of a war; a time in which the culture and fashion was as relevant as the music; certainly, a much simpler time we now refer to as the 1970s. I may not have been born during such times, but I crave to experience and live during a time that is much unlike the present.
These days, I’ve been inspired to wear the silk scarf in a whole other way: a face mask. To be honest, I’ve grown tired of wearing the same black and white face masks I own and I seek new ways on how to upgrade my mask-wearing game. I’ve quickly learned that scarf masks are the way to go as they provide a sophisticated alternative to the traditional face mask: take notes from Olivia Palermo who has donned the accessory all over the streets of NYC, turning the safety necessity into a bonafide trend to follow. I should advise though - in the case that one decides to wear the latter - that one should still wear a dual-layered mask underneath the scarf in order to prevent oneself from getting infected (or simply infecting others) since scarves aren’t certified safe for COVID-19 alone. Better safe than fashionably sorry, right?