Here’s a tutorial for a scarf tie I’ve used a bunch this winter and spring. Enjoy!
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accessories
Here’s a jewelry designer and Etsy vendor who has been in my favorites list for over THREE YEARS and yet I haven’t made a purchase. I blame it on the fact that I’m typically in love with at least three pieces at at time and can’t narrow it down to one. Her designs are bold, graphic, fun, and playful. Right up my alley.
Veronica is based in Chicago and I’ve seen her work in boutiques in the Chicago ‘burbs (Asinamali) and even here in the Twin Cities area (La Rue Marche). Of her designs she says, “Most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind statement necklaces made from tagua nuts. Tagua nuts are eco-friendly, organic nuts that come from palm trees in the rainforest. The nuts are dried, sliced/cut into various shapes and dyed. I then combine different textures, colors, shapes and sizes to create unique, mosaic, one-of-a-kind creations. I also use other natural and organic materials, such as recycled paper, bone, horn and wood.”
Shades of Blue and Green – $75
Mixed Color Tagua Nut Necklace – $95
Red Tagua Necklace – $58
Black Red Gray Necklace – $38
Long Necklace with Fringe – $46
Her pieces are chunky and modern, but so sophisticated. I just adore her aesthetic. Veronica says she’s got plenty of bracelets and earrings but not enough time to list them, so drop her a note if you’re interested!
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Reader H e-mailed me this request:
I’m writing to you today because I am FED UP with a fashion problem that has been plaguing me for years: tights. Pantyhose are The Devil, but I love skirts and I love wearing them in the winter, so tights are a necessity. I know that you’ve already covered your own struggles with the dreaded segmented worm syndrome, and the ways you’ve worked around it, but I still haven’t found a solution that works for me.
I’m 5’6″ and don’t have much waist definition. I usually take a 12 in pants and almost always opt for low rise styles since it’s easier to fit my hips than my [non]waist. I’m also extremely sensitive about anything being too tight around my mid-section. I have never found a pair of “regular” tights that don’t cut me in half. Painfully. I have on multiple occasions, examined size charts for specific brands/styles and bought one pair in the size that I “should” wear according to my height and weight, and one pair in the size recommended for a woman of the same height who is 50 to 100 pounds heavier than I am. I swear to God that the waistband is always exactly the same! Even across brands! It’s so baffling; why does every pair of tights in the world have that same evil strangulation waist? I’ve been 35 pounds thinner than I am now and even then I couldn’t find tights that didn’t make me insane.
Here are some solutions I have tried:
- Size up by at least 50 pounds (height held constant) – Waistband doesn’t get any bigger
- Go to plus size retailers and buy from the lower end of their size range – Same damn waistband!
- Try to buy “low rise” tights – Very hard to find. The last ones I did made me a segmented worm at my waist instead of my hips; it was a muffintop of epic proportions!
- Go to fancy department stores and ask the hosiery ladies if the know any brands with generous waists – They don’t. Also they apparently think I am crazy.
- Try thigh highs (with and without garter belt) – Realize that they are useless outside of bedroom dress-up.
- Cut slits in waistband – Spend all day trying to keep tights up.
- Try to buy high waist tights that aren’t control top [I hate control top and shape wear on principle] – Can’t seem to find any.
- Buy high waist tights that are control top but size up so that I’m not being strangled. This has been the closest to successful but still kind of sucks. I bought a pair by Assets and a pair by Hanes (both from Target). They were so much better than being strangled in the waist, but I basically had to get naked every time I needed to pee. (I was wearing a form-fitting dress and had to tuck the tights into my bra to keep them up.) In my two tests, the cheap Hanes were actually a lot better than the Assets.
I would greatly appreciate any advice that you can give. There must be someone out there who sizes tights according to waist measurement, right? I can’t be completely crazy in thinking that that would be a good idea, can I?
H tried just about every trick in my arsenal and a few I hadn’t thought of! For many of you, trying one or two of her eight techniques might alleviate pinching, bunching, and Segmented Worm Syndrome. But here are a few other possible suggestions:
- Commando brand tights: Expensive, but designed to not-dig. These feature a tall, flat raw-cut waistband that is mean to sit flat above your natural waist. I’ve got a pair and love them. Though the waist will occasionally roll a bit, it’s far comfier than most elasticized bands.
- Tall tights: This could totally backfire since they’ve got additional leg length, but they’ll also have a higher rise minus the shapewear aspect.
- Maternity tights: Could also be disastrous as there might be bagging around your midsection, but they probably won’t be as constricting as standard tights
- Express tights: These are fast becoming my faves. They’re still a little squeezy, but NOTHING like most brands.
As you’ve probably gleaned, I’ve only sampled two of these four myself so I can’t guarantee results. But even if I had tried all four, it’d be relatively meaningless since all bodies and comfort levels are different. So consider these possible solutions, and do a bit of experimenting on your own.
Also see
- Toasty Legs: Recommendations for Warm Tights – focuses on warmth, but I find these brands to be comfy and less confining at the waist
- Insomniac Sale Picks: Quality Leggings – Since H mentioned leggings in passing, I’m throwing this on the fire, too. I size up in leggings to an L or XL. Also see comments here for other brands.
Do virtually all tights squeeze your midsection, no matter the size or brand? Have you tried either brand mentioned here? Think tall or maternity tights might help? Do tell!
Image via Madame Noir.
**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.
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The vast majority of my style consult clients have great clothes and fabulous ideas for outfit assembly. The vast majority of my style consult clients also struggle with jewelry and accessories. I’ve had so many of them say, “Oh, I don’t really wear jewelry. I don’t even own any!” Only to haul out unworn and forgotten stashes of necklaces, bangles, and earrings. Others say, “I love scarves on other people, but just can’t figure them out for me.” A few scarf tie tutorials later, and they’re back in the game. I spend a lot of time illustrating how jewelry and accessories make outfits feel more complete, finished, and polished. And then I try to reinforce the importance of incorporating them into daily dressing rituals.
But if you’ve never been big into jewels and accessories, how do you begin working them into your outfits? How can you train yourself to accessorize?
Jewelry
Start with jewelry. Even if you don’t think you have any, you probably do. Check your stores and see what you can find. Even a simple chain necklace or pair of hoop earrings can change the feeling of an outfit. Really! If you’ve worn the same studs every day for years or never bother with bracelets, set a schedule: Incorporate jewelry into your outfits on Tuesdays and Thursdays to start. If your wrists are bare, try to slip on a bracelet or watch. If you’ve got an open neckline, try a necklace. Keep it up for a few weeks. Once you’re in the habit, add a few more days or switch to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Soon, your eye will begin to see jewelry-shaped spaces in your outfits and long to fill them!
Scarves
In my experience, most women own scarves. They see them worn by others, love how they look, buy ‘em, get ‘em home, and realize they have no idea how to deploy them in actual outfits. Does this describe you? Well, sadly, the only way to give those scarves some wearable love is to suss out which ties work for you. And that means some research and experimentation. Let’s research first:
- Pretzel Knot Scarf Tying Tutorial
- Scarf Styling Secrets
- Twisted Rope Scarf Tying Tutorial
- Styling Silk Scarves
- How to Wear Smaller Scarves
- Great roundup of scarf tying resources from the now-defunct blog Academichic
- 25 Scarf Ties in 4.5 Minutes (from Wendy’s Lookbook)
- Une Femme’s series on scarves and ties
Cruise through some of those links and see what strikes your fancy. What styles and sizes of scarves do you own and love? Which techniques are, therefore, relevant? Now the tough part: You’ve got to set aside a bit of time to try them out. Throw on jeans and a black shirt, stand in front of the mirror, and see what works in practice. Try to identify at least three scarf ties that make sense, work with your collection, and complement your personal style. Once you’ve got those under your belt, you’ll find yourself more inclined to scarf it up. Because you’ll know how.
Belts
I’ve got an entire post on breaking into belting, and highly recommend it if you’re just getting started. The big takeaway? You likely need to start by figuring out which PLACEMENT works for your figure, then which WIDTH of belt you like best. So start with a scarf: Put on a fairly loose dress or tunic, and try belting it with a scarf at various spots on your bod. Hips, wearing waist, natural waist, and close your bust like an empire waistline. See what looks best. Then try making the scarf wide like an obi belt and see how that looks. Fold it so it’s the width of a pants belt. Roll it tight as you can so it’s skinny. See which width is most flattering. You may find that multiple combinations look good – skinny at your natural waist, wide up by your bust, medium at your wearing waist. But this little exercise will get you on the right track. How should you implement belts?
Hosiery
Hosiery season is coming to an end for many of us, but it still bears addressing. In my opinion, the three easiest ways to incorporate tights into outfits are as follows: If you’re doing separates, match your top and tights colors to create continuity. And/or make sure the color of your tights is repeated elsewhere in your outfit, be it in a belt, scarf, or piece of jewelry or within the pattern of a garment. And/or let tights make a stand-alone statement of their own by making them the lone colorful or patterned element in an ensemble. (More tights-deploying advice here and here.) Just having a few tights templates can make incorporating them into regular wear seem less daunting.
There are brooches and hats and loads of other accessories to be considered, but I view these as the Big Four. They’re accessories that stymie the majority of women, but can be fun and beneficial to deploy. Hope these tips have been helpful! I’d love to hear yours, too: How would you recommend that someone who has avoided jewelry and accessories begin to incorporate them into regular wear?
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Margaret e-mailed me this question:
Minneapolis is cold. Syracuse is cold. To leave the house without a hat on your head when it’s 12 degrees outside is just insane. But what hat? And what do you do about hat head? Is there something I’m supposed to do to my hair to prevent hat head (like braid it)? Will I end up looking like Heidi? And if you just surrender and wear a hat all day in order to prevent hat head what type of hat should that be? If I wear a sock cap will I look like I stepped out of a grunge concert circa 1993? If I wear a beret will I look pretentious (and how do you get berets to actually stay on your head all day anyway)? Should I just be using the hood on my jacket?
For starters, do check out Audi’s guest post on selecting a flattering hat to fit your head shape, body, and style! Then come back here. Are you back yet? OK, good.
Now. Hat-head. There are as many ways to deal with this wintry condition as there are haircuts and hair types, and many techniques that work for some women will fail miserably for others. Remember to take what applies to you, discard the rest, and assume positive intent! Now let’s dig into a few possible hat-head work-arounds:
Do braids and ponytails
A cop-out? Perhaps. But wearing your hair up in a fairly tightly bound style is one of the only methods guaranteed to prevent hat-head. Your hat cannot crush your hair into a limp, frizzy mess if your hair has been stylishly pre-crushed.
Wear loose hat styles
Stiff brimmed hats like fedoras and close-fitting styles like stocking caps are among the most likely to mess up your ‘do. Knits with looser stitching – seen in certain trendy beanies and caps – won’t do as much damage. And unless you’re walking miles in a high wind, there’s no need for your hat to squeeze your noggin. Even a looser-fitting version will help you retain body heat.
Fluff upon arrival
I cannot braid my own hair, or throw it into a ponytail of any sort without looking deeply odd. But I CAN swing by an obliging bathroom whenever I arrive at my destination and do a quick touch-up with a splash of water and a comb. If your hair isn’t interested in water and combs, nab a travel bottle from the drug store and fill it with your preferred hair-fluffing product: Gel, pomade, cream, you name it. This means, of course, that you must hit your final destination a bit early to primp so if you’re chronically late, consider another solution!
Straighten
If you’re someone who can do curly/wavy or straight, you likely already know that straight or straightened hair is less susceptible to hat-head. Not helpful to anyone who cannot or does not want to straighten her locks, and equally unhelpful if it’s snowing or raining since straightened hair tends to curl when wet, but if you’ve got the option …
Wear your hood instead
If you’re outside for mere minutes – dashing from building to car – consider doing a hooded coat instead. It’ll block the wind and keep you from freezing, but do less hair-crushing than an actual hat. If you don’t have a coat with an attached hood, you could also try a loosely tied scarf or a snood!
Don’t worry about it
We are our own worst critics. Unless your hair goes from perfectly coiffed to mangled mess once touched by a knit cap, your case of hat-head is probably very minor. And no one will point or laugh. If they do, throw your hat at them.
And I’m out. I’d love to hear more ways to keep hat-head to a minimum. How do you do it? Will any of these solutions work for you? Others to suggest to Margaret?
P.S. I believe that if your beret slides off your noggin, you can hold it in place using bobby pins. Beret-wearers, can you confirm?
Image courtesy A Crafting We Will Go.
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Little known fact*, the first belt in recorded history is attributed to Grrrog, a prehistoric hunter who got tired of his seal-fur pants falling down when he was chasing mastodons across the Siberian steppes. Littler known fact*, the first belt was actually created by Grrrog’s wife, Mrs. Grrrog, for her husband, when he complained of his pants falling down on the hunt.
I’m a big fan of Grrrog and his clever wife, because I’m a big fan of belts. I always have been, having one of those bodies where my waist is quite a bit smaller than my hips and thighs so belts are necessary for keeping my pants up. In the past several years though, I’ve also become a fan of belts as an aesthetic accessory as well as a functional accessory
Belts are a good way to try trends like pattern-mixing and a good way to add interest by adding color or texture to an outfit. Belts can also be a good way to create or define a waist and yes, they’re still great for keeping your pants or skirt up.
The Pattern-mixing Belt
Pattern-mixing can be difficult for a lot of people, especially at first. That’s why I suggest starting out small. Instead of head-to-toe mixed prints, try a single print and add a small amount of another print. How small? About belt-sized.
For example, in this look I paired a polka-dot dress with a leopard belt:
In this look, I paired a striped skirt with a differently striped belt:
In for this look, I paired a striped dress with an embroidered belt:
The Interest-adding Belt
This is probably my favorite category of belt because they’re, well, interesting.
In my wardrobe, this category includes such gems as my Eye-of-Sauron belt:
This suede belt:
And this chain belt:
Oooh, so interesting!
The Waist-defining Belt
I use belts to help define my waist both with separates and with dresses. For separates, even if you tuck in your top, there can be a lot of extra volume at the waist. A belt is a good way to keep that volume down, and less volume = a more defined waist.
Even on dresses with a clearly defined waist, a little more definition doesn’t hurt:
The Keep-your-pants-on Belt
Of course, I still use belts for their original, Grrrog-intended purpose as well. I use them to keep my pants up:
And my skirts:
This skirt is at least a size too big in the waist.
This skirt had no elastic at all in the waist.
Of course, all of these belt uses aren’t mutually exclusive. I often use belts both to keep my pants on and add color or interest. Or use them both for defining a waist and mixing patterns.
And finally, in case you were wondering, no, you absolutely do NOT have to match your belt to your shoes.
Gracey
*These are not facts. I made them up. Probably.
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Already Pretty contributor Gracey hails from from Fashion for Giants. She’s essentially your average blogger, except that she’s taller than average (six foot) and bigger than average (size 14). She also likes to think that she’s more amusing than average, but that could just be vanity. In addition to being tall and plus-sized (and possibly hilarious), she’s also a thrift store shopper, a vintage lover, an Oregonian, and a bike commuter.
Likes: Gracey likes to shop, to blog, and to terrify her co-workers with brightly colored outfits.
Dislikes: Robot uprisings, too-short skirts, and leggings as pants.
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I’ve gotten so many requests for tights-related advice this season that I figured it would be worthwhile to update and re-publish this post which contains what I consider to be the easiest guidelines for making outfits with tights look great.
Is the color of the tights the same
as the color of your top?
This is the trick I find myself sticking to most often. I imagine that my tights and top are creating a bodysuit of a single, solid color. In the above outfit, that color is black. Then, I can layer on a skirt, a blazer or cardigan, a scarf, and a pair of shoes or boots, and that underlying bodysuit of color creates immediate harmony among the other pieces.
Does the color in the tights appear
anywhere else in the outfit?
Making sure that black appears multiple times within an outfit ensures intentionality. Likewise, making sure that the color of your tights shows up at least twice helps the tights seem like a natural addition. Here, my outfit includes many bright colors, but the teal of the tights works within the mix since it shows up in tights AND necklace.
Does the color of the tights blend with or match to
the shoes?
These burgundy tights are very close to the color of my boots. There’s no burgundy anywhere else in this outfit, but had I worn bright red boots or shoes, the tights would’ve seemed a bit more incongruous. But since both tights and boots are dark tones, the addition of this color seems more natural.
If your tights introduce an entirely new color, selecting footwear in similar values and tones will make your legs and feet look more like a single unit. This not only makes your legs appear longer, but helps the tights seem like an organic part of the overall outfit.
Are the tights clearly making a stand-alone statement
of their own?
Honestly, this is the technique I struggle with the most and utilize the least, but it definitely bears mentioning. In this outfit these turquoise tights are the most visible turquoise element. (There’s a bit of turquoise in the bag and earrings which creates unity within the outfit, but even if you swapped in a black bag and silver earrings this grouping would still work.) The rest of the outfit is mainly black and white, so the bright tights look statement-y and intentional. Brightly colored and boldly patterned tights can be the focal point of an outfit, but will work best if it’s abundantly clear that they’re the focal point. Creating contrast and utilizing neutrals both help drive the point home.
In addition to these guidelines, here are some other posts about tights that might be helpful:
- Reader Request: Working those Colorful Tights
- Toasty Legs: Recommendations for Warm Tights
- This Week I Love: Textured Tights
- My Pinterest board featuring outfits that include tights
How do YOU make your tights work within your wintry outfits? Any other tips to share?
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Reader Rhianna sent this request via e-mail.
I was wondering if you could maybe do a post on scarves for larger-chested girls like myself. I love scarves, but I have large breasts and they never seem to lay right. Do you have any advice?
I am not in possession of a large bust myself, but I’ve worked with style clients who are busty and struggle to make scarves work. So I’ll offer a few tips, and ask you all to chime in with more!
Heed size
A giant, thick, oversized scarf is likely to add bulk and volume to the figure of a large-busted woman – or, really, any woman – especially if she also has a shorter neck and/or long and voluminous hair. On the other hand, there’s something to be said for scale: A teeny silk square may look lost on your frame, or make your bust appear even bigger. So depending on your personal figure flattery priorities, you might consider tracking down a medium-sized scarf that feels like it matches the scale of your unique frame.
Avoid bulk
Many of the scarves in trendy shops are thick enough to be winter blankets. As I mentioned above, I don’t have a large bust, and even I find these impossible to style and wear. With a larger bust, you probably want to avoid making your head and chest appear as one, which thick, bulky scarves tend to do. So select a scarf that is fairly lightweight and thin. The thinner it is, the larger it can be: A featherweight cashmere pashmina will generally work better than an inch-thick skinny muffler.
Consider placement
Most of my large-busted clients prefer to keep jewelry and scarves above the bustline. Not ALWAYS, but most of the time. A long necklace can bounce off the bust as you walk, and a long scarf can drape awkwardly. Think about how your scarf will interact with the other elements of your outfit, and where on your body you’d like it to rest. If you pick a spot above the bustline, be especially mindful of size and bust to avoid merging your head, neck, and bust with an overwhelming scarf. If you wear your scarf long and draped, create a configuration or use a tie that feels natural to you.
Explore various ties
Speaking of ties, finding creative ways to fold, bend, twist, and otherwise corral your scarves into knots and shapes that suit your figure and taste is the key to making them work with ANY figure. For women with large busts, consider the twisted rope tie (shown above) which shrinks a larger scarf into a dense, manageable size, the French Twist, an ascot or cowboy knot. If you’ve got larger, thinner scarves that you’d like to style, take a peek at this fabulous video that shows 25 scarf ties in less than five minutes. Many may feel too voluminous, but see especially the bunny ear, the hidden knot, and the shell roll.
Avoid infinity scarves
Scarves with two ends are easier to tie and manipulate. Infinity scarves can be looped once or twice and that’s it. Since that generally creates a pile of looped cloth on top of and draping over the bust, it won’t work for many large-busted women. (“Many,” not “all” – if these work for you, enjoy! But they’re challenging on many.) Tying two ends of a rectangular scarf to create your own infinity loop can work better because you can control the length and placement of the knot.
For loads of great scarf tying and wearing inspiration, check out Already Pretty contributor Une Femme’s blog, Une Femme de un Certain Age. She’s got a whole category on scarves and, as a woman in possession of a larger bust, wears them stylishly and frequently with tremendous chic!
As always, none of my figure flattery advice posts should be considered gospel, including this one, and I fully expect you to read them with a grain of salt. Style “rules” are merely guidelines, no matter who is dispensing them. I trust you to use your judgment. And I trust you to take what applies to you, discard the rest, and assume positive intent.
So let’s hear from you large-busted women! Do scarves challenge you? Have you found ways to wear them that feel good? What ties do you use? What styles of scarves work best? Let us know in the comments!
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