The Accessory Interview

In this series of interviews with our readers, I ask for their philosophy of using or wearing accessories in their everyday lives. This week I am talking to Sarah Williamson, a woman in her early thirties who is talking about her passion for scarves. Sarah is tall, pretty with dark hair. Her colour tint is autumnal but she has startling blue eyes which light up her face giving it a bright perky appearance. She is dressed simply with a white cotton T shirt and blue jeans. Her hair is tied up and kept in check by a silk Ferragamo scarf tied gypsy style and knotted at the nape of her neck, the ends flowing round her shoulders. Simple thonged slippers adorn her stockinged feet. She cuts a striking figure, simply dressed with tons of style. In the living room of her London flat we talk over coffee:

Madeline Jones: Sarah, when did you start wearing scarves and including them in your everyday wardrobe?

Sarah Williamson: Oh I guess it started when I was very young. I suppose every girl experiments with her motherís scarves at some time or other. I was no exception. I can remember dressing up and flouncing around the house like a cabaret star, wielding a scarf that seemed huge but was probably the same size that I wear now. My mother is not a great scarf wearer and most of the time they stayed in the draw. It was great for me I suppose as they were always available to play with and, like most girls, I loved dressing up. As I grew up I wore my own scarves with my outfits but being a bit of a tomboy they were more like small cotton necklaces with my jeans and T-shirts. I didnít really incorporate scarves into my everyday wardrobe until after I left home and went to university.

MJ: What attracted you to include scarves in your everyday dress?

SW: Oh thatís easy. I wanted a different look from all the other women at university. In the early eighties the student look was fairly uniform, you know, jeans and T-shirts, and I wanted to spice it up a bit. I didnít have much money and scarves also made my wardrobe stretch. I could buy one or two scarves and transform an outfit by wearing one with an blouse. When I lived in a cold house in winter I would wear layers of T-shirts and my boyfriendís shirts and wrap up with all my scarves to keep warm! They gave my wardrobe flexibility and my girlfriends always congratulated me for my imaginative dress. I couldnít afford expensive ones but I tried to buy the best quality I could and so I used to buy second hand silk scarves from the Oxfam shop. I never compromised and always bought silk. When I left university I blew almost all of the spare cash from my first pay cheque on two Liberty scarves, I must have been mad! They made my student clothes look tatty but I was happy.

MJ: How do you like to wear your scarves and how does your wardrobe adapt to wearing scarves?

SW: Well that is difficult to answer without telling you why I like wearing scarves and what I get from them. I am the sort of person that likes to be cosy, not only in the warmth sense but I like to be cosseted with layers of clothing. It must be from my university days when, as I said, I used to dress in layers against the cold. I like to look out at the world from my secret hiding place. I wear my scarves in many ways and I like to think that I am more inventive in their use then most. I almost always wear a headscarf. I love the feel of the silk on my cheeks and it makes me feel cosseted and secure, almost like a Muslim woman must feel in her religious dress. How I wear my scarves largely depends on whether I am at work or not, for work I will wear a scarf round my neck usually tied in a conventional way over a jersey and skirt, my employers are so dull you know and they insist on conventional clothing! I always wear a headscarf going to and from work, usually tied over my outdoor coat with the knot at the chin so that I can toss it on or pull it off when I get to there. Even in summer I continue to wear my scarves, but I use light chiffon ones to avoid overheating. At the weekend I can integrate my scarves into my outfits much more and I always wear headscarves when I dress for myself.

MJ: You seem to love wearing headscarves, why are they your preference?

SW: I suppose I am quite shy really but I love using my femininity to my advantage. Firstly I love the way they caress my skin and as I said, the mystery that they give me. I have developed my whole wardrobe and make-up around my style of head dress. I always wear simple styles, usually jeans and a cotton or silk shirt on top, always with a collar you know, Iíll come to that later. I always wear tights, even under trousers or jeans but my headscarf is always an integral part of the outfit. If I am lounging around the house I wear it like this, gypsy style pulled low over my eyebrows and knotted at the back. When I go out I may change to what Iíll call the hood style. I will tie the scarf a bit tighter then normal if I wear it for longer periods as it will move less on my head and need a bit less re-tying. I may also tuck the tail into my shirt or just tie it over the top. If I tuck it in I will button the collar and pull it up around my face, it gives me a lovely secure feeling. A jacket or coat completes the outfit and I usually put it on over my scarf, having the effect of smoothing the look of the outfit. Oh! and I never go out without my gloves, always leather and high over my wrists. I really love dressing and take a long time over it, making sure the colours and clothes are put on right, not a wrinkle in my tights, you know the sort of thing.

MJ: You mentioned about your make-up.

SW: Oh thatís very important to the overall look. I always choose a scarf to match my colour, reds, browns or greens, and my makeup is designed to emphasise my eyes adding to the mysterious look. I always use a foundation to add to my overall colour and little lipstick. I have to be careful because if I use too much makeup it comes off on the scarves and I have to clean them more often. I highlight my cheeks with blusher and use a little lipstick, subtly lifting my features. Then I apply eye makeup to draw attention from the face to the eyes, which are, of course, framed by the silk headscarf. I can then use my eyes to my advantage. I really love to cause a stir with my look and my favourite trick is to wear sunglasses and take them off with a flourish while looking straight at my ëvictimí unblinking. You would be surprised by the reaction!.

MJ: I donít think so Sarah, you could stun anyone with your looks! Tell me, how do people react to you when you wear scarves?

SW: I depends. When I meet people for the first time they may look at me a bit strangely because I am always swathed in rich, colourful silk. I sometimes get questions or remarks such as why do I wear a headscarf all the time or some jibe about my looks or something. Occasionally women ask me about the type of scarf or how I tie it or requesting other tips or tricks, sometimes men come up to me and ask questions saying that they like the look so much that they would like their wives or girlfriends to wear more scarves in different ways. I rarely get a neutral reaction, someone always has an opinion, whether it is positive or negative. That is always satisfying. I am never a person who likes to be conventional.

MJ: When don't you wear scarves?

SW: As I said, the office are a bit prudish but I suppose they have their reasons. When I am working I wear my usual silk square but tied over my shoulders, conventional style or around my neck next to my skin, Ascot style I believe it is called. I have many ways of tying neck scarves, all different. When I go to someoneís house in the evening I usually wear the same style, conventional, a skirt, jeans or dress but always with my signature silk round my neck. Obviously I donít wear anything the shower, but as you can see every other occasion to wear my beloved scarves, I take. The only time when I will not wear a scarf is when it is really not the thing to do or when I go to a formal do when I will wear a cocktail dress, my favourite is black, and long gloves. I love the gloves and dress up to the nines. I especially like adorning them with subtle jewelery like a ring on each finger and a bracelet. This gives them a permanence that is comforting. I suppose we are back to the same motive for wearing headscarves.

MJ: To wind up, how would you advise our readers to experiment with scarves?

SW: I would say that one should really want to wear scarves as part of oneís dress philosophy. Never just add a scarf as an afterthought. Maybe scarves are not for you, if not, fine. I wouldnít try to persuade you. But if you do like wearing them then I would recommend that you choose your style, mine, as you know, is the headscarf and work out your styles and your outfits carefully. Colour is vital. You must know your colouring and select your scarves to contrast or complement your personal colouring. Above all enjoy your scarves, be inventive and shocking, do not respect current convention and revel in the feeling of the silk against your skin. Now, Madeline, letís experiment and try on some scarves!