The scarf and how to wear it

When I was a kid, my mum had a whole drawer full of nothing but scarves - silk squares, headscarves, some chiffon, some long ... she had them in every color imaginable and in hundreds of different patterns.

Women of her generation knew a thing or two about flexible fashions as they had been teenagers during the Second World War.

As this was the time of 'make do and mend' they knew that these simple items could change the look of an outfit, add color and style, plus have many practical uses too.

I hope you enjoy the inspiration below! I have selected some photographs of people wearing scarves in lots of different ways and don't miss the video with twenty five practical demonstrations of how to tie a simple scarf.

• A plain outfit can look different every time you wear it with the addition of different fabrics and colors. Imagine a plain black dress accessorized with a red scarf and a red belt - or a blue one - or floral - or striped ... hundreds of different looks
• A large version can be used as a shawl or as a beach cover-up. It can also make an emergency shopping bag when tied Dick Whittington style
• If your outfit needs just a hint of color, tie a small kerchief round the handle of your handbag
• Wear a bandana around your head or wear it around your neck
• Wear a scarf as a belt. A long one can simply be tied around your waist, like a cummerbund. Larger scarves look great tied sarong-style over a simple long black dress
• Try a sixties look. Use a long one as a belt by putting it through the loops in your jeans or as a headband.
• If you're breastfeeding your baby, use a large shawl as a cover up.

There are some wonderful examples available on the internet these days. I love the way that the web has made our shopping so much easier. These are my favorites but are just a small selection of the fabulous items you can find online.

These are art objects in themselves. I've used an art version as a temporary window covering and it looked gorgeous. The wonderful thing about these is the colors they contain - something to suit every wardrobe.

Long scarves are incredibly versatile. There are dozens of ways to tie them and they can also be used as turbans or belts.

Use the scarf for so many different purposes. There i no more versatile accessory to have in your wardrobe. You'll use your scarves over and over again to create fascinating outfits.

Squares give a classic look. Check the video above to see some of the ways in which your square versions can be tied.

Finally, two of my very favourites.

Ask any fashion stylist or editor and they'll tell you that large shawls like the one you see below are an essential part of any woman'd wardrobe. They can be used in many different ways, even formed into individual garments of their own.

The one you see here is simply a gorgeous example.

I hope this article and the products shown here inspire you to make the very most of the scarves you own.

A large collection is a wonderful thing to have as it adds so much more flexibility to the garments you have hanging in your closet.

I find that the video shown above is excellent for showing all the different ways you can use the scarves you own.