The Birth of a Trend - The Universal Accessory

When you are dressing for the day or the occasion, in the same way that a meal is brought to another level by creative seasoning, your outfit will be even more exciting to wear with a touch of "spice" added for flavor.

The easiest way to accomplish this is to find the perfect scarf to punctuate your style statement.

About fifteen or so years ago, a very major phenomenon hit all over the world.  The word of the day was "pashmina."  Remember? It took a minute to figure out how to say it!

There were girls in New York wearing two and three shawls of different colors at the same time, flaunting their good fortune in having acquired the hottest accessory in YEARS!  I mean, it was so out of the blue.  Suddenly, EVERYONE had to have this newest status symbol, and the more the merrier! It literally spread like WILDFIRE!

Never one to shy away from a best-seller, I acquired hundreds for my store, in every color imaginable.  The irony was that I myself had ZERO interest in this trend, as I didn't wear scarves. Furthermore, I was convinced that this piece of fabric  was just a one hit wonder and had nothing to do with my particular taste - it was just a fad!

And thinking this thought every single day until the day I actually wore one - the ladies of India notwithstanding, only having worn this item for like thousands of years - the day came in my store when I felt cold.

Looking around the store, my eye rested on the pashmina display. At that moment, I had an epiphany. Wait a minute - I can put on a pashmina!! In the first minute of wearing it, I warmed up so quickly that I was literally shocked.  Wow!!!  Those Indians sure knew a thing or two!

Needless to say, I became an aficionado, a fervent acolyte of neckware in all of its forms!

This trend became so universal, that it ushered in THE moment when the scarf arrived as a must-have accessory, soon available at every price point, and accepted as such all over the world. It is now as firmly entrenched as the right bag or shoe to complete a look. There are so many sizes, iterations (the infinity scarf is one example), and colorways available that it boggles the mind. Love it!

You will never see a celebrity, man or woman, out and about without a scarf. And in any weather, hot OR cold. Enough said!

My go-to piece every day is one of my favorite scarves - I have so many now that it's like a joke in my family!

And don't for God's sake go shopping with me - because I will be on the hunt for scarves - everywhere!

The pashmina was the first - I have had many of them. The color saturation in that combination of silk and hair is stunning and in my opinion changed the game at the time, for all time. A true no-brainer! And the start of something BIG!

The resources for this extremely versatile accessory are literally everywhere now, but a particular favorite of mine is Zara, in both women's and men's departments, for a fast and up-to-the minute wardrobe update. A lot of fashion for the money and enough different variations every season  to make it very exciting.

Here are some examples I love.  Enjoy!!

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Stripes

I've never met a stripe I didn't like!

What is it about stripes?

The graphic juxtaposition of one color with another in a recurring pattern is mesmerizing and arresting, drawing attention to the person or object that is wearing it or displaying it..

If you want attention, wear stripes.

If you want a focal point, use a striped object, fabric or piece of art.

Famous stripe aficionados are GAP, Jean Paul Gaultier, Mackenzie-Childs, and all preppies everywhere.

I also love to see stripes with floral or dot patterns worn together - cheeky and fun!

Black and white, navy and white, pastels and white - and on and on. Love it all, and can't get enough of it!

If you are afraid of adding volume by wearing horizontal stripes, add an accessory that will still fulfill your desire.  We don't need a commitment here, just a statement of your taste and style.  No big.

Same approach in decor - a little can go a long way - or a LOT  can go a long way - up to you!

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The Quest

Here we all are, going about our lives, when all of a sudden, we wake up one day and the game seems to have suddenly changed!  Are we the last to find out?

Welcome to the New Age, where all things are possible and anything goes - twenty-four hours a day!!

There are two questions that still need to be answered, however, in the midst of this radical shift, the first being: What am I going to wear today? In actuality, the REAL question is:  Who am I going to BE today and how will my clothing communicate that in an accurate way, without my having to say a word?

The second question would be: How are my surroundings going to continue to reflect ME?

In an atmosphere where anything goes and everything is ok, it is a relief to know that standards still exist as benchmarks against which something can be profitably compared. These standards can provide stability and calm in a seemingly chaotic and perpetually changing scene.

If your image and decor are at all important to you, then you have a kindred spirit here, who believes in the power of personal presentation and its ability to send an unmistakable message about taste, style and standards, both in personal adornment and in the objects and interiors that surround you.

Finding great examples of items that mirror or uphold those standards in the areas of fashion, interior decoration and the decorative arts is the mission of this blog. In an atmosphere as laissez faire as the one we find ourselves in today, it is comforting to know that there are still standards that have stood the test of time, styles of fashion and decor that will ALWAYS be stylish, timeless and exciting,

Never has there been more access to so many ideas simultaneously and instantaneously. With literally billions of users on the Internet and more being born every day, the images and ideas available to us approach infinity. Permutations are legion.

Some things will never change, however, no matter the format in which they may appear.

In the past, the most available images in fashion, interiors and the arts were in magazines and books on specific subjects and periods. Furthermore, due to the technology of the time, the actual items themselves were not necessarily readily accessible because of  their rarity or limited production, as well as their expense. Times have changed in this regard as well.  While expense is still a factor, availability and access to absolutely anything, including items previously exclusively available to only the fortunate few, have opened up in the form of the many websites devoted to their acquisition.

My interest in all of this is to provide a viewpoint on what moves me in the areas of fashion, interiors and decorative arts, in whatever form they may take, with special attention to amazing examples of the standards that have held the line since time immemorial.

What are the latest incarnations of these standards? Who in these fields is taking his or her artistry and imagination in a new direction or to a new level - or keeping something alive in spite of all reasons not to do so - in their service to that rare wavelength that brings such efforts to the level of art?

This search of mine has been going on for my entire life from an early age, but now it's time to report from the front lines of that search, pausing along the way to chronicle what I've found, and learning from other searchers as well - and keeping my feet on solid ground while all around me are being rocked by change and disruption of old patterns and outdated viewpoints.

Here are some topics to explore:

• not everything is equal to everything
• black is beautiful for a reason
• accessories matter
• a bracelet is a thing of beauty
• fit tells the whole story - tailoring is a must
• a monochromatic outfit always - no exception - looks expensive IF certain rules are followed
• authentic always works
• the beauty of a uniform - our no-brainer go-to looks - we all have them
• the importance of quality
• conceptual design
• collections of objects tell a story
• adventures in wall color

And on and on..............

Let's discover together!

Happy hunting!!

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