Scarves: The How-To For The Unfashionable Souls

Grab your phone. Okay, now go onto your Pinterest app. Yes, we all know you still have Pinterest on your phone because guess what: we all have it. Okay now type in Scarves. Holy shit right? When you search it you would think that Pinterest is solely made for people posting photos of scarves. I can tell you one thing, I am not naturally fashionable. I have to search just about everything before I buy or wear any outfit because I have an irrational fear that it will look stupid. Oh don't act like you don't think like this too. So for the unfashionable souls who always wanted to wear a scarf but can never seem to get it right, this one's for you.

Before I start, let me just tell you that I'm showing you how to wear a scarf on your neck, none of that head bullshit. Just a forewarning.

Scarves come in not only different materials, but different shapes. It's important to match the shape and material with the style you want to create. You can't just go out in a T-shirt wearing a thick wool scarf. You'll look dumb.

The square scarf comes in different dimensions and can come in any material really. Most common for square scarves are silk, cotton, wool and linen. My personal favorite is the basic loop with the square scarves. Just fold the square in half to make a triangle. pull two thirds around the back of your neck and continue to loop the longer side around the front and over your shoulder. Adjust as needed.

The infinity scarf is a big ole' loop. Made of cotton, wool, and sometimes fur, the infinity is a great accessory for the fall and winter looks. You can wear an infinity, or loop scarf, by just putting your head through the loop. If it's extra long, you can double loop it. Not a fan of the chunky look? No problem. You can tie a loop scarf around your neck by pulling one end through the other. I call this the "pull through" method. If you're into the head stuff, you can wear your loop on your head like a hood. I can only imagine doing this if I was super cold.

The most common scarf I've found is the rectangle. This goes with honestly anything. From jeans to trousers to skirts and dresses. Match it up with a cute moto jacket or just with your t-shirt (as long as its lightweight). So how can you wear this rectangle scarf?

• The cowboy. Literally, wrap it around your neck like a cowboy would. Pull on the front of your scarf to create the triangle look and go all Walker Texas Ranger on their asses. 
• The braid. Tie a basic knot in your scarf, leaving enough room for you to slip it over your head. Turn your scarf so that there are three parts to braid with. Once you have the three parts, begin braiding. Let the ends of the braid fall lose and throw it over your head. You can have the braid on the left or right side of your body, whichever you prefer. The skinnier the scarf, the tighter the braid will turn out.
• The Quick Knot. Put the scarf around your neck and have one side longer than the other. Wrap the long side closely around your neck, keeping the ends uneven. Tie the ends in a knot and place the knot to the side a tad. Wa-La!
• The Bow. This is so cute, but I cannot pull it off. Start by making one side bigger than the other. Taking the long side, make a loop to hide the end, making an upward movement. Hold the middle of the loop and take the shorter side of the scarf and wrap it around the loop-turned-bow. Bring the shorter side around the bow and through the middle. Once the scarf comes out the other side, pull it to make it tighter and arrange to your liking.
• The Shimmy. This one is a little difficult but turns out very nice. Drape the scarf around your neck with the ends behind you. Take the ends and cross them, bringing them to the front of your body. Create a twist with the drape and place the right hanging end through the opening. Take the left side and do the same. Tighten your knots by shimming them up until you like where it's at.

You can always go original with the wrap around and the ends hanging in your front. That's usually my go-to, especially when I'm in a rush to get to work. One thing I've learned from reading fashion blogs is that it's not going to look right unless you work it. So go on and try on your scarf with these new looks and get out there! Have fun and don't be afraid to try something new! What other cute tutorials have you seen for wearing scarves?

Your Closet: Hang or Fold?

I never really thought about the science of hanging clothes in your closet until I moved in with my boyfriend. Since he was little, his mom always hung up all of his shirts... Even his T shirts that have holes in them and are strictly for when he's working in the shop. I don't get it, but apparently some people do that. So I read up on the topic to find out what is politically correct to hang. Martha Stewart must have learned a thing or two in jail, because she has it down to a T.

First off, if you're lucky enough to be able to afford to get most of your clothes dry cleaned, make sure you take them out of the plastic bag that they always put them in. Use a garment bag if you're really worried about them.

Shirts, blouses, basically anything made 100% cotton, linen, and rayon should stay hung in your closet. One of your blouses a button up? Make sure you keep the top button closed so the color stays intact. Any T-shirts can be stretched out by hangers, so you should really fold them. There are so many tutorials on how to fold shirts, it's actually mind blowing.

Have a dress or going-out outfit made of silk, satin, or any other delicates? You should use padded hangers. This upsets me because of my constant need to have matching hangers. Luckily for me, I don't own anything delicate. If you have a lightweight gown from a wedding or prom, hang them by their loops to save their shape.

What about your pants... Half of mine are folded while the other half are hanging. My work pants are always hung by their waist. But I read that you can also clip them at the hem. I'm not a fan of folding them in half and over the hanger, but hey if that's your cup of tea then you go for it. Anything made of rugged material like jeans can be folded. For your skirts, you can use moveable clip hangers to fit whatever size and style you own. I'm personally a fan of the high-waisted. If you hate when the fabric gets indentations, try putting a piece of tissue paper between your garment and the clip. It works wonders.

For your outerwear, Martha suggests keeping them on curved suit hangers. I live in Florida where the heaviest jacket I wear is my high school Northface. Speaking of colder weather clothing... any knitwear can be folded as they don't usually wrinkle. That means any knitted pants, dresses, or sweaters can be taken down from your hangers.

I never really thought about it but if you have a silk nightgown, you should hang it like a dress. I've never owned a silk nightgown but if you can rock it, then you go girl! And don't forget to store your undies and bras in a drawer. Don't hang them... it's just weird, kinda like hanging your hole-y T-shirts.