Scarves are this blog’s theme. Yes, scarves. This is our latest entry into our blog due to two reasons: I’ve notice that many women have simplified scarves so much that they see no real attribute that it can give to an outfit and secondly it is my second most important accessory of the summer (the first one being the beautiful face framing hat).

Scarves are synonymous with winter- wrap it around your neck and Tah Dah you have some warmth and a touch of color- but scarves are not synonymous with chic summer style. Are you planning on going to a wedding this summer? Do you have a shawl or scarf that you will be wearing? Ever since I was a little girl, my grandma would put on me a scarf that would drape over my shoulders when we attended a wedding. She did this for two reasons: firstly the church ceremony (she did not want my shoulders bare- that is a big no no) and secondly because a scarf is easier to match with an outfit, especially a wedding outfit than a light jacket is.

How many different ways can you wear a scarf? I play a lot with my accessories- meaning, I try finding as many ways to wear one item. This is when scarves shine- they are truly the most diverse accessory in any closet. They are what I like to call the chameleons of fashion. A shoe is a shoe, a hat is a hat, but a scarf is a belt, headband, ponytail tie, necklace, head cover, sarong, etc.

For the sake of brevity and also for the sake of having you yourself discover new ways to wear your scarves, I will only show a few pictures with descriptions. These are my personal favorite ways to wear a scarf.

(All of these looks include either our Kashmir shawls or Palette Passion hand painted silk scarves)

The Look: Classical

This is the wedding winner- you drape it over your shoulders so that your shoulders are not bare and beautifully tie it on your center.

Classical with a three flower pin by Wynzia

Take those pins out of the bottom of your jewelry drawer and start using them. I personally love pins on scarves. This is what I like to call “accessorizing an accessory”

Shawl a la Greek-esque

And why shall my scarf only stay on my shoulders and neck when it can do things like this? I like to use my shawl with this look when I have short sleeves.

Shawl with Ties

Once again, the chameleon works its magic- I’ve tied this scarf about three times loosely.

The Shawl that Frames the Face

Feminine Bow Tie

60’s Twist Step 1

60’s Twist Step 2

60’s Twist Belt

60’s Head Band

60’s Head Band with Longer Bands

                  There are a few fashion lessons that we can receive from our fellow women in Europe and to be fair, a few lessons we can give to them ourselves. The first one we should learn constitutes: European woman and their hats. Viewed as an extra, non-essential item, the hat has a very minor place in the everyday American’s woman’s wardrobe, yet in Europe it is considered one of the most feminine touches to any wardrobe. To understand this difference between continents, one must look at the very first and continuing trendsetters of Europe: the Royal Houses. In Europe there are ten Royal Houses out of the worldwide twelve- that is a whole lot of royal trendsetting concentration. Here are some examples on how hats and royalty come together in marriage of fashion and trendsetting:

                       World War II has been accredited to the downfall of women wearing hats in America, particularly because it was not able to transform itself fast enough to the fast pace of the time. Thus, it was abandoned and with no American icon to continually wear it, it failed to become an important accessory in the American wardrobe. In Europe on the other hand, this was the time that the hat took a turn and became smaller, less extravagant, and more suited to numerous activities within a woman’s day. In addition, the style icons of Europe were still wearing them- continuing their lifeline in European fashion.

                   The hat did make a comeback to American fashion with style icon Jacqueline Kennedy’s signature Pill Box hat, designed by Oleg Cassini- which is still in my view one of the most fashionable hats to ever exist- portraying the 60’s woman, classiness, cleverness, and sass all in one. Today, the closest America has to a royal style icon is First Lady, Michelle Obama. Her fashion is covered from head to toe- what she wears and who she wears are all featured. Thus when she never wears a hat, then it no longer becomes an essential part of the American style nor is it given the chance to rise again from fashion accessory archives.

                       While the Royal Houses continue awing and pushing the bottom of millinery and inspiring European women all over, the US continues to oust the fashion essential. It is in my view, one of the major American faux-pas in fashion- when you lose the queen, you gain the trucker. I envy and applaud all women in America that take what is considered a fashion plunge and wear the most feminine article in existence- their hats. Large brimmed, small brimmed, but anything that beautifully frames the face while protecting against the sun and rain should not be given the secondary position that is has taken today.

Following C’est Chic’s opening week, there are certain things that I have discovered about women and shopping in the Twin Cities. First off, I have realized that there are many women frustrated by the lack of options and selections in their shopping. This is particularly due to what I call: conventional designer cuts and the lack of specialization. Once everything from makeup to swimsuits finds its way to the same compound- there is a loss of sense to the word ‘boutique’. I’ve grown up in both California and the South of France (near Toulouse) and every time I went shopping in France it was always boutique shopping, one that conveyed specialization and particular attention to a particular part of our lifestyle and also conveyed the existence of partnership between local boutique owners within every city of France. In Minneapolis, I listen to customers that tell me about the difficulty of finding pants without pockets so that attention is not always to their thighs or tops that accentuate their curves not spotlight them. I respond to these comments with fascination- the fact that women oftentimes have limited opportunities for different styles limits one’s feeling towards their ‘personal style.’ On the other hand I understand the convenience of shopping within a place that sales swimsuits, makeup, and jackets all in one area. Yet with convenience comes its hidden flaws: firstly, each woman is taught to use clothes to cover her body not to decorate it or feel valued in what she wears. Secondly, the person choosing the mass selection of clothes for women is actually a whole conglomerate making phone calls- no touch, no visual, no thought of that one person that frankly just wants pants that make her for once feel confident. Now on to what I believe is changing in the Twin cities: because of the movement to support local, a  foundation for local business owners to work together in partnerships with the support of those that live here has grown. There is an evident switch of more local boutiques sprouting and making a name for themselves. Women in the Twin Cities are finding more quality in their garments and expectations are starting to rise as to what entails quality and fashion into one. I believe that only the future can tell as to what will become of shopping in the Twin Cities, but as for right now, I believe we are all going the right direction.

-Audrey d’Assignies

Director of C’est Chic

C’est Chic is getting ready for their Grand Opening on April 10th. The boutique will open their doors to the public in the Minneapolis Warehouse District with the Grand Opening taking place at 212 Third Avenue North Suite 109.  Inspired by European style accessories, with their attention to detail, the items featured in this boutique are as unique as the international and local designers who created them.   The designers were chosen for their art of quality, creativity and style.

C’est Chic boasts attention to detail by providing women an opportunity to learn and appreciate the multitude of ways accessories can expand your wardrobe.  Complimentary workshops entitled, “You’ve Got Class,” TM will provide customers with an opportunity to learn from guest instructors; ways to accessorize and enhance their wardrobes.  Each customer is given individual attention with the customer’s best interest in mind.

Pam Pappas Stanoch, local business owner in the field of international, has travelled extensively.  Her exposure to the world of international fashion is the inspiration behind C’est Chic.  “All women can benefit and learn from the way accessories are used as an essential part of every wardrobe and their role in making each woman’s wardrobe uniquely her own.”

To schedule an interview with owner, Pam Pappas Stanoch or Director, Audrey d’Assignies, contact Audrey at 612-226-5944, or e-mail her at: audreyd@cestchicboutique.com