A Nap In The Park With My Scarf

The first thing that I packed this summer to go on my trip to Europe was my white scarf. Old and worn, I felt like if I somehow blanked on bringing any shirts, pants, or sweaters, this soft stained knit could protect me from embarrassment and nakedness with its versatile charm. If I got lost and had to spend the night under a bridge, my scarf would comfort me as a blanket or a pillow, or even as a weapon which I could whip at unwanted intruders. When I woke up the next morning I could use it to towel myself off, after I bathe in the Seine or the Grand Canal. 

 

Really though, think about it. A scarf is easily transformed into a wrap around skirt, dress, or top. It can be wrapped around the head for a hip look, or draped over the shoulders on a warm night in Nice as a elegant wrap. Often sweaters look frumpy over cute dresses, but scarves are simple and chic and just as warm. My brother smartly pointed out that I could tie it over the lower half of my face for bank robberies and hit jobs, fashionably a step up from the traditional bandana or ski mask. The practicality is endless! For sunny naps in the park I lay out my scarf on the ground and fell asleep with my cheek against the soft fabric, which was no stranger to drool, leaves, and the insects that were crushed under my sleeping body. On the airplane I used it both as a blanket, pillow and a form of entertainment. My brother and I arranged it over our shoulders and necks seeing how many styles we could create, turning our heads this way and that to model our creations.

After ditching an expensive restaurant at the top of the Pompidou Center, I realized at the bottom that I had left my beloved scarf at the restaurant. Although I had just lost a dear friend, I remained calm and optimistic about the issue at hand. The great thing about scarves is that they are so cheap! In Paris, London, and New York, all you have to do is walk around the corner and you will undoubtedly find a shop to purchase two silk scarves for under $20. Haggle a little bit and you might  be able to get three! They come in every shade imaginable and fun prints too. That night, after losing my greatest fashion accessory, I got two new scarves. I replaced my white one, and also bought a gold one which is my new favorite. For any age or taste- scarves are endlessly chic and practical. You will find my most prized possession, not folded neatly in my closet or hidden in my cedar trunk, but crumpled and scrunched at the bottom of my purse.