Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Up To My Neck



Sure, it might be summer time 'round these parts, but the hottest accessory right now is the scarf. What? Oh yes, dear readers, get ready to tie on one. But while every celebrity and her mother is wearing Sir Alistair Rai (yawn...so five months ago), the DCGF has rounded up the freshest, coolest scarves and wraps that will put you ahead of the fashion pack this season and beyond.

First up is Little Factory's laser-cut "Uppercase Scarf," at right. Look closely: the scarf is comprised of the letters of the alphabet. Get out!

The scarf comes in white or black, and also in "Numbers" and "Lowercase." Each measures 160cm by 10cm (or about 6
2" by 4") and are 100% microfiber suede. And with the lightweight, open design, they're perfect for hot weather.

Now don't get upset, but currently the Uppercase version is out of stock in b
oth colors. I wanted you to see it, though, because it's my favorite of the three and I'm sure they'll have more very soon. I want, I want, I want!!

For a more colorful look, I like this Crocheted Beaded Silk Scarf from Manushi in Nepal. It's sold via Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade organization that supports the work of artisans around the world.

Manushi - meaning "energetic woman" - is a women's collective in Kathmandu that designs and creates products, in addition to aiding in entrepreneurship and skills training. Sound familiar?

This vibrant scarf is woven from
recycled loom-end silk with beads on the fringe, so it's environmentally friendly, too. And no two are alike. I think this would look amazing with a crisp white linen dress for daytime, or a black tee and denim pencil skirt for evening. You don't even need to add any jewelry! It's such a statement piece. Oh, and it only costs $20. Perfect.

And finally, the highest-tech and most expensive of the bunch is also the most likely to provoke strangers to stare at you and little children to point. In other words, you have to be a committed fashionista to pull off this one.

Check out the Color Changing Scarf by
Yasuyuki Machida, available from the MoMA online store! The polyvinylidene fibers change color when exposed to heat or cold, including changes in one's body temperature. This version in green changes to yellow and there's a gray one that turns white when it comes into contact with skin.

Kinda reminiscent of the Generra Hypercolor tees of old, right? Only way cooler. And at $110, it's certainly not cheap, but think of all the fun you'll have! The only question is, green or gray?




Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

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