The Origin of the ScarfThe Origin of the Scarf
Scarves For Women
Women have been wearing scarves since time immemorial. We all have at least one scarf lying around in our cupboard. It’s a great fashion accessory and one which just doesn’t go out of fashion. It is both a symbol of comfort and style. It can add a subtle glamour to any outfit. Pus scarves are pretty chique and have an air of mystery about them when worn with dark glasses.
A brief history of scarves
The earliest use of the scarf dates back to the time of Queen Nefertiti. It is said that she used to wear a scarf along with a conical head dress. It is said that perhaps she was one of the first women to have made wearing a scarf a trend.
The Romans however had a more utilitarian use for the scarf. They used to call it a sudarium. Translated it meat a sweat cloth. This was exactly what the scarf was used as, a cloth to wipe off the sweat. Not very fashionable but more of a necessity. It was used more by men and was usually found tied around their neck or waist.
In the 1600’s it was again used as a fashion accessory in the form of a cravat. Fashionable gentlemen wore the cravat to look dashing and sophisticated. Cravats were made from white fabric and were embellished with the help of embroidery or lace. Later on during the French revolution it was dyed different colours which people wore to signify which side they supported.
From that time onwards people began to appreciate the Parisian fashion sense. People started using the scarf as a fashion accessory for both men and women.
Kind Napoleon, has ordered cashmere scarves designed in India especially for his wife Josephine. When Queen Victoria ascended the throne during the eighteen hundreds, the scarf truly became a popular fashion accessory for women. She loved wearing silk scarves and this made the garment popular amongst the nobility. It became a symbol of class and glamour.
However it was in 1937 when Thierry Hermes designed his first aboriginal silk scarf, It was the first luxury silk scarf. Hermes had made use of silk directly imported from China and was unlike any of the designs before it. The result was a scarf which was twice as heavier and more luxurious. A beautiful image was printed onto the silk scarf to add to its beauty and grace. The intricacy of the designs required at least forty three screenings. The first Hermes scarf depicted two women in white wigs playing a game.
However silk scarves by Hermes were extremely expensive and which couldn’t be afforded by everyone. However with the introduction of Rayon as a material for scarves, it became easier for almost anyone to have a scarf as a fashion accessory.
Later on women started wearing cotton and wool scarves because these protected better protection from the elements. Soon scarves for women were designed in all kinds of materials and colours. Today what we have is a much modified version of the first scarf but the varieties and designs are such to suit ever woman.