I like flaunting my flatness, so rarely wear scarves. However, I have a lot of them and for those of us who have had a single or double mastectomy without reconstruction they are a quick way to decorate our chests and add volume. In fact ‘wear a scarf’ was the extent of the advice I could find on what would suit a flat chest prior to my BMX (and when I say ‘suit‘, the advice from websites and leaflets was actually that I would want to hide and disguise my lack of reconstruction!).
To try and explode the myth that we should be hiding ourselves away because we have followed a different surgical path, I have found 31 different ways to style a scarf (31 ways shared one-a-day on @flatterfashion Twitter and Facebook January 2016, as well as in the Flat Friends group on Facebook which is a closed group for ladies who have had, or are considering, a mastectomy without reconstruction).
So, style your scarf a different way and use it to accessorise your outfit: It should be for decoration, not camouflage!
(If you’re new to my blog you will soon realise I am not your typical fashion blogger – no pouting and posing here. No stylish backdrops. No photographer with a fancy camera. Just me and my phone, hoping to take a photo that is in focus – and often forgetting to smile in the process!).
- Belted Blanket
- Weave (Pull one end through the loop, then tie the two ends together. This works well worn over your flat side)
- Doughnut (Tie a simple knot, then tie another slightly lower)
- Windsor (Can you remember how to tie a school tie?!)
- Tucked-in Collar (Loop from the front around the back of your neck, then bring each end down through the loop)
- Twisted Infinity (Twist two together)
- Highland Fling (Drape a large scarf across your body then bring the end around your back and over the same shoulder – great on your single flat side)
- Double Back (Bring both ends through the loop; then push them behind and out from underneath)
- Shrug (Create a figure 8 with an infinity scarf then put your arms through the holes)
- Cabin Crew (Small silk square tied in a simple knot and bow, worn as high and big as you like!)
- Infinity Bow (Knot opposite corners together, tie ends into a small bow – Here I am using a large square scarf but this would work with any scarf)
- Double Tuck (Simple loop around your neck from front to back; twist the loop and bring one end through from above, then the other through from underneath)
- Knots (As easy as it looks!)
- Cowgirl (Large square scarf, fold in half into a triangle across your front. Bring the ends around to the front and tie together and tuck under to keep them out of the way)
- Shawl (Drape across your body, bring it around your back then drape down from your shoulder – would work well draping down over your flat side if you have had a single mastectomy)
- Woggle (Grab a ring out of your jewellery box and thread the ends through to secure – loop through twice to hold a very fine scarf)
- Belt Up
- Coiled Collar (Twist scarf all the way to the ends, bring round from the back and tie a simple knot. Still holding the twist in place, wrap the ends back around your neck to the front and release)
- PussyBow (Similar to No.10 but with a longer scarf, you could then drape the tails down over your flat side)
- Cowl Neck (Take two corners from each end and wrap around the back of your neck. The full width of fabric will then drape across your front creating a cowl neck)
- Tied Up (Find two scarves which compliment each other. Drape the larger one around your neck then loop tie the smaller one around it. Bring the ends up from behind and back through the loop)
- Two-Tone (Using a scarf with contrasting sides – mine has a dark and a light side, fold over one third (dark side) and place this under your chin. Bring the two ends round the back of your neck and adjust so the dark side is visible – great for creating the illusion of shadows and depth)
- Twisted Cowgirl (Fold a square scarf into a triangle and twist. Keeping the point of the triangle on your front, wrap the ends around your neck and tie at the front under the triangle. Pull the point out slightly)
- Accent Snood (Layer two snoods/infinity scarves)
- Scarf Ring Loop (Pull one end through a ring and position over your chest. Wrap the other end around your neck twice then pull the tip of this end of the scarf through the ring)
- Figure of Eight (Place an infinity scarf around your chest and twist in front of you and place over your head. Adjust around your shoulders.)
- Audrey (Twist a silky scarf and tie around your neck, release the ends)
- Wraparound (Drape one end over your shoulder, wrap it around your back then over the same shoulder creating a cowl neck – fasten with a brooch or pin)
- SimpleTie (Wrap the scarf from front to back around your neck, then tie either at the centre or over your flat side – try this with patterned or decorated scarves, like this tasselled one)
- Twisted Shoulders (Drape an infinity scarf around your shoulders, then twist at the front. Bring this back over your head and pull down over your shoulders)
- Accent Colours (Pick two contrasting scarves which compliment each other. Tie one loosely at the front, and drape the other loosely around and underneath it)
