How To Tie Head Scarves

Traditionally viewed as a knot worn by men in tuxedos on formal "black tie" occasions, the bow tie involves tying a ribbon of fabric around your collar and holding it in place with two symmetrical loops. But bow ties aren't just for men! The bow tie's soft loops can be a feminine addition to your blouse and provide an elegant accent to your everyday business suit.

The bow tie originally gained popularity in 17th century when the French nobles saw Croatian mercenaries, that were supporting Louis XIII of France in the Prussian wars, wearing brightly colored scarves to hold together the openings of their shirts.

The nobles called this look the cravat, which actually derives from the French for Croat. As the French court began experimenting with creative knots to tie their scarves around their necks the bow tie was created and soon the idea spread across Europe. That's how the world came to know of the bow tie!

Today the bow tie can be used to create a feminine look and it's as easy as tying your shoe laces. After all, it's the same knot!

Here's how you tie it:

Step 1) Take an oblong scarf and fold it till it is an inch or two in diameter. Alternatively, take a square scarf and fold it on the diagonal till it is an inch or two in diameter.

Step 2) Place the coiled scarf around your neck with both ends hanging on your front. We will refer to the end that starts on your left hand side as end A and the end that starts on your right hand side as end B, although their relative positions will change a lot of the bow tie is constructed.

Step 3) Adjust the folded scarf so that end A on the left is about two inches longer than end B on the right.

Step 4) Take end A to your right, crossing over in front of end B. End A is now positioned on the top right and end B is positioned on the bottom left. There is a bridge where the middle of each cords meets.

Step 5) Bring end A under the bridge it has created with end B and pull the end up through the gap between the bridge and the throat.

Step 6) Take end B and fold two thirds of its length back over itself to form the front loop of the bow tie. A third of its length should now be on either side of the bridge, with the left hand side having formed a loop and the right hand side showing a single end.

Step 7) Place end A down vertically over the bridge crossing end B and holding the loop in place.

Step 8) Now take end A to your left, fold its end into a loop and then push that loop through the space between the loop formed by end B and the bridge. This is a little tricky as you must ensure that end A continues to apply pressure to the front of end B all the time so the loop doesn't come un-done.

Step 9) Your almost there. Now simply adjust the bow tie at each end to straighten the loops and tighten the central knot.

The Bandana Wrap is a casual but elegant way to wear your pashmina scarf. The scarf is folded so that it hangs like a shawl over your shoulders. It looks great with a formal collared shirt coupled with a dress or pair of pants.

The word bandana originally comes from the Hindi word bandhana, meaning "to tie". Originally bandanas were used by manual workers who wore them around their heads to keep sweat from running down their face and their hair from getting in their eyes, as well as round their neck to stop dust getting into their clothes,

Follow the steps below to learn this pretty way to tie a scarf:

Step 1 - Take your scarf (30 - 50 inches or 75 - 120 cm square) and place it in a diamond shape on a flat surface. Then take the top corner and fold it on the diagonal so the top corner touches the bottom corner and the scarf forms a triangle.

Step 2 - Take the broader, folded edge of your scarf and fold it down by one to one and a half inches towards the narrower point. This is a smaller fold than bandana headbands that are typically 2 to 2.5 inches wide.

Step 3 - Repeat step 2 folding the scarf over and over again until approximately half of the scarf is used in the rolled coil and half the triangle is exposed at the bottom.

Step 4 - Place the scarf round your shoulders with the triangular lip at your back next to your neck, under the coil. The coil itself sits over your shoulders with the loose ends at the front of your body.

Step 5 - Tie the two coiled ends together at the front with a simple knot, leaving the ends hanging free.

The Ascot Wrap is an elegant style of knot that adds a feminine touch to the formal collared shirts you would wear with a dress suit or pant suit. It can also be worn to embellish a formal dress, covering the neck and drawing the eye up from a décolleté top.

The Ladies Ascot Knot got its name from the Ascot race course in Berkshire, England. Founded by Queen Anne in 1711, the race course still has strong royal connections today. It is owned by the British Crown Estate and is only about six miles from Windsor Castle.

Every year in mid June the Queen attends the races in a horse-drawn carriage. This period, known as Royal Ascot, is a huge event in the British social calendar.

Whilst there are many important races during Royal Ascot most of the media attention is placed on the women's stunning hats, scarves and dresses. In the Royal enclosure the men must wear a full morning suit, including top hats, whilst the women must wear hats and cannot wear dresses that expose their shoulders or waist.

Like all great traditions, several interpretations of the ladies Ascot Wrap have evolved over the years with minor variations on a common theme

Triangular Ascot Knot

This style of Ascot Wrap involves folding the scarf into a triangular base which provides more coverage for your neck than the oblong Ascot Wrap.

Step 1 - Take your scarf (30 - 50 inches or 75 - 120 cm square) and fold it on the diagonal so the opposite corners are touching each other and the scarf forms a triangle.

Step 2 - Hang the folded scarf around your neck with the peak of the triangle at the front pointing down your blouse and the corners hanging back over your shoulders.

Step 3 - Cross the corners at the back and bring them forward so they are sitting on either side of the broader peak of the triangle with the left end slightly longer than the right.

Step 4 - By pulling on the corners make sure the scarf fits comfortably around your neck and then tie everything in place with either a small knot or a bow.

Step 5 - If the ends of your scarf are hanging loosely they can tidied up by either making a larger more elaborate bow, or if you have opted to knot the scarf you can create a second bulkier knot at the front. You can even tie an additional knot at the back behind your head or tuck the edges away if there is enough material.

Oblong Ascot Knot

This style of Ascot Wrap involves folding the scarf into a roughly oblong shape which has tighter, crisper lines but does not provide as much coverage as the triangular version.

Step 1 - Take your scarf (30 - 50 inches or 75 - 120 cm square) and set it flat on a table in the shape of a diamond.

Step 2 - Fold the top corner of the diamond inwards so the point touches the point two thirds of the way down the scarf.

Step 3 - Take the bottom corner of your scarf and fold it inwards so the point touches the top line that has been made by the initial fold. You should now have a symmetrical oblong-like shape, with points at either end resembling an open envelope.

Step 4 - Repeat this process, taking the top line of the scarf and folding it down to the point two thirds of the way down and then folding up the bottom line till it touches the top line. You should now have formed a tighter, skinnier version of the initial shape described above.

Then Follow Steps 2 of the Triangular Ascot Knot described above.