23 July, 2009

Trade Secret on Loan

In the beginning of the decade, when my midsection looked more like Holly Hunter's and less like the Pillsbury Dough Boy's...

One of my signatures was wearing my Hermès and Gucci scarves as halters.

Much the way a Boy Scout practices tying knots, I've spent many an hour perfecting my scarf tying skills...

I started collecting Hermès 'How To Wear Your Scarf' books back in the early 90's and they would be high on my list of "things to grab in the event of a fire".

The above trick, pulled off with a beautiful Gucci scarf of multi hued blues, plus one killer tan, goes down in my Historical Outfit Registry for 'twas worn with white J. Crew shorts the night Babe professed his love pour moi. Whoever said food is the way to their hearts didn't know how to wield an Hermès scarf...

The secret to walking that fine line between amazing and tacky involves some dexterity and patience in making that little self knot in diagram 1 as teensie as humanly possible.

Alas, those abs have been in hibernation for sometime sooo, this summer I'm test driving another look...

Usually only for the benefit of the other Teeter customers, worn with my post beach Simba or Captain Crunch salt encrusted hairdo (comparisons lovingly coined by Babe).

And, the newest addition to my scarf tying bag of tricks, the carryall. The next time I run into Oceanside Pizza for my pre-beach Diet Coke it will be a Fenwick Island fashion event...

Kindness of Babe who still loves me regardless of the fact that it would require a full scale Indiana Jones style dig to uncover those abs these days...

18 comments:

  1. Dear Allie in Gtown,
    Dog the Bounty Hunter, post beach Simba and salt encrusted Captain Crunch hairdo? When is Babe going to start making guest posts on your blog?
    About the abs, unfortunately, those are only the FIRST thing to go when you start getting older. Thanks for sharing, Denise

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  2. ever thought of sporting an hermes scarf to a pilates class? My abs needed and deserved some attention, so I went off to a class...ouch.

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  3. I saw an article that someone made her scarves into throw pillows. I guess she completely gave up on her abs...I love your ideas.

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  4. Swoooooon!!
    So attractive as halters, just lovely, Allie.

    I love wrapping scarves as slinky skirts as well, "sarong" style......(but "so-right".....haha!)

    Good show,
    Ali (from WI)

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  5. Body fat is a highly underrated virtue.

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  6. Dear Allie in G Town,

    Now I know what I must do to have my guy process his love to me... did it include a ring too??

    Elizabeth

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  7. Even when I did have killer abs, the big bahonkers made it impossible to wear such things. I live vicariously through you, Allie.

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  8. There is a shop I love that sells little bamboo bracelets. You're supposed to use them to finish off a scarf bag. Tres cute.

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  9. now i know what to do with the pleated scarf from Hermes that my Mother got me a few years ago, and due to the pleated nature ~ still lives in it's little orange box! i like patricia's idea ~ need to get to pilates!

    xoxoxo ~ meggie

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  10. I'm wondering how many ribs you had surgically removed to get that look in the first picture. Wow.

    And let's not forget the Little Edie look. From scarves to cats, you too have a lot in common (except for her being a slob and you being a clean freak...I'm recalling a spic and span closet post awhile back).....

    I'm with anonymous - time for a Babe introduction. And even better -- wedding pics. Get busy!

    ;-)

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  11. You forgot to mention that not only do you need killer abs to rock a scarf halter, you need a certain cup size as well...
    C-D cup?
    Not pretty.
    C-D cup and you're over 40?
    Scary.

    I think carryall's are wonderful. sniff.

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  12. going off MBM's idea, I saw Ivanka Trump's apartment in an old issue of InStyle (I think Emma Jane Pilkington was the designer), and she matted and framed a beautiful vintage Hermes scarf over her dining room table. We never see Ivanka's abs, perhaps she gave up as well...

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  13. Just found your blog and so happy that I did- it is lovely! I love this post! I have yet to master the scarf as a halter look yet, but I hope to one day because it looks so clean and classy for summer! Looking forward to reading more of your blog :) XOXO

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  14. Lovely as halters..., very feminine..., I've always been a bit tomboyish, nowadays it's simply jeans and a black or a white T, not very creative, I know.

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  15. Love this post! Can't wait to test out my knot tying abilities!

    p.s. Your abs look AMAZING in the first picture....what was your routine??

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  16. i always try to make the halter top but fail. you've inspired me to give it another go!

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  17. How ironic! The Today show just did a "how to tie a scarf"...

    Cheers!!

    http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32083006#32083006

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  18. ugh my errmm.....bosom is too big to pull off this look, although god knows i've tried. love the idea of the purse thought...will definitely be put to use soon.

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