Belts are taking a back seat this season. The scarf is stepping in instead.
The idea is simple: take a silk or satin scarf and tie it around the waist, over a shirt or dress, the way you'd wear a sash. It cinches the outfit without adding a hard belt buckle, and it brings in colour or pattern at the same time.
Apart from silk and satin, lace scarves are also increasing in popularity. It takes the outfit to a whole new level. It works especially well over an oversized shirt. Left loose on top, cinched at the waist with the scarf, the shirt goes from shapeless to styled in one move. A loose knot at the side, with the ends left hanging, adds movement without trying too hard.
Polka dots are the print to look out for. A polka dot scarf tied as a waist sash reads as a small, deliberate detail rather than a full print moment, which is exactly why it's catching on.
In Pakistan, this trick is an easy one to borrow. Any silk dupatta or scarf already in the closet can double as a waist tie over a kurta or shirt, no new purchase required.
Expect scarves to keep showing up around waists, not just necks, for the rest of the season.
— unravelld.
