I consider myself to be a conservative dresser: classic, simple, easy style. One of the best ways to dress up a plain outfit is to reach for a scarf. I have quite a collection of fashion scarves that I tend to wear with plain t-shirts, sweaters, and blazers. And, yes, they’re mainly in blues and browns!

Recently, I had the chance to sit down with the designer and owner of Kala Scarves, a Canadian-based company that makes beautiful, hand-crafted scarves using premium quality natural fibers. After seeing the extensive collection of Kala scarves, it didn’t take me long to consider stepping outside of my comfort zone in terms of color and design.

The word ‘kala’ comes from the Hindi language and refers to the performing arts. Designed in Canada and manufactured in India of fine fabrics like cashmere from India, silk from China, and wool from Australia, Kala scarves are indeed works of art.

The designer finds inspiration from nature, travel, outings such as a visit to a butterfly conservatory, and from observing the colors and tones people wear. After the designs are conceived, they’re digitally captured and prepared for the artisans in India. The designer then travels to India to decide on the best fabrics on which to place her designs.

Some scarves are screen printed, some are digitally printed, and some are hand painted — the latter ensuring that each scarf is a one-of-a-kind piece. Some scarves are tie-died and some use similar techniques like batik and shiburi. Others are adorned with French lace or Swarovski crystals. Only high end fabrics are used such as lightweight cashmere, wool, silk/modal blends, silk/wool combinations, and linen. Each hand-painted scarf is therefore a unique piece of art on a luxury fabric.

When I went to look at the wide collection of scarves, I had a hard time choosing my favorites from all of the beautiful design and fabric combinations. The one thing I learned was to step outside of my comfort zone in terms of color and pattern.

Naturally, I gravitated towards a blue ombre scarf in navy, black, and blue. I liked that there were a bunch of colors in this silk/wool scarf and that it added a touch of elegance to a plain wool sweater.

Then I looked at a light blue, net-like print on a cream background which I also loved. The fabric, 20% silk and 80% modal, is very soft to the touch and has an airy feel making it easy to loosely style around the neck. The flowy fabric also lends itself to a simple draping around the neck, with the scarf cascading down past the jacket or top you’re wearing.

The designer also made this pattern in a yellow and cream combination. Because I wear lots of navy, the yellow was the perfect complement. It felt great to wear a pop of unexpected color against a classic navy leather jacket. Swapping in different scarves changed the mood of a classic jeans and leather jacket outfit.

What I loved the most about these luxury scarves is the quality of the fabrics and their unique designs. Look for these scarves in high-end boutiques in the US and Canada and follow along on both my Instagram and Kala’s Instagram, for more inspiration.

I’ll be writing another post soon on monochromatic layering with a linen scarf, so stay tuned.

How do you use fashion scarves to change the look of an outfit?

This post was created in partnership with Kala Scarves; all opinions are my own.

[Jacket: Michael Kors; Sweater: Banana Republic; Shoes: Stuart Weitzman]

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