You have to be looking at three features of leopard print scarves when you are thinking about a purchase. Is it so Stains, Shadow and Substance. I refer to these as the 3 Ss.
spotlights. Some fabrics designed with an animal print theme may have spots that are too large or too small or do not have an attractive pattern. This often makes the material anything but flattering, especially in the case of large spots. Sometimes it can even end up looking pretty ugly. There is a test I do to help me discern this. I narrow my eyes and look at the article from three different perspectives. Near, near and far. What is your first reaction to each view? Is it “love it, love it, love it”? Or is it “OMG that looks weird”?
shade. The deliberate use of unnatural colors rarely works well. Even when trying to make the colors look somewhat natural, the tones may not work at all. If you are not a good judge of patterns and colors, you should have a friend who is good at this to help you out. When in doubt, I recommend that you do not get the unnatural color. 95% of the time, it looks tacky. The 5% of the time it can work, it’s usually only for the very young woman who’s going for that wild and sassy look. But even here, the other two S’s need to be addressed well in order to pull it off.
Substance. This relates to both the shape or dimensions of the scarf and the type of material that is used.
It’s important to remember that subtle features in clothing can make or break a look. Under certain conditions, slightly larger scarves may work. Today, however, quite a few designers are working with the idea that all oversized scarves are cool. This is not the case. There are times when they detract from a potentially good aspect.
I’ve been told that I have a knack for spotting on-trend styles—that is, styles that are likely to be short-lived. and i predict these very bulky, oversized scarves will end up being a fad. Why? They do not flatter anyone’s look. Often the woman appears to have a cocoon forming around her neck!
Remember the big shoulder pads from the late ’80s? That was also a fashion. They were too extreme and not flattering. But the more dramatic flares and cuts of dresses, tops, and swimwear that were prevalent then didn’t end up being a passing fad. They had staying power because these new aspects of clothing were attractive and flattering.
Another aspect of the Substance is the tissue. If the fabric used for the scarf is not of high quality, the scarf may look tacky or cheap. This becomes even more likely with a scarf that is too large, has a substandard animal or leopard print on a lightweight, gauzy cotton or rayon material. A telltale sign of this is a faded appearance that looks tired and rag-like instead of attractive.