Here’s how this became mine…

I was at the Hermès store in Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive awhile back (August 2009)….on a mission to buy a new Hermes scarf. Thought it would be nice to have a classic silk scarf to wear as a belt with black dresses, jeans or black pants. Chic preppy. That was my goal. Black gold and white…or maybe one in that classic Hermes orange. Definitely with an equestrian feel (as I used to ride horses years ago…and love to pretend that I still have the horse woman in me by occasionally incorporating horsey things into my life). I knew what I wanted…I had a clear vision…focus…resolve.

Birkin Waitlist

Well, I walked into the store to buy my scarf just as that day’s Birkin bag had arrived. If you haven’t been to Hermès lately, in place of the renowned Birkin waiting list, Hermes has now started the clever practice of only releasing one of these $10,000+ bags a day…in a surprise daily ritual with the manager walking the bag down from a secret storage area at an unknown time. This Birkin bag “practice” creates a very bizarre in-store hysteria on a day-to-day basis with uber shoppers thronging the store in hopes of getting their hands on the leather purse of the day. The bags usually are sold within 10 minutes I was later told by one of the salespeople. Only 10 minutes to sell a purse that costs over $10,000!!! That’s smart…trickery….or magic…you decide?

Well, all I wanted was a Hermes silk scarf.

So as I was standing at the scarf counter speaking with one of the Hermes ladies…the Birkin bag arrived. I was almost shoved aside. A girl and her boyfriend, a middle-aged woman who everyone seemed to know, an older husband and wife, and lady who looked like a tourist (whatever that means) were all there waiting…to see the color, to decide whether they would plunk down the $10,000. All eager, all with bated breath. It was then that I got distracted. Totally distracted (which would be much to my chagrin).

Hermès Birkin Bag Spectacle

Watching this Birkin bag purchasing spectacle made me for one moment think that I needed that day’s Birkin. My heart started to race. My American Express felt like it was burning a hole in my not-so-chic Tod’s bag. If that bag was not taken, I was going to buy it. Lucky for me (and my bank account), the young girl and her boyfriend, who seemed to have been first in line, won the coveted bag that day. I didn’t even have the option to purchase. What? Why not? How did these people know to even be here? How can I get one? This is not fair? Why didn’t I get the memo? Why wasn’t I in the know? These were all things that were running through my mind as the Birkin sailed out of the store and I was left at the war-torn scarf counter.

Bewildered and bemused, I continued my hunt for the perfect silk scarf. I should have left after witnessing that Birkin whirlwind. I had lost all senses. While I had told the sales lady that I definitely and absolutely wanted a more traditional Hermes patterned scarf (you know the kind that oozes classic style), I did feel a bit like a second-class citizen and was very impressionable at that point. Here were all of the ladies ready to fork over $10K and all I wanted was a measly $375 scarf (I know $375 is not cheap…I know…that’s why I’m telling this story…it was crazy…craziness…but the whirlwind of the Birkin made me lose my senses I tell you. It did! Aaaarrggghhhh!!!!)

The Silk Scarf

So when the sales lady said in her best French accent, “Zees eeez za scarf you must geeeet. Eeet is so very very chic….I adorrrhhhee eeet!”, I looked at the scarf and thought to myself, “Really? I don’t know? Is this a joke? Maybe she’s right? I don’t know. I think it is kind of awful. Ooops, I should never even think anything is awful in Hermes. If I do, I may never be in the Hermes know. Well, she just said many of her clients are scarf collectors and this scarf is the one to have this season.

I don’t know? It seems…so…so…I don’t know? Maybe if I buy one of these more daring scarves, I will feel like I am in the know…like the Birkin bag shoppers. I’ll have a collectors Hermes scarf. That’s it yes! Forget staid traditional. I’m going daring. I’m part of the “in” scarf collectors crowd. There…yes…aha!”

The scarf she carefully unfolded in front of me is the scarf you see here. Hmmm….

About The Hermès Scarf

The scarf features a mish-mosh of colors, patterns, themes, eras, a cornucopia of flora, fauna, and half of a Native American man dressed in traditional garb (notice there is only half of this man on the scarf). Oh yes, did I mention, the palm fronds, the tiger, and the medieval times horses?

So the scarf is mine. I’ve worn it once. I’ve tried it on a couple of times and even as a belt it doesn’t seem to work.

Now I leave it to you…is my Hermes silk scarf UGLY OR PRETTY?

Am I missing something here? I think you know where I stand on this…if you don’t by now, I’ll just call a spade a spade…I think it is leaning toward ugly…

Hmmm…

Hmmmm….

To tie this into home decor…maybe I can salvage this in some way. I won’t ever wear it but maybe I could frame it and make it a piece of art? Hang it on a wall? Add style and panache to my home?!#$%^&… I don’t think so.

If all of you see some beauty here…I’ll reconsider my point of view…I’m waiting…weigh in, please!

An update to the story as of 2023:  in case any of you wanted to know:  I do still own the scarf. And yes, I even wear it on occasion. It looks much better tied. The silk scarf looks great as a belt. I’ll style it with a pair of Veronica Beard jeans and my Chanel slingback shoes.