My first thought had been to wear my best Hermes scarf on this last Sunday before Christmas but I changed my mind and I am wearing this green one by Pierre Cardin, vintage, silk, hand-rolled edges. It seems to fit the part of a Christmas elf to help out Father Christmas and suits my mood of the moment.
I usually tell you something of the designer. Pierre Cardin is now in his late nineties and has had an amazing successful design career. Born in Italy to rich parents who fled to France to escape Fascism, he became naturalised French, followed a career in tailoring, worked with Dior and found his own fashion house in 1950. He was the first to think of licensing his name and logo and setting up a ready-to-wear collection, much to the distaste of the other haute couture designers. Commonplace now, it was the birth of a new idea in these days. The name of Cardin can be seen on perfume, cosmetics, pens, furniture, baseball caps, cars, even planes. His signature on my scarf on a light beige background brings it to life and is a clever part of the design.
I choose to wear it today because I find the colour green soothing. Green symbolises nature, tranquility, good health and luck. We surely need all of these today. In the fifteenth century wedding dresses were preferably green to ensure fertility, but I don’t think I will be hunting through my wardrobe for such a gown! And have you ever wondered why actors and tv guests wait in The Green Room before a performance? Yes, it’s calming. My scarves often remind me of past adventures, exciting travel, childhood experiences, but today I want to stay in the present….and dare I say it, look to the future.
As I write, I am looking from my window and I see a few brave yellow roses, who have fought their way through a mass of greenery to find daylight at second floor level, an incredible feat at Christmas time. My silk scarf has a geometric design, mainly Nature’s green with yellow raindrops, the colour of my Christmas roses; the border is black. Yes, the border is defining and reminds me I lost a cousin and another dear friend this week. Two notifications of death in one day. I said this blog is about the present, celebrating life, so I will not mourn. In a few days time we will remember a special birth and a small family of three. Our own family gatherings at Christmas this year may indeed be in threes and I am wondering if my own granddaughter will give birth any day now and increase her household to four?
There are buds on my hazelnut tree and green shoots appearing in my flower pots….maybe weeds, but it is Rebirth. So, I wish all my readers the Peace and Good Health of green and you can choose whatever you like as your yellow highlights, the gold wrapped sweeties from the Quality Street tin, the gleaming Drambuie, or just blissfully snooze after all that plum pudding, yellow custard and rich brandy butter.
For myself, I’ll be glad to get out of the Elf’s outfit after all this helping Santa. These curled up toes on my shoes are killing me. I must keep my feet in good working order for all the wandering about, socialising and generally having a good time after I get that vaccination!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2020
Busy Bee, Scarf Face!
Series 2, Blog 22.