Hip Accessory Doing the Rounds of the Fashion Circuit

Whether it is Bipasha Basu, who ties an expensive one to her bag or Kim Cattrall who is wearing it around her head, scarves and stoles are the latest thing to jazz up your outfit with. And these are probably the easiest thing to buy, with famous retail outlets to streetside vendors selling it. Here are some tips on how to incorporate them into your outfit.

So the next time you're wearing a traditional salwar-kameez, be innovative. Buy a stole in a matching colour and perhaps you can tie it around your hair with the ends loose. This will give you a younger appearance. But be careful — garishly coloured stoles or scarves in your hair can look tacky.

You can wrap it around the end of your handbag's shoulder strap to give it a look which matches your outfit. Many women prefer stoles and scarves to dupattas and chunnis because they are easier to handle and give the outfit a slightly western look. So if you want, you can buy one to sling around your neck instead of your regular dupatta. Colourful stoles and scarves are the best to break up an ethnic outfit in a single colour. On a summery day, a white churidar or salwar can look stylish by wearing a colourful scarf around your neck.

If you are one of the many who went out and bought yourself a salwar-kameez with a collar, wear a scarf under the collar to give it a sleek look. But with sarees and heavily embroidered ethnic outfits, stay away from these.

If you think your office wear is too starched and formal, here's your saviour. The next time you feel your pants and blouse corporate wear is looking bland, rope in a stole or scarf. There are many ways this can brighten up your outfit. Ditch your conventional belt for the day.

Wear a matching or contrasting colour stole through your belt loops, but don't knot it on the edge or have the ends loose because this can instantly transform office wear into casual wear and we still want to retain the gravity of the outfit. Wind the stole or scarf around your waist and tuck the ends into the edges and pin it up discreetly so that it looks like a neat wrap. You can also use scarves around your neck to give your otherwise neutral outfit a feminine touch. A scarf in a matching or contrasting colour can be wrapped loosely around the neck and tied into a small knot on the side. If you've chosen a longish stole or scarf, it can be simply slung around the neck.

Now for all those party people — this one's for you! A scarf or stole can make your outfit look chic even in a club where the mantra of less-is-best works. Team up your outfit with matching or contrasting stole which can be worn in many simple ways but can oodles of oomph. A head wrap may be an acquired taste but guarantees to turn heads. Wrap a scarf around your head but make sure it doesn't overwhelm your forehead — start from a little ahead of your hairline. Complete the look with dangling earrings to give yourself the ultimate Bohemian look. You can also create a retro look with the following. Tie the stole or scarf like a sash over your hair, and tie it behind one of your ears. The knot should not take up both the ends but you should allow one of the ends to be much longer than the other.

For casuals, just drape a nice stole or scarf around your waist, whether you're wearing pants, jeans or a skirt — this universal accessory goes with anything. You could also try a variation of the head sash by not letting any ends trail. Put on your big shades and have a good time relaxing. So with stoles and scarves, it's easy to be creative. If you find one big enough to wrap around yourself, pair it up with a simple tee or tank. Remember, anything goes if you're confident. So go ahead and make your mark.