Why a Vintage Silk Scarf Deserves the Attention

A good silk scarf is one of the quiet heroes of a slow wardrobe. It is small enough to slip into a pocket, patterned enough to lift a plain navy jumper on a grey Tuesday, and durable enough to outlive several fast-fashion trends put together. The scarves that turn up in charity shops, car boot sales and the bottom of a relative's drawer are often forty or fifty years old and still going strong, which tells you something about how they were made.

Refreshing one is not a complicated business. It takes twenty minutes, a basin of cool water and a little patience. What it does require is a gentle hand, because silk is a protein fibre and behaves a bit like hair: it likes mild soap, cool temperatures and a certain amount of respect.

Before You Start: Read the Label and Test the Dye

Turn the scarf over and look at the hem. Most vintage silk scarves carry a small printed label or a woven tag along one edge. If it says dry clean only, and the piece is precious to you, take it at its word. Everything else can usually be hand washed.

Before the scarf goes anywhere near a basin, do a colour test. Dampen a white cotton cloth or cotton wool pad, then press it firmly against an inconspicuous corner of the scarf for thirty seconds. If colour transfers onto the cloth, the dye is not colourfast and you should either dry clean or hand wash with real caution, in cold water, on its own.

You will also want to check for three things that washing will not fix:

• Pulls and snags in the weave, which can grow if you handle them roughly.
• Perfume staining, often a yellowish shadow near the corners, which is very hard to shift.
• Fading along the fold lines, which tells you the scarf has been displayed or worn folded in the same way for years.

Hand Washing, Step by Step

Fill a clean basin or washing-up bowl with cool water, no warmer than your hand can comfortably bear. Hot water dulls silk and sets stains, so it is the one thing to avoid completely.

Add a small amount of a pH-neutral silk wash, or a few drops of baby shampoo if you have nothing else. You need less than you think — a teaspoon is plenty for one scarf. Swirl it through the water until it is evenly dispersed rather than sitting in a puddle on the surface.

Submerge the scarf and let it soak for no more than five minutes. Then, using the flats of your fingers, gently press the soapy water through the fabric. Do not scrub, do not rub the scarf against itself and never twist or wring it. If there are marks, work them between your fingertips with a light circular motion.

Drain the basin and refill with clean cool water. Rinse by pressing the scarf down and lifting it, repeating until the water runs clear. A capful of white vinegar in the final rinse helps lift any lingering soap and can brighten the colours, though do check the dye test first.

Drying Without Damage

Lift the scarf out of the water supporting it with both hands, letting it drain rather than squeezing it. Lay a clean white bath towel flat, place the scarf on top, then roll the towel up loosely from one end with the scarf inside. Press down gently along the roll. The towel will absorb most of the excess water in a minute or two.

Unroll and lay the scarf flat to dry on a fresh dry towel, away from direct sunlight and radiators. Silk dries fairly quickly, and you want it to be slightly damp before you press it — that is the moment when the fibres relax and the creases fall out most easily.

Pressing the Creases Away

Set your iron to the lowest silk or synthetic setting, with steam if you have it and no steam if the fabric looks fragile. Lay the scarf on your ironing board and place a clean cotton cloth or a piece of plain white cotton fabric over it. Never press an iron directly onto printed silk, as it can scorch or leave a shine.

Press slowly and evenly along the length of the scarf, working with the weave. Pay particular attention to old fold lines. If the pressed creases are stubborn, spritz lightly with cool water and press again rather than turning up the heat.

When you have finished, let the scarf cool completely before doing anything with it. Then roll it rather than folding it into a square. Folding in the same place every time is what creates those permanent lines in the first place. Store rolls in a drawer or a cotton bag, away from sunlight, and unfold and rotate them occasionally.

Three Ways to Wear It This Week

The point of refreshing a scarf is to actually wear it, and a vintage silk scarf is one of the few accessories that works hard for a small outlay. Try these:

• Around the neck. Fold into a broad triangle and knot the two ends loosely at the front, or tie a simple Parisian-style knot with the point tucked in. It adds colour to a plain shirt or a winter coat without shouting.
• In your hair. Fold a long narrow band, tie it around your head as a headband, or wrap it around a ponytail and knot it. Excellent on a windy day when a hat would flatten everything.
• On a bag. Knot a square scarf around the handle of a leather handbag or a canvas tote. Swap it seasonally and the whole bag feels new again, with nothing bought and nothing wasted.

Wear it until it needs another wash, which for a scarf worn over a coat might be once a season rather than once a week. That is slow fashion in its simplest form: one good thing, cared for properly, worn for decades.