What to Wear With Navy, Camel and Black: Rare Earth
If you want a non-floral scarf in muted fall colors, something warm but not heavy that you can drape over your shoulders and wear with a sweater dress, Rare Earth was made for that.
It also works with a closet that runs to navy, camel and black. A good scarf complements your clothes instead of matching them, and the rust, slate and cream in Rare Earth give each of these colors something different to work with.
What Rare Earth looks like
Rare Earth started as an original artwork I made with tea on paper. The teas ran toward rust, slate and cream, the colors of old Brooklyn buildings and late fall light. It's abstract, with no florals and no repeating print. If you look closely, you can see the tea bag prints in the design.
Rare Earth comes in two sizes, 52 x 52 inches and 24 x 24 inches, and two fabrics, silk chiffon and silk-wool.
With navy
Navy is cool and rust is warm. That contrast is what makes the pair look intentional. Over a navy coat or sweater, the rust in Rare Earth stands out and the slate ties it back to the navy.
With camel
Camel is warm, like the rust in the scarf, so this is a tonal look. It works because Rare Earth has more going on than the camel does. Let the scarf be the most varied piece and keep everything else plain. The cream parts near your face keep camel from looking flat.
With black
Black makes the rust look richer. It's the most dramatic of the three and the easiest for evenings. The silk chiffon comes with a black hem option, which ties the scarf straight to a black outfit.
With chocolate brown and plum
Rare Earth also sits well with deep fall colors like chocolate brown and plum. The rust and cream pick up the warmth in brown, and the slate gives plum something cool to sit next to. More on that in What Scarf Colors Go With Chocolate Brown, Plum and Black?
With a sweater dress
A sweater dress is simple, so it needs one thing to finish it. The oversized Rare Earth is 52 by 52 inches, wide enough to drape over your shoulders like a light wrap. Wear it open over the dress, or wrap it once at the neck. It adds color near your face and keeps you warm on the walk to dinner.
Wearing all three together
- Navy sweater, camel trousers, Rare Earth draped open over the shoulders.
- Camel coat over a black turtleneck, Rare Earth wrapped once at the neck.
- Black sweater dress and boots under a navy coat, Rare Earth tucked into the collar with the cream showing.
Instead of jewelry
A scarf can do the job of a necklace. It puts color and pattern near your face, and it keeps you warm, which a necklace never will. If you do wear jewelry, gold suits the warm rust and cream. Keep it small so the scarf stays the main piece.
One caution: the herringbone weave on the silk-wool is loose and delicate. Rings, bracelets, and earrings with prongs or sharp edges can catch it and pull a thread. Put the scarf on after your jewelry, and choose smooth pieces when you wear the silk-wool.
Silk chiffon or silk-wool
Match the scarf's weight to what you're wearing over it.
Silk chiffon is light and sheer. Light passes through it, which makes the rust glow. It suits lighter jackets, evenings and indoors. Choose a burgundy or black hem.
Silk-wool is 70% wool and 30% silk. It's warm but not heavy, so you can wear it all day in fall and winter, indoors or over a wool coat. The herringbone weave also adds texture to plain outfits. For a sweater dress, this is the one I'd pick.
Both are dry clean only. If you prefer the way they look after a hand wash, you can carefully hand wash either one in cold water and dry it flat.
Which size
The oversized scarf is 52 x 52 inches, big enough to drape over your shoulders like a wrap or fold down into a regular scarf. The small scarf is 24 x 24 inches, for tying at the neck.
Every order over $50 includes an original 4 x 6 signed tea print, and shipping is free in the US.
The series
This post is part of a series on what to wear with each design: Blue Dream, Rare Earth, Clear Blue, Calm Camomile, Purple Rain and Peacock Green.