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Toronto Star
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
I went to camp for one week when I was nine. I didn't expect it would lead to many more summers — with no end in sight
I was about nine years old when I decided I wanted to go to sleepaway summer camp for the first time — even though I still crawled into my mom's bed most nights. The idea came up during a Girl Guide meeting. I don't remember exactly what was said, but I remember making up my mind that I was going. Having been a Spark, a Brownie, and then a Girl Guide, camping wasn't new to me. But I'd only ever gone for a weekend at most — and my mom, one of our group leaders, was always by my side. This time would be different. Our leaders didn't come to summer camp with us, which meant I'd be going it alone. Still, I'd had so much fun during our weekend getaways that I pushed my worries aside and signed up. My mom really committed by sticking me on the coach bus from Yorkdale Shopping Centre to camp two-and-a-half hours away instead of driving me up. Amazingly, neither of us cried. That first week away from home — filled with lake swims, rock climbing, hikes, campfires, games, skits, dancing, and endless off-tune singing (literally: This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friend …) — opened me up to a world I'd only dipped my toe in before. One night, our counsellors told us we were going on a stealth mission. We put on dark clothes and snuck our way to the mess hall at the centre of the camp's grounds, crouching and crawling along until we made it to the basement entrance. The counsellors went inside while we waited and came back with an ice cream sandwich for each of us. We sat under the stars, grinning and swearing to keep our not-quite-midnight snack a secret. Looking back, I'm sure the whole thing was planned. But at the time, sitting there with my cabin-mates, it felt thrilling and real — like we'd pulled off something big together. Fresh Air Fund I drove my family to Drake's Bridle Path Mansion in a desperate bid to distract them. Turns out, the real attraction was nearby Sunnybrook Park became a refuge for editor-in-chief Nicole MacIntyre's family, rekindling their The next summer, I had so much fun that I called my parents asking to stay an extra week — the longest I'd ever been away from home. I kept returning, summer after summer. Some years, I even chose camp over a birthday party with friends at home. One of my most vivid camp memories is from my last summer there, on the night of a camp-wide game. A pickup truck was hidden somewhere on site, and whoever found it first would win. Counsellors were scattered across camp, ready to 'penalize' us if they caught us, which added to the excitement. I'm usually not one to take these games seriously — I never expect to win — but that night I found myself army-crawling through the dark again. I'd lost the friend I came to camp with at some point in the night and my jeans were ruined with mud and grass stains, but I found the truck nestled in the trees separating two fields. I climbed in and laid on the horn while I hooted and hollered, signalling that the game was over. I hadn't won anything but bragging rights, but the way I felt in that moment was unmatched. With fond memories of my summers at camp, I got my first job as a day camp counsellor the summer I turned 16, spending every day with the youngest kids of the group, trying to recreate the experiences that were so formative for me. I returned to that camp when I was in university, this time as a photographer, because I couldn't think of a more fun and rewarding way to spend summer, even if it meant long-days in the hot sun and humidity — and that first summer back, frequent sanitizing and tan lines from my face mask. Serena's camp site set up from a trip to Balsam Lake Provincial Park last summer. Serena Austin / Toronto Star Though I've aged out of the summer camp environment, I still love camping: the challenges that come with trying to pack without forgetting anything (which I've never accomplished), pitching a tent, starting a fire and cooking in the dark, the silliness you can get up to once freed from internet access and the beauty of nature. Coming from a Black family where being outdoorsy isn't the norm and getting dirty was to be avoided, I'm the only one that's tried camping and can say it's something I truly enjoy doing, but my early introduction to the activity broadened my perspective and has given me an appreciation for the outdoors that's still with me and that I want to share. One day, I hope I'll be able convince my family to come camping with me. In the meantime though, I've gone camping each summer over the last three years, challenging myself to visit more campsites with more friends and loved ones each year. This summer, I'm especially excited to introduce a group of high school friends to camping for the first time — and I hope they'll fall for it the way I did. Summer camp gave me so much more than just a place to play — it gave me friendships, confidence, and a sense of independence. Every year, thousands of kids in Toronto have the chance to experience that feeling, thanks to programs like the Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund. If you can, supporting those efforts helps make sure more kids get to find their own special place away from home — just like I did. DONATE NOW The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund How to donate: Online: To donate by Visa, Mastercard or Amex using our secure form. By cheque: Mail to The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, 8 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5V 0S8 By phone: Call 647-250-8282 Tax receipts will be issued. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Instagram: @torontostarchildrenscharities Facebook: @thetorontostarchildrenscharities X: @TStarCharities LinkedIn: The Toronto Star Children's Charities TikTok: @torstarchildrenscharity #StarFreshAirFund
Rhyl Journal
01-05-2025
- General
- Rhyl Journal
On This Day: Prestatyn teenager earns place on UK youth council
NSPCC ChildLine volunteer Katie Balmer, 17, of Rhewl, was one of just ten Girl Guide representatives from across the country on the British Youth Council. The organisation has played a significant role in leading the fight against period poverty and female genital mutilation, as well as contributing to the successful campaign against topless Page Three models in The Sun. Miss Balmer, a sixth form pupil at Denbigh's Myddelton College, expressed her enthusiasm for the role, stating, "I've always wanted to help young people, especially young women, and give them a voice and I'm passionate about politics." She added, "That's why I applied and the school have been very supportive and encouraged me to put myself forward." The selection process involved an interview, and she was thrilled to be accepted. "Now I'm just looking forward to playing a part in working with young people to campaign for change and for issues that affect them," she said. Having joined the Girl Guides as a Brownie at the age of seven, Miss Balmer currently attends weekly meetings at Henllan Village Hall as a Young Leader. Additionally, she serves as a switchboard operator for ChildLine in Prestatyn, taking calls from often distressed young people and directing them to appropriate help. "I don't believe there's enough support for young people with mental health issues and as a Youth Council delegate I want to champion mental health through creating awareness and improving support," she remarked. Encouraged by her headmaster, Mr Andrew Allman, to get involved on the switchboard, she acknowledged the challenges but felt a sense of purpose in helping others. Mr Allman said, "Leadership is a very important part of our sixth form programme and we try hard to allow our students to gain valuable experience in preparation for our UCAS programme." He expressed delight at Miss Balmer's initiative in establishing a pupil monitoring and support system, stating, "It has been wonderful to work alongside her in establishing such an important system to support the psychological well-being of our students." Miss Balmer anticipated attending her first Council meeting in London once the current coronavirus lockdown ended and hoped to pursue a degree in Politics after her A-levels next summer. This article was first published in the Rhyl Journal on May 1, 2020.
7NEWS
28-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- 7NEWS
Hurry: Modibodi's flash sale is here, save up to 50 per cent on life-changing period wear
It's time to upgrade your underwear drawer. Modibodi — the Aussie brand that's completely changed the way we do periods, leaks and life – is throwing a huge flash sale. Right now, you can score up to 50 per cent off sitewide across their bestselling underwear, swimwear, activewear, teen collections and more. Whether you're after leak-proof everyday essentials, swimwear that's actually practical, or activewear that moves with you (without fear of accidents), this sale is your chance to stock up for a lot less. But hurry — with prices like these, pieces are bound to sell out fast. What to shop Sensual Hi Waist Bikini, was $35.99, now $26.99 Classic Full Brief, was $35.99, now $26.99 Teen Hipster Bikini, $25.99, now $19.49 Teen Hipster Boyshort, was $26.99, now $20.24 Seamfree Bikini in black, was $36.99, now, $27.74 Seamfree Bikini in nude, was $36.99, now $27.74 Seamfree Thong, was $33.99, now $25.49 Seamfree Full Brief, was $46.99, now $35.24 Why Aussies love Modibodi Since 2013, Modibodi has been on a mission to make changing the world as easy as changing your underwear. And judging by the brand's loyal fanbase (not to mention their global success), they've done just that. At the heart of Modibodi's appeal is their life-changing technology – think patented, market-leading designs that offer real protection from periods, leaks, sweat and more. But it's not just about function. Every piece is thoughtfully designed to feel comfortable, look stylish and empower wearers to live more freely, without fear of accidents or waste. Modibodi's commitment to sustainability also strikes a chord with Aussie shoppers. By offering a reusable alternative to disposable products, the brand is helping reduce landfill and giving people a feel-good way to look after both themselves and the planet. It's no surprise that 'life-changing' is the phrase most often used by Modibodi customers, because once you experience the comfort, confidence and freedom, there's no going back. Girl Guides Australia Periods don't pause adventures – and neither should girls. Managing periods at camp or a sleepover can be one of the biggest anxieties for young girls – in fact, a recent survey by Girl Guides Australia revealed that 68 per cent worry about it, and almost a third have skipped activities altogether because of it. That's why Modibodi has teamed up with Girl Guides Australia to launch their 'Periods Don't Pause Adventures' campaign, designed to empower young girls to live fearlessly, no matter the time of the month. From a Teen Sleepover Hub packed with supportive resources, to the rollout of Period Point Wash Stations at every Girl Guide camp, to a brand-new Modibodi — Period Prepared Badge, this partnership is about smashing the stigma and giving girls the tools (and leak-proof products) they need to take on life with confidence. Because when girls get to participate in camps, sleepovers and challenges, studies show they gain crucial life skills, boost their resilience and build a stronger sense of wellbeing. With Modibodi, periods no longer have to get in the way of life's biggest adventures.
Telegraph
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Peter Purves on his affair with Valerie Singleton: ‘To be fair, it was only one night'
Peter Purves noticed the smoke on the TV monitors first. 'They were showing a close up of the Girl Guides singing 'If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands' and not looking not too happy,' he tells me, sun streaming through the windows of his 500-year-old cottage in Suffolk where he has lived with his second wife Kathryn Evans, an actress, for more than 20 years. 'And then we turned and realised that the little fire was now quite a real one, and something would need to be done.' Indeed: in what has become one of the most infamous moments in children's TV history, a live Girl Guide campfire-singing session in the Blue Peter studio in 1971 was suddenly threatening to engulf the Television Centre in flames. As black smoke filled the studio, Purves and his fellow presenters John Noakes and Valerie Singleton stood in front of the fire in a vain attempt to disguise what was happening, while the spluttering, coughing Guides gamely sang on. 'There was a fireman standing by in the wings, and I watched him smooth back his hair before picking up his extinguisher and rushing into shot,' remembers Purves with a chuckle. 'Of course, health and safety would never allow that today. Johnnie would never be allowed to climb Nelson's Column [in flares, without a harness, to clean off some pigeon poo, in 1977] that sort of thing. It was all very risky. You'd never get stuff like that on TV now.' Purves, 86, and still sounding exactly like the debonair presenter who demonstrated the wonders of cordless phones and Ford V8 racing cars with the gung-ho enthusiasm of a nerdy science teacher to millions during his 11-year stint on Britain's longest-running children's TV programme, is lamenting the end of an era. Last month Blue Peter, which first aired on BBC One in 1958, announced it was ditching the live broadcast format to become a fully pre-recorded, watch-on-demand TV show. It's a small but also seismic change, bringing down the final curtain on a golden epoch in children's entertainment epitomised by the show's plucky ambition, in which upright presenters with cut-glass accents took ridiculous risks on live TV, and in which things sometimes went spectacularly wrong. The moment Lulu the baby elephant refused to play ball and dragged her keeper to the ground while defecating all over the studio. The moment Val crashed a speed boat on the Thames. The moment Purves once dried up while live and had to request a script from the stage manager. Given how mad some of the stunts were – Valerie once took a lion with her to the shops – it's staggering how much in fact went right. 'You had to be very accurate,' says Purves who, along with Noakes and Singleton were known as the dream team, presenting without autocues or ear pieces throughout much of the 1970s and somehow surviving intact; Purves left the show in 1978. 'We didn't have the budget to not record live. I do think the edge goes off someone when they aren't under some degree of pressure, having to do it in the correct time and not waffling about and wasting shots.' Purves, who was also the voice of Crufts for 41 years, until 2020, is trying his hardest not to lapse into 'things were so much better back then' nostalgia. 'I certainly can't comment on the professionalism of people working today in the business, even though I have views, because it's a totally different scene,' he says of an industry equally beset by budget problems but with seemingly less vision and definitely far greater technology at its disposal. Nevertheless, it's not easy. Blue Peter still attracts around 100,000 viewers per episode but during the 1970s and 1980s, children up and down the land were practically brought up on its daring, often chaotic mix of factual entertainment, exotic on-location reports and epic DIY craft-making sessions. It was a time in which children collected milk bottle tops for charity, competed for Blue Peter badges and watched agape as Anthea Turner modelled a Thunderbirds Tracy Island out of yogurt pots – the episode proved so popular the BBC issued an instruction booklet. 'It insisted on not talking down to children,' says Purves, who was initially told off by the show's indomitable producer Biddy Baxter for being too 'school mastery'. 'We never asked for money. Biddy also believed that every child who watched it must be able to contribute in some way, particularly to the Blue Peter appeals, be it old plugs or old socks, whatever was lying around the house. Children never felt, oh I can't do that because I don't have the money. It was a brilliant vision – we were the first great recyclers. Even if it was your mum's birthday we showed them they could make her a card. Although I never did 'the makes'. I made a pig's ear once of an underwater city and I was never asked to do that again.' Instead Purves demonstrated things, 'the more serious stuff,' he says, and 'items about dogs', while Noakes tended to do the daredevil stunts. Although Purves points out he did once walk the cable of the Forth Bridge without a carabiner and climbed Snowdonia in a snowstorm. He was also known for his style, having ditched the 'Norwegian' knitted jumpers he'd been forced to wear when he first joined the show in 1967 ('I hated them. I stuck them out for nearly a year and then they let me wear what I wanted'). Instead he adopted what became his trademark sideburns and flamboyant shirts. 'I think I was even called a fashion icon at one point, which I was flattered by,' he says. Today he is in a rather more prosaic maroon jumper and slacks. The show attracted its criticisms. 'Some would dismiss it as middle-class rubbish. But why couldn't it be middle class? Most people are middle class, basically. But there are lots of working class kids too and we encompassed them very well. We got involved in things children did or could do or would enjoy and they enjoyed it vicariously through us.' For his part Purves had a whale of a time, particularly off camera, getting smashed on duty free Jack Daniels with Noakes while filming in Morocco ('I was convinced the next day I was going to be fired'), knocking back homemade hooch in Norway and perusing sex shops in Copenhagen with the camera man. Oh, and flirting with Valerie Singleton, with whom he had a brief fling. Singleton revealed the affair in 2008, saying she liked 'the pirate type. And men who give me what I call BSE – a big sexual experience.'' Purves beams a bit at this, like a Cheshire cat. 'To be fair it was only one night,' he says. 'And there was never any sexual tension on screen. We've remained great friends. Although we also used to fall out all the time. Val was/is extremely high maintenance. She always expected people to do things for her. She'd be sitting in the studio writing letters and call an assistant to 'get me an envelope'. Occasionally she would get under my skin. We were in Mexico once and we weren't speaking. We only spoke to each other through John, I can't remember why.' Purves still works occasionally as an actor – he appeared in 41 episodes of Doctor Who as the Doctor's first companion Steven Taylor in 1965-66 and has often appeared in panto (including for years with Noakes before Noakes' death in 2017). Last year he toured in a production of A Christmas Carol with his friend and former Doctor Who star Colin Baker and hopes to do so again this year. He still adores dogs – during his stint he adopted the Blue Peter German Shepherd Petra – and currently owns three Daschunds, including a 14-week-old puppy. His house is beautiful, all Tudor beams and rackety staircases, elegantly decorated, with daffodils dancing in the garden, and a clock chiming every half hour. At one point Kathryn, whom he met during a production of Cinderella in 1978 and who he married in 1982 – pops her head in to say hello. He met her while he was still married to his first wife, Gilly, whom he married in 1962 and with whom he has a son Matthew, a first assistant TV director, and Cheo, whom he and Gilly adopted from China as a young child, after Gilly suffered a difficult birth with Matthew. 'We decided that we did not want an 'only' child, and we had both the space and the time for another child, and so we fostered Chéo for eighteen months from the National Children's Home,' says Purves. The couple formally adopted her on her 7th birthday and she now works for the NHS. When she was an adult, Purves and Gilly were estranged from Cheo for many years but have since made up, and Purves sees her regularly. Yet in his 2009 memoir Here's One I Made Earlier, he recounts a rather racier life, admitting to two affairs while filming Doctor Who and hinting at more. He's a bit more demure today when I bring it up. 'I like ladies,' he says. 'I don't know. I went to boarding school [in Blackpool] and ladies were off limits. Maybe I've made up for lost time. Kate and I have been married for 42 years, I was married 17 years the first time, I'm hardly a wastrel. I don't know the rumours.' They are not rumours, they are in your book, I point out. 'Ah, yes,' and that's all he will say. 'I am not being shy, but I feel it is disrespectful to Kate to go into this. I loved the 60s, the world seemed to be a much freer place. It was a time of great music, peace, and fantastic clothes which went on into the 70s and 80s – and I had a great time. I would only apologise if I ever offended anyone, but I hope I didn't.' Purves grew up in Blackpool, where his parents ran a hotel, which, during the war, housed billeted Polish soldiers that had been wounded. Purves describes his childhood there as a happy one: Stanley Matthews owned a nearby hotel and would sometimes come out for a kick about. When he was about nine, his parents moved to a pub in Derbyshire and rather than force him to change schools chose for him to board at his current school. ' I hated being away from home,' he says. 'But at least I learnt to be independent.' He was always determined to become an actor and on leaving school joined a repertory company in Barrow-in-Furness. Doctor Who was his first major TV role and Blue Peter followed soon after, the crown jewel in what was then a booming TV industry for children. He was initially reluctant to join Blue Peter, worried it would take him away from acting, which to a large degree it did. Now he can't help but praise the BBC during that era and the way it shaped childhood for generations of children. 'The output was fantastic,' he says. ' Playschool. Jackanory. Multicoloured Swap Shop. Tony Hart, Record Breakers. John Craven's Newsround. And all on TV every day from about 3.30pm to five to six daily and none of them repeated. Children came out of watching that to seeing the national news at 6pm, which meant they got a broader view of the world. Now, if they want to watch cartoons all day they can, but where is the educational element in that? We have so many channels and most of them are watched by one man and his dog. What's the point?' He thinks it's not only childhood that has changed, but children themselves. 'I don't think children are content anymore to live through what a presenter is doing on TV in the way they used to. I don't know any young children [he has one grandson, who is 27] so it's hard for me to know. But what I observe is a lack of discipline, and a massive lack of wider knowledge. They don't seem to absorb anything. They don't know where they live, they don't know what the country looks like. Show them a map and they couldn't make head or tail of it. It's not that they are less intelligent, it's just that there is nothing that tells them those things. Of course, what I observe may not be right. Someone my age observes things very differently.' Has he seen Adolescence? 'No, but I know what it's about. And I did see a clip and thought 'what that kid needs is a good slap'. But that's not going to go down very well these days. I'd probably be cut off from the world and cancelled this way and the other. I don't want to say anything that would have that sort of reaction. I could see what it was showing but I don't see it as a piece of education for children, which is what the government is calling for. What, you want everyone to behave like that? Not all children are like that.' He is warming to his theme. 'I'm wary of talking about things I don't know about, but I think there is a lot of over indulgence going on with children today. 'Children are allowed to do things we would never have been allowed to do. I watch young kids with their parents behaving terribly. I think, 'Give them a clip round the ear', tell them 'don't do that'. But I can't advocate that. I'd be called some staunch right winger. In fact I used to be a socialist, a Labour voter.' He last voted for Labour in 2001. 'I couldn't vote for them again after the [2005 invasion of Iraq]. I think Blair did awful things with the Gulf War and misled people terribly. I don't forgive him for that. And then the Corbyn era finished it for me.' He's not a particular fan of the Tories either. 'They did massive harm, in the way they dilly dallied on Brexit. It's left everyone saying Brexit was a failure, but it shouldn't have been.' He would prefer not to say, though, how he voted in the recent election. 'I prefer to keep my politics private. I've argued with a lot of people in my industry who tend to be left wing. And left-wing views make for very good dramas, which I accept and understand and have enjoyed. But I don't go with the woke thing, that sticks in the craw, everything that has happened in that way is an anathema. I can't cope with the pronouns, for instance. And I really don't understand where [this militancy] has come from. I've a lot of gay friends, more gay than straight, and my daughter is in a gay relationship. None of this has ever before been a problem.' Purves is a man who knows the world has changed and who is aware some of his views might not chime with modern sensibilities. He worries what people might think of him. But he has also been hurt. In 2021 he was sacked inelegantly by Channel 4 from Crufts, having first started presenting the programme in 1971 when it was broadcast by the BBC. 'I was very, very angry that they did that. I'm certain ageism was the reason, although my voice hasn't changed at all' [he'd often commentate off camera]. The reason given was that they wanted a sports presenter. 'What for?' Does he think the TV industry is frightened of having old people in front of the camera? 'Yes. Because we know a lot.' He got his own back by becoming brand ambassador for the pet joint supplement brand YuMOVE, presenting a show for them at Crufts in 2020 via their social media channels. He certainly knows an inordinate amount about dogs, and is sniffy about the vogue for cross breeds: his personal favourite is a Newfoundland. 'People talk about labradoodles and I've got nothing against them, but there is no standard by which to judge them,' he says. Does he think the Dangerous Dogs Act is a good piece of legislation? 'I don't think it's applied fiercely enough. But it is the owners who are mainly to blame, not the dogs themselves. Some breeds are unfairly maligned: people think Staffordshire Terriers are bullies but they are really nice dogs with lovely temperaments. But there have always been idiots looking after animals. Any dog can bite – it is up to the owners to stop them doing so.' He's pleasant company, courteous and welcoming, and keen to remain productive. He has recently been offered three parts in films that are still waiting on funding. And he still thinks Blue Peter has a future although he is quick to say he doesn't watch children's TV today and therefore feels unable to comment on its overall quality. 'I think the values Biddy instilled in Blue Peter are still in place,' he says. 'Which is in essence a TV show that aims to entertain children from between the ages of 7-12, to not tell lies, and to teach them something about the world along the way. These are good values and they ought to be promoted.' He's more concerned about the future of TV itself. The industry in which he made his name and which gave so much to so many has changed beyond recognition. 'Of course, children watch TV in very different ways today. It's a funny business. TV is great for live sporting events but I'm not sure what else. To be honest I don't know where TV's place in society is anymore.'
Telegraph
13-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Five ways to tie a neckerchief without looking like a Girl Guide
Hands up who spent this winter wearing a snuggly knitted triangle scarf. Popular with women of all ages (I am a fan, as is my mum, who is in her seventies), they've been hugely successful and with good reason, being both practical – warm for indoors and out – as well as a stylish way to pep up even the most plain outfit. So this summer, will we be embracing the lightweight alternative, the cotton neckerchief? And if so, how do we do that while avoiding looking like a Girl Guide, or even a cowboy? (For the record, neither of these style references is a bad one in my book, but we don't want to stray into fancy dress territory, do we?) As well as being a very affordable wardrobe update, which also makes them a great gift, there are seemingly endless ways to wear them, meaning you can get lots of looks out of just a small piece of fabric. You could even make your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started… The double triangle Block printed scarf, £18, by Humphries & Begg; organic cotton 'Cleo' T-shirt, £65, by Toast If you got hooked on the knitted triangle scarf this winter, this may well be the look for you. It's very straightforward with a cotton triangle scarf – simply knot it at the back – but if you can find a square big enough, like this one, you can create a double triangle for bonus neckwear points. I like wearing the point of my scarf at the front rather than the back, especially if it boasts a beautiful print like this one, as it means I can enjoy looking at it rather than just leaving that pleasure to anyone walking behind me. Humphries & Begg has a lovely selection of neck scarves, designed by founder Alice Begg in Stroud, then printed onto cotton in Jaipur, India. The cowboy knot Cotton bandana, £49, by Toast; organic cotton striped 'Hannah' tee, £55, by Ivy; linen 'Saltings' trousers, £65.95, by Seasalt Cornwall; leather trainers, £150, by D-Stock by Grenson Head to YouTube or Instagram, and you'll find a plethora of videos of women demonstrating imaginative, and often rather complicated, ways to tie your neckerchief. My favourite, however, is this simple one that I found on a vintage menswear account. If your scarf is a small square, fold it into a triangle first to gain maximum length. Then fold or roll it into a long, thin strip, and loop a knot into one end where it will sit at your neck. Pass the other end through the loop, and pull to tighten. This technique works really well with the smaller, bandana style scarfs, but I love the effect that this longer triangle style gives; you could leave the triangle point loose at the back to show off more of this lovely illustration. Tying a scarf can sometimes be time consuming, but if you leave the knot in place once you've perfected it, you can throw it on easily next time you want to wear it. The collar Brushed cotton scarf with frill, £40, Ira & Isla; T-shirt, £65, by Toast; linen 'Mabel' trousers, £119, by Beyond Nine; leather shoes, £180, by Dr Martens There's nothing wrong with a straightforward top-to-toe navy outfit like this one, but the addition of a neckerchief can liven it up a bit if that's the mood you're in. Choose a scarf with a fancy finish, and it can double as a removable collar-style. This scarf is technically from a kidswear brand, but Ira and Isla's founder Jasleen Kaur, a former womenswear designer, tells me that its accessories are just as popular with adults. I love the frill detail on this soft brushed cotton scarf, which, when added with the tartan, will transform even the most plain outfit into something a bit more special. The tie Cotton blue checkerboard scarf, £32, by TBCo; striped 'Sea Path; shirt, £62.95 (on sale for £37.95), by Seasalt Cornwall This one feels a bit like a pussy bow, but less frothy, and looks especially good with a heavyweight, oversized denim shirt, particularly if you're wearing that with some matching jeans. However, I couldn't resist this pattern clash today. Roll your scarf up (remember to make it into a triangle first if it's a small, square one), then feed it through the top and second buttons of your shirt. Secure in place with a single knot and allow the loose ends to fall like a tie. This scarf is from TBCo, a Scottish brand whose triangle wool scarves were a sell out this winter more than once. In May, it is launching a collection of illustrated cotton neckerchiefs with matching T-shirts. The classic kerchief Organic cotton hand dyed bandana, £20, by Indigo Wares; organic cotton reversible dress, £100, by Damson Madder It's great that there are so many different ways to wear a scarf, but sometimes the tried-and-tested methods work the best. A simple knot at the side of the neck, for example, is quick and easy and always looks great. While I love the neckerchief's ability to add interest to my hard-working basics – plain white tees, cashmere sweaters and denim shirts work especially well with the addition of a scarf – I'm not averse to the idea of wearing one with a dress, even if that's a busy one with stripes, shirring and puffy sleeves. The key is to keep to the same or a similar colour palette. Founder of Indigo Wares, Lisa Reddings, tells me that this scarf was created on her friend's natural dye farm in Uttarakhand, India using madder root.
