Isadora Duncan died for hers, or at least because of it. Grace Kelly caused a front-page stir with hers in 1956 (Hermès, of course) when she used it as a sling for her broken arm. In the book-soon-to-be-film The Devil Wears Prada, the devil - aka the editor of the leading woman's fashion magazine - never leaves the house without hers flying proudly from the handle of her handbag. From dance to dash, the silk scarf is a powerful style tool, but it's even more powerful when taken out of its confines and used with a touch of invention.

"Scarves are about expressing yourself," says scarf designer Jane Carr. "Turning your boyfriend's shirt into something sassy - you can throw a 'Skinny' around your neck, sling it around your hips, or tie it to your waist. It's all about how you're feeling." Carr even likes tying her scarves to the mast of a boat and watching them blow in the summer breeze, but is equally happy to take one of her new Ladies' Cravats (a long, narrow scarf with pleats at the centre) and tie it bandeau-style as a flirty top above shorts.