Writing and Photography by Rachel Gorman-Cooper
As-cot. Ass-caught. Ascot!
What is it, and more importantly- who wears it? I’ll give you a hint- sailors sport it, but so do grandmas at the zoo. Scooby Doo’s Fred Jones rocks a red one, while Daphne flaunts a yellow one. Have you got an image yet?
The ascot is any sort of scarf tied around someone’s neck. In the past year, the accessory has changed my life- believe it or not.
When I was young, I despised anything that touched my neck: turtlenecks, fitted t shirts, collared shirts, mock necks, necklaces, scarves, you name it. Neck-accessories were the equivalent of boa constrictors, suffocating me while I watched powerless. Something between then and now changed, and I’m unsure of when or why that was. But I have an insatiable craving for ascots in my everyday outfits, and I plan to resolve that.
I believe that ascots are overlooked for their odd specificity. However, this is an asset, not a shortcoming. Ascots are less of an accessory than tote bags are, but they are more of a clothing item than jewelry is. Ascots dress you up, but they don’t quite clash with a dressed-down outfit. Picture yourself in sweats and a t-shirt, sneakers if you will. Now add an ascot. As you can see, ascots are the awkward in-betweens that we seek to add to our everyday outfits.
Unlike other dress-up items, the ascot doesn’t beg the wearer to transform other aspects of their outfit, or intrude upon casualness, suggesting too much of a contrast. The ascot minds its own business, but it eavesdrops enough to match the energy of the rest of the outfit.
You’re probably thinking- why do I care so much about ascots? I suppose that my love of the accessory is somewhat a mission. I want everyone, not just prepsters, the elderly, and fictional characters, to embrace the ascot. I feel an overwhelming sense of embarrassment and fear when I plan to wear one to class- a sign that the ascot has stigma. Help me to remedy this; wear an ascot, and wear it proudly. Mix up the colors, tie it around your ankle for all I care. Just grab that scarf, and go to town.
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