I have always admired a woman who knows how to tie a scarf. French women are experts. I think it's genetic. When I was living in Paris, I really tried. But the results of my scarf tying would end up making me look as if I had just had neck surgery. No amount of trying in front of a mirror, no amount of working with my friend Pauline, another American in Paris without the requisite gene pool, could produce the right effect. I gave up. I did, however, keep a couple of scarves that my French friends gave to me, Looking back I wonder if they were taunting me - ensuring that every time I went in my closet, I would be reminded at the superiority of all French women.

A couple of week ago I had this overwhelming desire to wear a scarf. I reached for one of my French gifts and throw it around my upper shoulders. "Voila," I said out loud. And that must have been the magic ingredient missing for many years. The scarf looked good. The next day, I tried another scarf with a different outfit. It looked amazing. Gave me that pulled together look that all French women have. I went out and bought another scarf. Again, success.

Now you might imagine that this is not a very important accomplishment, but, there comes an age where scarves are very important to women. And I am right at that age. So, maybe American scarf tying genes develop slower than French ones and I just had to be patient to reach this moment. I also think saying the word voila could be the extra secret ingredient. Try it. Let me know how it goes for you. I am going to be busy tying scarves to ensure I don't lose the magic touch.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive