DR. EILEEN DE VILLA’ S SCARF

Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, owns a lot of scarves. Her enthusiasm for colourful neckwear has been chronicled, unintentionally, by the regular morning news conferences in which she has participated since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

From bold floral patterns to watercolour designs to small decorative owls, the designs on the scarves have been consistently bold and memorable, and she seems to never wear the same one twice. Like Don Cherry’s garish plaid sportcoats, patterned scarves are de Villa’s trademark. The look is so beloved it has even inspired a Twitter account in tribute.

Although it might seem odd that a municipal public health authority could become a minor fashion icon, it’s entirely typical of the times. In the midst of a global pandemic, we’re all anxiously tuning in to hear what experts and leaders have to say, and these morning- update broadcasts of the kind de Villa has been delivering are a critical lifeline during a time of crisis.

Despite having a j ob that many people didn’t even know existed a month ago, de Villa has become a household name. It only makes sense that at this time, we’d be paying her unusually close attention.

Getting dressed up, meanwhile, seems like a relic of another era, and in a way, the satisfaction of watching someone don scarf after scarf is fundamentally vicarious. Remember when we had occasions for which we had to put on outfits? Remember when we didn’t wear sweatpants 24/ 7? Remember scarves?

For her part, de Villa seems to appreciate the attention her scarves have been receiving, especially if it encourages Canadians to take pleasure in social distancing. Dress up on your own, and look good in self- isolation. Or as she put it herself, in a refrain that’s become something of a rallying cry: “Stay home and wear your scarf.”