A Guide to Styling Scarves
When it comes to accessories, scarves have earned their place as a must-have accessory in any women’s wardrobe. Perhaps it’s because of the famous women who brought them to the silver screen or simply due to the fact that they’re so functional. For example, watch any Audrey Hepburn movie and you’ll see her with a scarf tied tightly around her neck like a bow tie, or Grace Kelly with a scarf draped over her head with some chunky sunglasses as if hiding her identity from the paparazzi, essentially saying, “Don’t look at me. I’m too fabulous.” While there are so many types of scarves, there are just as many ways to wear them. If you’ve wanted to take advantage of this essential fashion item but are unsure of how to style it, check out our guide to draping, knotting, and twisting your scarf into an accessory brought to life by fashion royalty.
Tie It in the Front
The most obvious way to wear a scarf is to simply drape it evenly around your neck and just let it hang. But that won’t do much in terms of keeping you warm or decorating your neckline. So take it a step further and tie it into a knot. It could be tied tightly — Audrey style — if it is a smaller silk or satin scarf. Or it could be tied loosely and fluffed if it is a thicker, longer scarf for an effortless look. This is a classic look for winter scarves, too, especially when paired with a long wool winter coat.
Drape It and Belt It
This style resembles the look of a lightweight vest. Simply drape a wide scarf around your neck so that both sides hang evenly. Let each side lay flat on your chest. Then tie a skinny belt around it at your waist. You’ll want to wear something somewhat snug underneath it, like a long-sleeved T-shirt or women's tunic top, and some skinny jeans or leggings. It looks great with some leather riding boots, too.
Loop It Around Your Neck
This effortless look actually takes a little bit of effort. It’s easy enough, however, as long as you don’t loop it too tightly. Simply hang the scarf around your neck, but make sure the ends hang unevenly. The short end should be hanging at your chest area. Then, take the opposite (longer) end, and loop it around your neck twice. Let it hang, and you’re all set. You can even choose to tie the two ends off to the side if you want a chunkier look. Feel free to tuck the knot under if you don’t like it showing.
You can also use the loop method in a different way where the loose ends hang down the front of your neck instead of being tied. Simply drape the scarf around your neck evenly, then fold it in half so that the scarf is half as long as it normally is. Next, drape it around your neck. You’ll now have two ends: a looped end and an end that has the two loose scarf ends. Take the side with the loose scarf ends and pull them through the looped end. Voila!
Wrap It Up
Scarves can make great wraps, which are super convenient when you’re invited to an impromptu video call when your comfy work from home clothes are more on the comfy side than the professional side. Wraps are also mega cozy when the temperatures drop. First, treat your scarf like a shawl, with the fabric spread out and wrapped around your shoulders evenly. Leave one end alone. Then take the other end and toss it over your opposite shoulder. Done!
Make it a “Neckerchief”
Not just a fashion statement but also a great substitution for a face mask, the neckerchief will be a popular scarf style this year. First, fold it in half twice so that it is the shape of a rectangle or even a square. Fold the square or rectangle diagonally into a triangular shape. Then take the two long ends of the triangle and tie them together around your neck. Now, twist it around so the tied side is in the back of your neck. If you’re using this method to pull up as a face mask, just make sure it isn’t too loose and that the fabric isn’t too see-through. A great test to ensure it will prevent the spread of germs is to pull it up over your nose and mouth, light a candle and then see if you can blow it out. If you can blow it out, you probably should try a scarf made of a thicker material.
Make a Figure 8
This intricate style is a fashionable way to style up a basic long-sleeved comfy T-shirt. You’ll want to make sure the scarf is on the thinner side for this though, as you don’t want it to look too chunky. First, fold the scarf in half before draping it around your neck. You’ll have a loop on one side, and the two ends will hang together on the other side. Take those two loose ends and feed them through the loop together. Next, twist the loop. This will create a second hole. Feed the bottom end of the scarf through that second hole. Now you can fluff it or adjust it accordingly, as tight or loose as you like.
Whether during winter, spring, summer, or fall, there are loads of ways you can style a scarf to make it both fashionable and functional.