The most popular question I get from blog readers and clients is how to wear a scarf. Everyone wants to wear one but few know how to. Scarves being great work accessories, I thought I’d focus today’s blog in this series all about scarves, how to choose them, how to wear them and, most importantly, how to tie them.
How to choose scarves
The first question you need to ask yourself is if you are a scarf person. While many clients and readers ask me about wearing scarves, few consider first if scarves are for them. There seems to be this obligatory feeling amongst women that scarves are crucial in every woman’s wardrobe. The truth is they’re not. If you’ve wound a scarf around your neck only to remove it shortly after tying it or have found it fussy, then forcing yourself to wear one may not be the right thing to do. Many women work in professions where scarves get in the way, feel cumbersome or just not right. So ask yourself first if scarves are your thing before you invest.
Next, body shape should be considered, particularly if you have a short neck. To find out if your neck is short, without any effort or strain drop your chin to your chest. If you can easily rest your chin on your chest, again without any effort (this isn’t an exercise if flexibility), then your neck is short. Scarves tied in a choker style or wound tightly around the neck will make short necks look even shorter; longer scarves that hang loosely around the neck are a better option. Additionally, if you have a large bust-line be careful just how bulky your scarves are when they hang. Lord knows a large chest doesn’t need additional bulk.
Print-wise, just like prints you wear in your tops and dresses, the contrast found in the prints of your scarves should be considered. Read more here about contrast to fully understand this principle, but, generally speaking, scarves are worn right near your face and the print of the scarf shouldn’t wash your out or drown you out.
Lastly, I want to touch on shape. While a square shaped scarf is a beloved work scarf shape, personally, I find it very challenging to work with. Longer, rectangular scarves are much more versatile. If you’re new to the scarf world start with rectangles, not squares.
How to wear a scarf
Here are some looks I put together where I finished the outfit with a scarf. There is a side-by-side comparison of the same outfit, styled with and without a scarf, to show just how much of a difference the addition of scarves can make as outfit finishers.
Look #1
A pair of tailored pants, like these by Boden, and a basic top, like this one from J. Crew, is a typical outfit for most business casual environments. With the addition of a scarf, like this one from Kate Spade, the outfit has a finished look and the whole outfit gets elevated. To further bring in the red, I added red ballerina flats by Bloch. For an unexpected punch, and so the outfit isn’t completely matchy-matchy, I added a yellow handbag from Bodhi. The outfit is finished with simple silver earrings by Roberta Chiarella and a bracelet by Blu Bijoux.
Look #2
A scarf can easily revive a dress and give it a fresh look. Here I used a BCBG scarf to add a punch of color to a basic brown dress. The beauty of adding a scarf to a dress that is in a neutral shade is that any color scarf will work. Many women often feel washed out in neutral shades. A scarf is a way to bring color near the face in place of a colorful necklace. To finish the outfit, I chose a comfortable pair of Rockport pumps, a Vince Camuto handbag and simple Gold Marquis earrings.
Look #3
A printed scarf does not just have to be worn with solids. This printed scarf from Modcloth adds some playfulness to a more traditional tweed skirt, like this one from J. Crew, and works beautifully with the scoop neck oxblood top, also from Modcloth. Scarves are a great way to accessorize and add warmth around the neck as the weather gets cooler. To further the retro feel, I belted the top with a grey belt from Nordstrom and finished the outfit with navy kitten heel pumps from Fitzwell, a burgundy Mango tote and gray Stella & Dot earrings.
How to tie a scarf
The reason most women don’t wear scarves is they don’t know how to tie them. If you are looking for resources, Hermes has an IOS app called Silk Knots that you can download to learn some ways to tie scarves. And for a quick tutorial, this video is quite possibly the best video on scarf tying I’ve ever seen. I only wish I came up with it. Here are 25 ways to tie a scarf in 4.5 minutes
