Ask a Stylist: how to wear scarves

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I have drawers full of scarves, many of which I love but never wear. Please tell me how to make more use of them.

You are not alone. Many women stockpile scarves yet only wear one or two, at best. I have seen this many times with clients. Scarves are an easy buy, as you don’t need to be a certain dress size or shape (although, more on that later). Often, we buy a new scarf because the colour or print appeals or because it can be an inexpensive pep-up, like a lunchtime lipstick purchase, or we receive it as a gift. And so the mountain grows year on year.

The first thing to tackle is how to store them. Never stash in an under-bed drawer — you may as well tip everything out and get rid of it all, because you only wear the things you can see easily. Also, avoid keeping scarves in large baskets or drawers (the only exception being if you are using drawer separators, then they can work), and don’t just pile them on shelves and hope for the best.

Instead, get yourself a scarf hanger — ingenious little devices with circular holes. This one from the Futon Company is great and will keep the moths off (£9, futoncompany.co.uk). If you need more firepower, try this multitasker from A Place for Everything (£8.55 on sale, aplaceforeverything.co.uk). Alternatively, you can use a towel ladder, as I do, and tie your scarves in groups so that you can see them all at once. I suggest putting similar colours together and then organising by length, so you can grab and go.

How many scarves do we really need? Unless you are wearing them every day to work or need them for an outdoor job, the optimal number is about seven or eight. I recommend two silk thin-rectangle scarves, one or two squares (silk is also best here), a couple of lightweight wool or cashmere ones — rectangular or large square — and a very warm, cosy scarf in any shape you like for the handful of frosty days we get each year. These shapes are the easiest to style.

Now let’s discuss how to wear them. Before we begin, it’s helpful to know whether you have a long, medium or short neck, as this is useful for positioning. If you have a long neck, like the model Erin O’Connor, you can tie a scarf as high as you like and wrap it round as many times as you wish. If it’s more like medium, leave a sliver of flesh showing from the chin to the Adam’s apple so you aren’t covering all of your neck.

Women with shorter necks look best with scarves tied low so that you can see the whole neck. But avoid a very low tie that hits the bust if you have a full bosom, as it can make it look even bigger. And try to match the print size to your frame so that it’s not at odds with the natural scale of your body.

In terms of styling, I favour the very French and utterly timeless look of a silk square, folded into a triangle then folded again down the long end, and secured around the neck with a knot. If you can’t be bothered with the faff, print specialist Pucci has added a little loop to its silk scarves to hold everything in place (£165, net-a-porter.com). A similar look is achieved by using a long thin-rectangle scarf and take it once around the neck, leaving the two ends free. I adore Bella Singleton’s prints — check out her Ivy scarf in popping colours (£140, bellasingleton.com).

Toteme’s sharp geometric silk square is great, too (£160, net-a-porter.com). Try it tucked into a white shirt, over a crewneck knit or, dare I say it, a T-shirt once the weather warms up, or even over a simple dress. In the same vein, Le Scarf does some fabulous silks (£87, le-scarf.com). Wear this navy number with red, the colour of the season, and do check out Le Scarf’s size guide and ways to wear.

Another version I love (plus it’s handy in a chilly blast) is a smaller square wool scarf; I have a yellow one from Margaret Howell that is super-easy to wear. Extreme Cashmere offers 12 colours in its n°35 Bandana (£151, extreme-cashmere.com). Have a look at the way these types of scarves were styled on the men’s catwalks for spring — see Zegna spring/summer 2024. I am going to be wearing mine slightly askew, just like that. Wear with simple tops, under shirts or over long-sleeve polo necks, just until the weather shifts.

Rejina Pyo’s more substantial offering in baby blue is also delicious — team with navy, burgundy, chocolate brown or yellow (£125, rejinapyo.com). This can be worn so the triangle is at the front, like a highwayman’s mask slipped down. For something neater, try a little snood worn around the neck — Navy Grey has a stylish option (£95, navygrey.co).

Scarf dressing in its boldest form isn’t going away. Grab a large wool scarf and wear it across the shoulders like a wrap. It feels very cocooning and a little bit art teacher. Keep it pulled further into the neck if you have broad shoulders (unless you want to go full fashion and make them look superhero size). If you have narrow shoulders, this is an easy way to build them up. On the high street, Jigsaw has some good options. This intarsia one looks great over a grey, black or neutral coat (£120, jigsaw-online.com). Or you could go massive with Extreme Cashmere’s n°85 Spag long scarf (£551, extreme-cashmere.com).

If you want to accessorise with a scarf but not wear it in the traditional way, tie (a small) one to a wrist, add one to a handbag or use as a belt. And if you really don’t know what to do with it, display it somewhere around the house, like a painting.

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