How To Style Scarf In Winter
How To Style Scarf For Women and Men In Winter

From bright checkered prints to vibrant color-block styles, scarves feel modern and exciting. Typically made in a wool blend, knit, or cashmere fabric, they will provide plenty of warmth, and often add a little luxe, too. Tied over a tailored trench coat and laidback jeans, a rich green scarf, for example, will convey a relaxed off-duty look. Draped over a top and paired with trousers, a solid-colored scarf will lend any look some sophistication. While you contemplate which one to invest in, feel free to tie your cable-knit sweater around your neck for the same outcome.

Scroll on for creative ideas to incorporate these new scarves into your closet, and ahead, meet the styles that are worth taking home.

What is a Scarf?

Can be thin, long, and rectangular: think of a typical winter wool scarf that you wrap around your neck. It can also be square: think of a lady's classic silk scarf or foulard.

In other words, the term is usually used to describe a fabric item that can be wrapped or tied around your neck for warmth and or style. Scarves can be casual or formal and everywhere in-between.

Scarves have been an enduring fashion accessory for hundreds of years, ranging from humble bandannas to luxurious silks. Worn by women around the neck or as a headcover, scarves protect modesty or promote attention. Using basic shapes of cloth, typically triangular, square, or rectangular, scarves lend themselves to a wide variety of ornamentation. Scarves are commonly printed, but the techniques of weaving, batik, painting, and embroidery are also used to create scarf designs.

While the scarf's popularity has fluctuated throughout its history, in certain decades of the twentieth-century scarves were essential fashion items, glamorized by dancers, movie stars, socialites, fashion illustrators, and photographers. Scarves accentuate an outfit, provide a covering for the neck or head, and serve as a canvas for decorative patterns and designers' names.

Most Popular Types of Scarves

1. Regular or Antique Scarf

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: inspireuplift

Regular scarves or old scarves are those in use from many past years and have a rich history. They can be called as the parent scarves of today’s modern cowls, snoods, and infinity scarves. Their shape is more like a rectangular piece with enough material to wrap around your neck at least once.

Regular scarves come in both summer and winter materials, melded with different techniques, and adorned by different types of laces and fringes on the corners. Scarves can even have pockets in the end, based on the maker and brand. The pockets let you keep your valuable things like passport, bank cards, and currency with you, especially during traveling.

2. Cowl

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: deliacreates

A cowl is often confused with hood; however, both terms are different. A cowl is not worn on the head like the hood but around the neck, especially during winters.

If someone asks you, “what is a cowl” you can simply tell them it is sewn fabric for winters, comfortable to wear around the neck without creating a fuss. They have a deeper drape than usual.

Cowls are explicitly designed for winters; hence they are often knitted with wool, jersey, or pashmina materials paired with modern dresses. They are ready-to-use scarves as you don’t have to wrap them around your neck but simply pass the hole through your head, and Tada, you are ready to beat winters.

3. Infinity Scarf

Hearing about an Infinity Scarf for the first time confuses all of us, like if it would have an unlimited piece of cloth to cloak the neck.

Well, that’s not the case.

An Infinity Scarf is also like a cowl neck scarf, however, with a bigger hole that you round not just once around your neck but twice. With a twicer circle, it makes a sign of infinity

It is a sewn piece of cloth with less drape but doubly surrounding the neck. It is also a winter accessory; hence material or fabric used for it is mostly leather or animal skin. Different techniques and styles of knitting are used to make Infinity Scarves. These are so cool and quiet in, in scarf fashion.

4. Snood

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: toonzshop

What is a snood, and how different or similar it is from a cowl?

More or less, the snood definition says that it is like a cowl; however, with a unique feature of a hood. It means the snood is a combo of hood and cowl. You get a piece of fabric to cover your neck as well as your head.

Here, you need to know that no separate cape or hat is attached with the snood, but the fabric has a larger width that easily sits on your neck and covers your head. You need to create a loop to wear it, which is not too tricky as it also comes in the sewn form.

Pair it well with some trendy snow boots, and you are ready to rock on this Christmas and winter

holidays.

5. Triangle Scarf

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: makerist

For the fashion of winters and summers, triangle scarves come in handy. These scarves are more like an accessory of fashion than fabric to keep you from cold or hot.

Due to being a fashion accessory, you can do so many experiments with the material. From net fabric to cotton, or knitted wool to cross-stitched pashmina; get a triangle scarf in any way you like.

As the name suggests, the triangle scarf comes in a triangular shape. Usually, the third angle covers the chest while corners after wrapping around the neck fall on the shoulders.

Male and females both like to carry this type of Scarf; however, females show it off more while males usually keep it under the shirt, and only the upper part gets visible through the collar.

6. Stole/Boa

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: sonnenbrillen

The stole is also like a traditional scarf, but with a narrow width, that shapes exactly like a strip. Stoles are also winter-season scarves that can sit on both or one shoulder. The strap is too long that it can reach towards the knee; however, people also wrap it around their neck if it is winter.

These are mostly made with furs and are very soft and plush in appearance. Mainly, fur stoles and Sherpa socks are carried with clothes during winters to keep from the cold and for

style and fashion as well. However, pre or post-winters, they can be made of silk.

7. Muffler Scarf

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo; time8

The less expensive version of a stole, muffler scarves are almost similar to the furs; however, you can have them in common and less luxurious fabrics such as cotton, wool, or velvet, etc. Another difference here is a muffler can be taken during summers too, but a stole is only a winter thing.

Wearing a muffler is also different than all other types of scarves. For example, usually, Scarf is a piece of cloth that covers the shoulder, neckline, or sometimes head. Contrary to this, you can wear a muffler around your neck, shoulders, and even head or waist.

8. Sarong

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: Sarong

A Sarong Scarf is entirely opposite in function to all other kinds of scarves like a stole, shawl, wrap, boa, tippets, or capes. Sarong is worn around the waistline or hipline to show off bodies on the parties around bays and beaches.

Sarong doesn’t come with any hook and is wrapped around the waist using knots as a piece of the skirt over a bikini. Along with this, it can also be tucked after wrapping. Sarongs are worn around armpits, waistline, and even on the shoulder as a free shawl.

9. Shawls/Blanket Scarf

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo:Ali

The shawl is the largest Scarf you can have, and that’s why people also call it a blanket scarf. They are so bigger in size, rectangular in shape, yet come in diverse materials for winters and summers. Shawls are mostly famous in Islamic culture and middle eastern countries but, not limited to just here.

Calling shawls blankets don’t make them ordinary sheets; in fact, they are more stylish, fashionable, and trendy. To wear a blanket scarf or shawl, you can use different methods like wrapping it around your neck, on the shoulders, as well as covering the hole back.

How To Mix Scarf In Winter For Women

1. Match Scarf With Coat For a Cool Monochrome Winter Look

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: caphillstyle

If there is one accessory that looks cool and saves us from cold winds, then it’s a Winter scarf. There are so many soft and cozy styles you can choose from this year. This year we see scarves in different lengths, colors, and fabrics. Why? It’s all for making them work with our beloved coats. No matter if it’s skinny, oversized, wool, knitted, etc. This accessory can play around with your neck the same as a necklace. There are endless combos and variations you can experiment with. How about creating an illusion as you are wearing a chunky turtleneck under a cozy coat? All you need is to allow the ends to stay inside the coat. This must-have accessory is extremely versatile, just give it a try!

Keep things neutral colored. How about pairing belted cream-beige trench coat with a cotton color-blocking scarf. Complete the look by adding cuffed knee-ripped boyfriend jeans and pointed-toe ankle-strap black glossy flat pumps.

2. Wear Scarf with a Suit

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: shopee

Wearing a scarf with your suit or blazer can add warmth and personality. However, you probably spent a lot of time and effort to find a suit that’s well-tailored and that sends the right message.

You don’t want to just toss on a lumpy scarf that ruins that. Ideally, pick a scarf around 60″ to 75″ — while infinity/loop scarves are popular, you’ll find they give you fewer options, more bulk, and little ability to adjust your look.

When you’re picking a scarf to wear with a suit, there are a number of factors to keep in mind. For instance:

Formality — is it a conservative business suit, a colorful casual suit, or a casual sports jacket? Chunky knits look more relaxed whereas fine knits or woven scarves tend to look more formal.

Fabric weight — while you don’t have to match materials, you should match weights. If it’s a wool winter suit, match it with a warm woven woolen scarf. A lightweight suit pairs well with a silk or linen scarf.

Color and pattern — this goes without saying, however, think complementary rather than matching. Often men think they need a black or gray scarf to match the color of their suit. Scarves give you a chance to add color, contrast, and personality.

3. Tying a Scarf over a Jacket

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: popsugar

This technique is perfect for formal occasions that require a refined look. Fold the scarf in half and wrap it around your neck. Then, pull the ends through the loop created by the folded end and pull them tight to secure the knot. Leave the ends to hang over your jacket. This technique works with any type of scarf.

Wrap the scarf around your neck and loosely cross it over at the end. Then, button up your jacket over the scarf to hold it in place. This looks great with suit jackets, as the scarf adds color to the top of the suit jacket. This technique works best with long scarves.

4. Wear Scarf with a Blazer

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: thecuddl

One thing that I’ve seen this year is that a lot of women have started to pair lightweight scarves with their blazers. Previously, I would have stayed away from this trend. I was uncomfortable in blazers and the idea of pairing the two together seemed intimidating. But since I’ve found a few blazers I love (like my business casual blazer and my sweater blazer), I think it’s a look that I’m ready to try!

There are a handful of ways that you can go about the scarf/blazer combination, so I thought I would go over that.

Wear a scarf in a lighter weight

If you’re pairing your scarf with your blazer, odds are that you’re going for the more aesthetic choice and not the practical one. What do I mean by that? Your chunky, cozy, super warm scarf has no place here. A big scarf takes the risk of overwhelming the rest of your outfit and adding too much bulk to it. Instead, pick a scarf that’s a lighter material (like a lightweight linen or silk scarf). It’ll get you the look that you’re going for without adding too much bulk

Change up the size of your scarf

Your scarf might be lighter weight, but you still have a wide variety of sizes of scarves you can choose from. So switch it up! Try big squares, long skinny scarves, men’s scarves, or a smaller kerchief. Each of these can be tied a different way around your neck, giving you a completely different look each time. Make a scarf knot, drape the scarf loosely around your neck, just have fun with it!

4. Match Your Scarf With Your Handbag and Boots

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: veshionlife

Your bag or shoes should match your pants. In other words, if your pants are black, pick a black pair of shoes/boots with a bag of a different color but that will still be in harmony with the whole color scheme e.g. grey, white, maroon.

Make one of them be of an accent color. This is best done when the whole outfit is of pale hues (e.g. grey shades), and then you pick a red/maroon/green bag while staying on the safe side with the boots, and vice versa.

Pick close shades for both pieces. That means you can wear your favorite light grey bag with the off-white pair of heels that you've always wondered how to wear!

Go wild with both. In this case, you have to first make sure your outfit is very basic and of basic colors as well. For instance, a white dress will always match a red bag with camel ankle boots.

Match your bag with your scarf, and pick a different pair of footwear! For example, if you wear a scarf with yellow strips, match it with the yellow bag you've been longing to wear. Then, try to pick a basic color for your boots and vice versa.

Now, scroll through the images and see how fashion bloggers are mismatching their bags and shoes in the best way possible this fall.

How To Mix Scarf In Winter For Men

1. Wear a Scarf with a Suit

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: dapperconfidential

One way to instantly add polish to your business style is by adding a scarf to a suit. It doesn’t have to be too extravagant; even the simplest scarf can pack a sartorial punch. Do you want the scarf to accentuate the suit or the shirt or sweater that’s underneath?

For starters, think of the color of your suit. If wearing a black, navy, or grey suit, it’s considered neutral and would pair well with many solid-colored scarves in darker shades of green, red, purple, or orange. If your personal style is more conservative, merely draping a solid-colored scarf over your suit jacket in a nice, complementary color is a good start. Additionally, picking out a patterned scarf that shares a similar color to your suit is also a great way to introduce patterns into your business outfits without being overwhelming. Burberry’s iconic plaid scarf, for example, is complementary to a tan suit jacket.

If you want to experiment with patterned scarves on a smaller scale, silk scarves are an excellent place to start. You don’t need to break the bank for a silk scarf either – a decent silk-blend or imitation type fabric would hold up just as well. As previously mentioned, the silk scarf can be tied similar to a cravat or ascot, and the ends tucked into the v-neck of a sweater or a button-down shirt for a really polished, professional look.

A patterned silk scarf is excellent for experimentation because it can introduce multiple colors into an outfit without being too distracting or loud. Visually, a silk scarf takes up such a small space that it won’t draw attention away from the whole outfit, but will center the complete look. If pairing a patterned or solid silk scarf with a suit or sweater, it is best to stick within a color family between your clothing items, which will produce a cohesive effect.

2. Wear a scarf with other accessories

How To Style Scarf In Winter
Photo: jiwaji

Aside from a scarf, men have a handful of other accessories they can wear when putting together an outfit. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Hats
  • Glasses
  • Watches
  • Belts

Wearing multiple accessories at a time might be a little bit of an overload for fashion beginners, so your best bet is to stick to three or four max. If choosing a hat and scarf combination, the possibilities are endless but should be seasonally appropriate. For example, a straw-like hat and linen scarf would not hold up in colder weather, while a beanie and wool scarf would be extra hot during summer, although it’s a fashionable look in spring and fall. Think about the fabric and colors of the hat so that the two accessories suit the outfit. A patterned fedora, for example, would not look so good with a patterned scarf; it would be better to stick to solid colors and neutrals for headgear.

Glasses or sunglasses are harder to pick out because they usually need to fit your face shape. But the standard aviator shape looks great on everyone’s face, regardless of bone structure. Paired with a scarf, this scarf and glasses combination is timeless and classic and exudes cool.

Different Ways to Wear a Winter Scarf

Long Winter Scarves

You could be feeling overwhelmed and wondering how to wear a winter scarf that seems too long.

  • Dress It UpEasy Folded Loop: One of the easiest ways to wear it is to fold it in half first. Then, drape it around your neck. Take the two loose ends and push them through the loop of the folded end of the scarf. Tighten as necessary. You drastically cut down on the apparent length of the scarf, and this is also one of the warmest ways to wear the scarf.
  • Loose Wrap: Another way to wear an average-to-long scarf is to drape it around the front of your neck so that the ends dangle behind you, then criss-cross them in the back and pull them back around to the front. Make sure the scarf is centered.
  • Layered Knot: A longer winter scarf can also look chic in a layered knot. Wrap the scarf around your neck, cross in the back, and then pull the ends to the front and knot. Loosen the wrapped portion of the scarf as needed to be comfortable, and smooth the ends of the scarf so they are hanging down in front, with one end slightly covering the other. The resulting look is a dual-layer around your neck that is both warm and stylish.

You can also make your scarf look more interesting by tying it in front, flattening out the knot and the ends, and scrunching the top of the scarf around the neck as if it were a turtleneck. Stylist Amy Salinger shows you how in one of her YouTube's How to Tie a Winter Scarf videos. For those who prefer a dressier way to wear a cold-weather scarf, this is it.

Loose, Cute, and Casual

A cute casual way to wear your scarf that is anything but boring shows up in that same video. Put the scarf over your neck, keeping the left side slightly longer. Pull the right side through as if you were tying a knot, but don't pull the scarf completely through; leave it in a half knot instead. This creates a cute loop that is similar to a bow. Puff out the loop slightly and straighten the ends of the scarf. This look works best with non-woven scarves; the loop will be too large and dense with a thicker woven scarf.

Pashminas as Winter Scarves

Don't forget about pashminas used as winter scarves. It's not just a boring shawl. You can wrap one end around your neck and throw one end over your shoulder. If you feel like adding even more color to your attire, wear two at once for a layered look and a lot of warmth. You can also find embellished pashminas to wear with your evening wear.

Sleek and Slimming

Colder weather requires bulkier clothing, but you can use your scarf to create a slimming look by tying it in a loose false knot look just above the waist. Start with the scarf at equal lengths on either side of the neck, then tie a loose knot on only one side of the scarf about halfway down. Pull the other side of the scarf into the side of the knot, tighten slightly, and then center just above the waist. This look creates a narrower focal point at the knot, and a sleek vertical line, both of which work to give a sleek and slimming illusion. For a pictorial version of this scarf style, Scarves.com step-by-step False Knot. You can also slide the knot up or down depending on where you want it to fall to change the look. On a warmer day, you may want the knot further down; colder days may inspire you to push the knot up closer to your neck for extra warmth.

Additional Scarf Pairings

  • For a casual look, you can pair a matching beanie with your scarf. Do you want something a bit more sophisticated? Try a matching beret instead. If you know how to knit or crochet, you can make your own from matching yarn lots. If not, you can find matching sets almost anywhere you can find scarves.
  • When you wear a coat with your scarf, you have the option to leave the ends free or tuck them in. Tuck them in so that just the turtleneck illusion peeks out of the top or show off the whole length of a beautiful scarf by leaving them free. Allowing the ends to stay inside the coat may give you a bit more warmth due to the closer fit.
  • As for attire, you can wear a scarf with almost anything. Choose a nice knit scarf in non-scratchy wool to wear with your casual clothes. This is the time to play up patterns and colors. For dressier clothes or work clothes, play up the texture of a scarf more than patterns or colors.
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