The Silk Scarf Trend Taking Over NYC Street Style

I learned a valuable lesson from watching well-dressed women walk around New York City’s SoHo neighborhood this past weekend: a silk scarf knotted around the neck is all it takes to leave a lasting, elegant impression. The neckerchief—or, if you’re feeling fancy and French, a foulard—can be a triple-digit designer piece or just $14.99, bought new for the season or thrifted secondhand. It can be worn with a freshly pressed skirt suit or an outfit as basic as blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

The particulars don’t matter because the effect is the same: a woman with a silky little scarf looped around her neck looks like she has her life together. With a twilly tucked into her shirt collar or an ascot twisted into an organza choker—even if she doesn’t actually own anything from Hermès, she has the vibe of someone who’s befriended a Birkin sales associate and keeps their contact details in her phone.

Emma Leger wears white shirt, beige midi skirt, black boots, beige Hermes bag, printed silk scarf, outside Hermès, during the Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025/2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 08, 2025 in Paris, France. — Exhibit A of the refined impact of a silk neckerchief.

Specifically, I’m thinking of a woman I passed by in SoHo who layered a polka-dotted silk scarf into a spring shirt sandwich, using it as a graphic pop against a poplin button-down shirt and a linen blazer. She looked expensive—as if she had just disembarked from an Italian Riviera yacht cruise and picked up the neckerchief from a luxury boutique in Portofino as a souvenir.

It turns out her scarf was J.Crew’s best-selling silk bandana (I discovered this later while perusing the retailer for my editor-picked summer shopping list) and is currently on sale for $59. Aside from the scarf, her look was chic, but I might not have looked and lingered if the polka-dotted piece hadn’t caught my eye. Her simple silk scarf became a cheat code for unlocking a rich-looking outfit—a clever strategy I plan to incorporate into my summer fashion game plan.

J.Crew Oversized Silk Bandana

J.Crew

Oversized Silk Bandana

Elegancia Tropical Royal Labyrinth Silk Scarf

Anthropologie

Elegancia Tropical Royal Labyrinth Silk Scarf

Print Square Silk Scarf

Nordstrom

Print Square Silk Scarf

A guest wears short sleeves white top, matching wide leg pants, beige Tod's bag, burgundy printed silk scarf, outside Tod's, during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025/2026 on February 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy

Here, an example of how a simple, silky bandana elevates a white tee and simple cotton pull-on pants.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The easy elegance of silk scarves is not news-breaking journalism. Lightweight, floral-printed foulards have long been a staple of French fashion. First popularized in 1837 through Hermès’s hand-painted, printed squares woven from imported Chinese silk, you’ll always find lightweight scarves peppered throughout Paris Fashion Week street style and in ‘fit checks from tastemakers who live in Le Marais.

Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday also comes to mind as a strong reference point for the dainty piece, zipping around on a Vespa and inadvertently falling head over ballet flats for Gregory Peck, with a small striped scarf tied around her neck.

Large Silk Scarf

Print Silk Bandana Square Scarf

Nordstrom

Print Silk Bandana Square Scarf

Floral Silk Large Diamond Scarf

Lauren Ralph Lauren

Floral Silk Large Diamond Scarf

Tamu McPherson wearing a beige blazer and skirt, a black dior bag on September 28, 2021 in Paris, France.

A quintessential Parisian look: a nipped-in blazer, A-line skirt, and floral foulard.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As a long-standing symbol of timeless sophistication and effortless elegance, silk scarves have enabled women to elevate their outfits throughout history. So, it’s only natural to reach for this luxurious accessory yet again as we strive to work smarter, not harder, for the warm-weather season. ICYMI: summer 2025’s fashion trends follow a low-effort, high-reward ethos and champion intentional stylings.

A vintage-style scarf suits this thoughtful theme particularly well. When paired with a simple button-down and linen pants or the lightest summer dress possible, a little silk neckerchief conveys a succinct and stylish message: you’re a woman who’s always two steps ahead.

Up next: the refined, not overthought ways I’m styling scarves this summer.

Silk Scarf Outfit Inspiration Awaits

A guest wears black sunglasses, a black silk hair elastic, a green print pattern silk small scarf, a black oversized blazer jacket, a black shiny leather handbag, neon orange / pink / purple print pattern silk large pants , outside Mark Kenly Domino Tan, during the Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 on August 10, 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Using a vibrant, floral-printed silk scarf creates an eye-catching clash of colors! Notice how the neutral black blazer anchors the look.

Black & Green Printed Silk Scarf

Dries Van Noten

Black & Green Printed Silk Scarf

Boyfriend Blazer

Banana Republic Factory

Boyfriend Blazer

A woman at New York Fashion Week wearing a cheetah print silk scarf with a blue shirt dress, mini skirt, and brown blazer

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

A trendy leopard print neckerchief ties in perfectly with fashion’s recent fixation on zootopia patterns.

Long Printed Silk Scarf

J.Crew

Long Printed Silk Scarf

Linen Button-Up Shirt

MANGO

Linen Button-Up Shirt

Pornwika Spiecker wears a mint dress, brown leather blazer, and silk neck scarf and black bag outside Aeron during the Copenhagen Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2023 on January 31, 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Consider adding a geometric scarf—like this brown, polka-dotted one from Rag & Bone—to spice up an otherwise neutral dress.

Rag & Bone Pearly Button Silk Scarf

Rag & Bone

Pearly Button Silk Scarf

Darien Rib-Knit Midi-Dress

Veronica Beard

Darien Rib-Knit Midi-Dress

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You love your favorite little black dresses, but even this iconic wardrobe staple can benefit from a bit of extra flair. Start with a printed scarf in a pink color palette.

Poppy Print Modal Scarf

ZARA

Poppy Print Modal Scarf

Aritzia Bond Linen Dress

A guest wears black square sunglasses, gold earrings, a beige with black embroidered pattern silk scarf, gold chain pendant necklaces, a white latte shoulder-off / silk top, black wide legs pants, black leather flip flop, a white latte matte leather handbag , outside Helmstedt during Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023, on August 11, 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Alternatively, you can opt for neutrals—a cream-colored scarf is the ideal complement to a minimal strapless tunic.

MANGO, Floral-Embroidered Cotton Handkerchief - Women | Mango Usa

MANGO

Floral-Embroidered Cotton Handkerchief – Women | Mango Usa

Silvia Strapless Peplum Top

Staud

Silvia Strapless Peplum Top

A guest wears purple sunglasses, a green and beige print pattern silk scarf, a gray oversized blazer jacket, matching gray large pants, a black shiny leather belt, a navy blue shiny leather handbag in shape of horse, white leather open toe-cap / block heels mules, outside Helmstedt during Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023, on August 11, 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If your suiting feels stale, a colorful bandana tied around the neck will add some personality. This one from Free People is already in my virtual cart.

Essential Silky Triangle Bandana