Scarves Are My Favorite Styling Hack—I’m Eyeing These for Winter 2025

Unbeknownst to me, over the past few years I’ve compiled quite the collection of scarves. This week, while hanging yet another scarf on a velvet hanger, I realized I don’t have space for any more—and yet I am browsing them constantly. This month alone, I’ve purchased three and am eyeing even more. To me, they are the perfect accessory. Some might think just for winter, I say for all time. Of course, in winter they’re most useful. My acupuncturist tells me to always wear one when on planes or in any windy area to protect my neck from being thrown out (this happens often).

Scarves are by far my favorite styling hack. A sweater can be a scarf. I tie scarves around my neck, waist, hips, and shoulders, sometimes even my head if I want to feel like Grace Kelly in a convertible. When I was growing up, you could not find my mother without a pashmina or cashmere wrap close by. She recently sent me a photo of her from the ‘80s wearing a fab silk scarf around her shoulders. Last year for Christmas she gifted me a luxurious black cashmere wrap, not dissimilar to this one from J. Crew.

Scarves are one of the only ways I allow patterns into my wardrobe. I tend towards a neutral palette when dressing, but adding some tartan, plaid, jacquard, or a stripe is a nice touch to add in some character. This morning I woke up to a message from an Etsy seller telling me her shop was now open after being out of town. I had messaged her a few weeks back (a bit desperate) raving about an Armani fringe scarf in her shop in hopes to be the first to know when she was back. I pressed purchase and she told me someone else had messaged her about the same one, but I had gotten to it first. Then she told me it might be time to buy a lottery ticket. I told her I don’t mess around when it comes to Armani.

Scarf-adjacent (but a scarf to me no less) is this poncho from Cecilie Telle whose knits I’ve had on my radar since last winter. Her scarves and ponchos use wool from an English yarn manufacturer (the only way to do it if you ask me). I opted for the Half Neck Poncho in Indigo Melange, but they come in an array of what I like to call bubble gum colors. I can’t help but think of That Gap Turtleneck from the early 2000s when I see the CT Block Scarf. Gap brilliantly revived a version of the sweater last year, but here’s a vintage one. While you’re at it, I recommend perusing Cecilie’s Ball bags, too. Great Christmas gift.