Samantha has been working in media for over a decade and joined InStyle's team as the Senior Fashion Editor in 2019. She previously held roles at Coveteur, POPSUGAR, Refinery29, and Men's Fitness, covering both fashion and celebrity/entertainment. In her spare time, she enjoys performing sketch comedy with her friends, watching Love Island, and endlessly scrolling through social media. She is originally from Staten Island, but currently resides in Brooklyn (and sometimes, Schenectady!) with her fiancé J.T., their dog Poppy, and way too many clothes. Samantha graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Rider University.
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Sure, we love our puffer coats and fuzzy bags, but if you ask us, no winter wardrobe is truly complete without the addition of a scarf. Aside from providing warmth, this accessory is often our outfit's missing piece, adding interest, color, or even a fun print. However, there are numerous ways for how to tie a scarf, and each twist or knot has the ability to transform a look, taking it from meh to whoa.
All in all, we've discovered a total of 18 ways to tie a scarf — which sure feels like a lot for such a tiny piece of material. We've also created a handy step-by-step guide using GIFs, showing you exactly how to play around with your average 30'' x 80'' design like a pro.
So, if you're hoping to go beyond that simple drape, read on for a few fun ways for how to tie a scarf, helping you make the most out of this little extra all season long.
Step 1: Drape the scarf evenly around your neck and let it hang.
Step 1: Drape the scarf evenly around your neck and let it hang.
Step 2: Fasten a skinny belt over the scarf at the waist.
Step 1: Drape the scarf evenly around your neck.
Step 2: Toss one end over the opposite shoulder.
Step 1: Drape the scarf evenly around your neck and let it hang.
Step 2: Toss one end of the scarf over one shoulder.
Step 3: Toss the other end over the opposite shoulder.
Step 1: Drape the scarf evenly around your neck and let it hang.
Step 2: Cross and tie the two ends in the center. Adjust so that one is layered over the other, and fluff.
Step 1: Drape the scarf unevenly around your neck (the short end should hit the chest area).
Step 2: Loop the longer end around your neck twice before letting it hang.
Step 1: Drape the scarf unevenly around your neck (the short end should hit the chest area).
Step 2: Loop the longer end around your neck twice before letting it hang.
Step 3: Jauntily tie the two ends off to the side.
Step 1: Drape the scarf unevenly around your neck (the short end should hit the chest area).
Step 2: Loop the longer end around your neck twice before letting it hang.
Step 3: Cross the two ends and tuck them under the loop.
Step 1: Fold your scarf in half and drape around your neck.
Step 2: Feed both ends through the loop and pull through.
Step 1: Halve the scarf twice, so that it's a rectangle.
Step 2: Fold the square diagonally for a triangular shape.
Step 3: Take the two ends located on the longest side of the triangle and tie it around your neck.
Step 1: Knot the two opposite corners of the scarf together to create a circle.
Step 2: Swing it over your head (with the knot at the back) twice.
Step 1: Spread out the fabric and drape it over your head.
Step 2: Toss one end over one shoulder.
Step 3: Throw the remaining end across the other shoulder.
Step 1: Treat your scarf like a shawl—spread out the fabric and wrap it evenly around both shoulders.
Step 2: Leave one end across your body. Throw the other one across the opposite shoulder.
Step 1: Treat your scarf like a shawl—spread out the fabric and wrap it evenly around both shoulders.
Step 2: Tuck one corner underneath the scarf behind the opposite shoulder.
Step 3: Throw the remaining end across the other shoulder.
Step 1: Fold your scarf in half and drape around your neck.
Step 2: Feed the top end through the loop.
Step 3: Twist the loop to create a second hole.
Step 4: Feed the bottom end through the second hole. Adjust accordingly.
Step 1: Drape the scarf around your neck. Make sure one end is longer than the other (the longer side will be the one to create the knot).
Step 2: Bring the longer end behind and then over the shorter end to create a makeshift loop.
Step 3. Feed the longer end up and into this loop to form a knot. Tighten the knot and push up (like a tie).
Step 1: Loop the scarf around your neck once. Make sure one end is longer than the other (the longer side will be the one to create the knot).
Step 2: Bring the longer end behind and then over the shorter end to create a makeshift loop.
Step 3. Feed the longer end up and into this loop to form a knot. Tighten the knot and push up (like a tie).
Step 1: Fold your scarf in half and drape around your neck.
Step 2: Feed the top end through the loop.
Step 3. Take the bottom end and bring it up over and through that same loop.