How Should a Man Wear a Silk Scarf? Neck, Pocket and Collar Styles
Alice NguyenQuick answer: The easiest way for a man to wear a silk scarf is as a small neckerchief: a 26 inch (65 cm) square folded into a narrow band and knotted under an open shirt collar. A 36 inch (90 cm) square makes an ascot-style knot or a loop inside a coat, and a 22 inch (55 cm) square folds into a full pocket puff. Navy, dark green and deep red grounds read quietest.
The top button is already undone and the collar of the white shirt looks bare in the mirror. He folds a printed square corner to corner, then into a band no wider than two fingers, wraps it once under the collar and ties a knot the size of a walnut. The collar now frames something, and nobody at dinner will call it a costume.
What size silk scarf should a man wear?
Size depends on where the scarf goes. Folded corner to corner, a square gives a band roughly 1.4 times its side, and a neck takes about 15 to 17 inches of that before the knot.
| Square | Band length, about | Where it works for men |
|---|---|---|
| 22 in (55 cm) | 31 in (78 cm) | Pocket puff, a very small neckerchief, the wrist |
| 26 in (65 cm) | 37 in (92 cm) | Neckerchief under an open collar, with short tails |
| 36 in (90 cm) | 51 in (127 cm) | Ascot-style knot, a loop inside a coat, a loose knot with long ends |
| 44 in (110 cm) | 62 in (156 cm) | Long drape under a coat or over one shoulder |
For one versatile scarf, choose 26 inches if you will mostly knot it at the collar, and 36 inches if you also want to wear it with a coat. The 36 inch squares give enough length for both.
Five ways a man can wear a silk scarf
1. The neckerchief under an open collar
- Fold a 26 inch square corner to corner into a triangle.
- Fold the long edge toward the point in 1 inch (2.5 cm) folds until you have a band about an inch wide.
- Wrap it around the neck under the collar, ends to the front.
- Tie a small square knot, right over left and then left over right, slightly off center.
- Tuck the ends under the collar, or let two short tails point down over the placket.
Open one or two buttons so the knot sits in the gap. On a camp collar or a linen shirt this looks natural; on a stiff dress shirt keep the band narrower so the collar still lies flat. Our guide on how to tie a silk scarf around your neck has more knots to try.
2. The ascot-style knot
This is the day cravat, worn inside an open collar with no tie.
- Fold a 36 inch square into a band about 3 inches wide.
- Hang it around the neck with one end a few inches longer than the other.
- Cross the long end over the short end, bring it up through the neck loop from underneath, and let it fall flat over the knot.
- Spread the front so it fans slightly, then tuck the whole knot inside the open shirt, under the collar.
Keep it soft. A slightly uneven fold looks tied by hand that morning, which is the point.
3. Tucked into a jacket or sweater
Hang a 36 inch band around the neck, cross the ends once at the chest and tuck them under the lapels of a jacket or inside the V of a sweater. The print shows as a strip at the neck and a hint at the opening, enough color for a navy blazer on a weekend.
4. As a pocket square
Most pocket squares are smaller, roughly 12 to 17 inches, so a 22 inch silk square makes a fuller puff. Fold it in half and in half again, pinch the center, and push it into the breast pocket with the soft middle up and the corners down inside. It suits a jacket with a roomy pocket. Pick a pocket square that repeats a color from the shirt or tie without copying either print.
5. With a coat
Loop a 36 inch band once around the neck, pull one end through the loop and close the coat over it. For a looser line under an open coat, drape a 44 inch band around the neck under the shirt collar and let the ends fall long, as in the photo below.
With a mandarin collar shirt
A band collar has no fold to hide a knot, so a neckerchief sits on top of it and looks crowded. Two options work better. Leave the scarf loose over one shoulder, or knot a small band low inside the open neck so the collar stays clean. Our mandarin collar shirt guide covers how the collar itself is worn.
Which prints read quiet on a man?
A large print looks calmer than you expect once it is folded. A band shows fragments of the drawing, so dragons and clouds turn into flecks of color and line. Grounds matter more than motifs: navy, dark green and deep red sit easily with white, blue and gray shirts, and a scarf in the same family as the shirt, such as navy on light blue, reads tonal. Pastel greens and pinks belong to summer linen.
The navy Dragon Dreams 26 inch square is a quiet place to start. If someone asks about the print, the answer is short and true: the dragon follows the Ly dynasty dragons of the Thang Long citadel: soft-bodied, without scales, holding a pearl, the rain-bringing dragon of a rice-growing culture. The story behind it is in our piece on the Ly dynasty dragon.
How to avoid looking try-hard
The fear is looking like you are wearing a costume. A few habits keep a scarf easy. Wear one thing at the neck at a time, so a scarf replaces a tie. Keep the knot small and a little soft, as if tied once. Pair it with plain clothes: a white or blue shirt, chinos or gray trousers, a navy jacket. Skip a pocket square on the days you wear a scarf at the neck. Good times to start are dinners, weekends, travel days and cool evenings, when an open collar is already the dress code.
When a tie is expected, put the silk there instead. Folk Form silk ties are woven jacquard in 100% mulberry silk, and our guide on how to choose a silk tie covers widths and knots. If the scarf is a gift for him, a message written in Order Notes is handwritten on the card in the box. For more styles beyond menswear, see how to wear a silk scarf.
Frequently asked questions
What size silk scarf is right for a man?
A 26 inch square is the easiest size for a neckerchief under an open collar. A 36 inch square covers ascot-style knots and coats, and a 22 inch square works as a full pocket puff.
When should a man wear a silk scarf?
Dinners, weekends, travel and cool evenings suit it, along with any event where an open collar is the dress code. When a tie is expected, wear the tie and leave the scarf at home.
Can men wear a silk twilly?
Yes. A twilly is a narrow silk scarf, and men wear it as a slim neckerchief, around a hat band, on a bag handle or at the wrist.
Can a man wear a silk scarf to the office?
Yes, on business casual days: a 26 inch square with a navy or dark green ground, knotted small under an open collar and worn with a blazer. In an office where suits and ties are the norm, wear a silk tie instead.
How should a man care for a silk scarf?
Hand wash a printed silk scarf in cold water with a little shampoo or body wash, do not wring it, and dry it flat in the shade. Iron on the lowest silk setting while damp; dry cleaning is the safest option.
Browse every guide in our silk scarf and tie guides.
