Three years ago, ex-fashion buyer and extremely cool Paris-born, London-based tastemaker Laura Vidrequin Roso was pregnant and couldn't fit into her favorite Levi’s 501 jeans anymore. Instead of buying stretchy maternity pants, the former Net-a-Porter and Ralph Lauren merchandiser found a different solution: a twenty-year-old Hermès silk scarf folded into a triangle and knotted around her waist to hide the open button fly of the denim. Now, the MacGyver hack Roso used for her baby bump has become the biggest summer 2025 trend.
The hottest item you can wear this season is a scarf—or any spare piece of fabric, really—tied casually around your waist. In early June, Leandra Medine Cohen, the fashion writer and creator of The Cereal Aisle newsletter, declared, “Pareos are the answer to summer dressing drama." Cut to mid-July, and hardly a day goes by when I don’t see a fashion girl sporting a Pucci print scarf or paisley bandana around her waist.
Walking through New York City during July's endless heat wave, women wear beachy sarongs, sip martinis at outdoor cafes, and pretend the sidewalk is sand. Across the pond, long-reigning It Girl Alexa Chung strolls around London with an oversized Gucci scarf tied at her hip over business trousers and a baby tee.
I've even tested the unexpected trend recently with a summer work outfit, pairing a vintage magenta Celine scarf as a color accent between a white T-shirt and matching denim. Later that week, Marie Claire editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike endorsed the summer layering trick in a recent edition of her Self Checkout newsletter, citing my scarf styling (moi?!) and the most recent Dries Van Noten menswear show, which featured colorful sarongs loosely knotted over trousers, as influences.
As I experienced firsthand, a silk scarf turned into a belt has the same effect as all accessories: it adds a pop of character. “[A scarf styled at the waist] allows you to introduce textures, prints, and other interesting elements to an outfit without layering too heavily on the shoulders, which is a bit redundant and impractical in the summer," Roso says of the styling trick she's been wearing for years. "Think of it as a belt, but lighter, smoother, more fluid."
Plus, as Roso knows well, the piece worn at the waist comes with practical benefits built in. In addition to a wardrobe workaround for a pregnant belly, it can conceal an awkwardly long trouser crotch or the post-Sweetgreen salad bloat that hits around 2 p.m. on workdays.
Sarongs and scarves worn in a vacation style also have an innate beachy feel, making them as natural a summer trend as flip-flops and breezy linens. “I've been traveling around Greece this summer, and styling scarves around my waist has been my go-to trick to elevate my daily looks and go directly from beach to dinner,” says Julia "Juju" Ferentino, founder of the cult-followed, viral jewelry brand Juju Vera.
But the biggest factor that has boosted the popularity of scarves as belts is that the trend is easy to DIY—a simple, high-impact styling tip that, according to Roso, the fashion industry could use more of. “It’s a straightforward, easy trick; You either fold it in a square lengthwise and turn it into a mini skirt, or fold it across the corners to make a triangle and wear it open on one side," she says. "It's affordable, accessible, and appeals to everyone as a fun accessory to endlessly experiment with.”
If you're inclined to give summer's most popular trend a try, the following It Girl-approved outfits are a smart reference. Here's how to wear a scarf as a belt, directly from the fashion set.
"[This hack] is my go-to for infusing personality into my summer basics, by light layering and accessorizing in a way that feels organic to my personal style," says fashion stylist Dawn Tan. "Styling scarves as belts adds so much personality and elegance to a look with minimal effort." Take a cue from Tan and use a black-and-white wrap to make a white tee and black Bermuda shorts fit for dinner and /or drinks.
Before Roso, Medine, and Chung, the renowned French-born American fashion writer and editor Diana Vreeland often used a designer silk scarf as an elegant, effortless accessory. The icon was ahead of her time in more ways than one: The Google Trends team shared via email that red, black, and white are the top-searched scarf colors of the year. Recreate Vreeland's timeless look with the color-coordinated staples below.
Roso encourages you not to forget the simple, one-and-done charm of using a scarf as a makeshift mini skirt. Just make sure the wrap you pick is on the larger side.
Here, Tan highlights the trend's beach-ready potential. Swap out the tank for a one-piece swimsuit if you want to be even more prepared for an ocean dive.
For intermediate-level dressers, a fringed sarong adds a nice touch of detail. Reformation's chocolate brown trimmed-hem style is both playful and fun.
Again, a scarf-belt is a great chance to try color-blocking. Pick one neutral—like cream—and add two other complementary colors—such as warm orange and green—and you're set.
A delectable recipe: a butter yellow cardigan and ivory satin trousers topped with a natural-toned, eye-catching scarf.
