What unites Alexa Chung, Kylie Jenner and Gracie Abrams?
This summer, the answer is a silk scarf: the item of choice for the fashion set. Need a way to dress up your hair, belt or bag? A simple scarf can be tied, stretched and accessorised to suit.
The humble scarf’s origins, of course, stretch way back in time: most commonly associated with the 1940s and 50s, they’ve currently having a resurgence with a vengeance. Four years after they hit the catwalk in a big way back in 2021, Gracie Abrams wore one for her Glastonbury set (as did many people in the crowd), as well as off-stage later. The Summer I Turned Pretty star Lola Tung has been styling hers with a white top and jeans. While Hailey Bieber has been wearing one around her waist (as well as over the top of her baseball cap).
Resale site Depop has seen searches for silk scarves increase by 41 per cent this year, something a spokesperson attributes to “the strong comeback of the boho trend in 2025, blending romanticism with a grown-up, sophisticated feel. After years of minimalism and quiet luxury, we’re seeing shoppers return to a more maximalist, free-spirited way of dressing.”
“I first clocked the scarf’s resurgence when the she-can-do-no-wrong Leandra Cohen started wearing one knotted around her hips during pregnancy. It was a genius move — framing her beautiful bump, adding interest to the simplest of outfits, and, crucially, offering an accessible entry point to those who live for a wearable trend,” stylist and fashion journalist Angie Smith explains.
She’s been monitoring the scarf’s rise to prominence over the last few weeks, and cites Immy Waterhouse (“her Glastonbury scarf moment lives rent-free in my mind”), Anouk Yve and Instagram influencer Laura Vidrequin as great places to start curating some inspiration.
“Personally, I’m into tonal dressing, so I’ve been pairing a cream silk scarf with similar shades to break up an all-neutral outfit. It adds just enough interest without disrupting the balance.”
For Smith, there are infinite ways to style one: yes, they work well as a headscarf. But, she adds, they can be knotted around the neck to elevate a basic white tee, wrapped like a sarong around the hips, tied into a bandeau top or tied around the neck and tucked into the sides of a bikini top as a makeshift halterneck.
There’s also the possibilities that come with wearing a scarf knotted around the waist as a belt – something that both Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner have been spotted doing recently.
“A belt can feel a bit too neat, too deliberate — a hard line that doesn’t always play nice with my proportions,” Smith adds. “But a slightly crumpled, maybe even wonky, piece of fabric tied around the waist? That I can get on board with. Think of it as the nonchalant belt’s cooler cousin.”
It works over jeans too, though Smith adds it can even be tied around the waist of a shapeless dress, or around some tailored trousers for an office-friendly look.
As for where to find them – the lovely thing about scarves (silk or otherwise) is that they’re available at all price points. Charity shops and vintage markets are a good entry point, but plenty of fashion lines are getting in on the action too.
French brand Sessùn has recently launched a line of silk scarves in collaboration with artists Clara Cebrián, Emily Forgot and Rosie McGuinness. These are gorgeous limited-edition prints that offer something a little bit different, and Cebrián’s take on a lunchtime plate of food is a particular highlight.
TBCo also have statement scarves as part of their The Artists Series collection (their most recent drops include collabs with local artists Harlie Briggs, Franki Penwill and Simone Brewster), while Smith mentions Sézane, Toteme, Rixo and Arket as other good places to start.
“The best thing about this trend?” she adds. “It doesn’t matter if your scarf is Hermès or hand-me-down—it’s all in the styling. And right now, there’s no chicer way to tie one on.”
Read Angie Smith’s fashion Substack here; her clothing collaboration with The Upside is now live here
