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Good news! Actually styling your clothes is so back. Instead of chasing the next “It” piece or viral fad, people are reworking what they already own by layering textures, playing with shape, and using accessories to make outfits feel dimensional—both on- and offline. For summer, the humble silk scarf is at the heart of this major sartorial evolution.
It’s being tied around the waist, worn as a top, and layered like a sash—just to name a few outfit ideas. Little Edie and Carrie Bradshaw might’ve done it first, but the styling trick is now having a modern revival, and it’s everywhere. What was once reserved as the signature of fashion’s more eccentric muses is now showing up on sidewalks, runways, and Instagram feeds alike.
It’s no secret that Pucci Girl Summer has emerged as one of this season’s defining aesthetics. (According to Lyst’s Q2 Index Report, searches for Pucci jumped 96% quarter over quarter.) Defined by bright prints, breezy silhouettes, and a retro-leaning sense of glamour, the brand has deep roots in vacation dressing, making it a natural precursor for the silk scarf takeover. After all, Pucci is most widely recognized for its scarves and swirling prints. Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner have become unofficial ambassadors of the look, photographed during their 2025 Euro Summer with printed scarves worn as headpieces. Fashionable and functional, the look does double duty as an accessory and a glamorous shield from the sun.
Celine Spring 2026 ready-to-wear (left), Dries Van Noten Spring 2026 Men’s.
Celine / Getty Images
This development builds on a rich history of scarf styling by fashion icons. In Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw loved experimenting with silk scarves—using them as hair accessories and neckties sometimes in the same episode. Meanwhile, Little Edie made the headscarf her unconventional signature in Grey Gardens, wrapping it tightly under her chin and even pairing it with a brooch or a makeshift cape. Both women approached scarf styling with curiosity (and plenty of weird girl energy), serving as the blueprint for this summer’s fashion comeback.
Although a silk scarf tied at the neck has signaled a certain kind of Old World elegance for decades (it’s emblematic of la dolce vita or “the sweet life”), today’s take is less uptown glam and more downtown edge. Yes, the tied-under-the-chin look is still going strong, but it’s now being paired with boxy tailoring, chunky sunglasses, or worn in contrast to otherwise minimal outfits. At the same time, many are letting their hair down entirely, slinging scarves low on the hips or layering them over trousers and shorts.
Kylie Jenner wearing a silk scarf in Tuscany.
Kylie Jenner / Instagram
A silk scarf has multi-functional appeal that makes everyday outfits feel more lively. Stars like Alexa Chung and Lola Tung have been spotted dressing up their simple tops and trousers with oversized silk scarves wrapped at the waist like belts. This modern take is inviting a new way to make low-key outfits feel that much more personal and fun.
Designers are clearly on board, too. At Spring 2026 Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Dries Van Noten creative director Julian Klausner layered printed sarongs over sharply tailored trousers, a combination that made proportions feel fresh again. Michael Rider took a more referential route for his Celine debut, tying vintage scarves bandana-style across models’ heads or draping them loosely over outerwear. Even Kim Shui, a designer known for her sexy and subversive ensembles, opted to have models float down the runway in patent vegan leather gowns with a scarf tied under their chin in February at NYFW. Regardless of vision, all these shows felt rooted in the same idea: Styling doesn’t have to mean buying something new, it can just be about how you wear what you already own.
Lola Tung tries out the silk scarf belt trend in New York City.
Getty Images
Off the runway, the silk scarf has become the internet’s favorite go-to summer style hack. Scroll through TikTok and you’ll find creators repurposing thrifted Hermès scarves as hip wraps, layering them over low-rise jeans or mini shorts. Others are tying them asymmetrically over wide-leg trousers for a street style look that feels unexpected but still wearable. There’s something satisfying about getting wrapped up in this accessory (no pun intended) because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. While this trend may be everywhere right now, its interpretation is up to you.
More often than not, personal style is portrayed as something you can buy your way into. But the scarf trend reminds us that style is born from imagination. Wear it in a bow! Drape it ike a sash! Who knows, maybe you have a deep scarf roster and want to try all these ideas at once.
The scarf trend isn’t new, and that’s the point. This summer’s most clever styling move doesn’t require a shopping cart—just a little creativity.
