How to Wear A Hair Scarf: 5 Easy Styles That Will Instantly Elevate Your Look

While on a recent trip traveling through Italy, France, and Spain, there was one accessory I kept seeing over and over again on the most stylish women I encountered: the silky hair scarf. This is definitely not a new trend–there have been countless iterations through the decades, from Grace Kelly tying silk scarves under her chin in the ‘50s to Destiny’s Child-era Beyoncé sporting a silk bandana in the early 2000s. However, modern-day lovers of the silk scarf embrace its versatility with an even wider range of styles: worn as a ribbon, folded up into a headband, loose around beachy air-dried hair, you name it.

Beyond looking stylish, it’s also incredibly practical to wear your hair in a scarf in the warmer months! A silk or satin scarf is protective because its delicate fabric minimizes hair breakage and moisture loss. Also, if you have color-treated hair, it can shield your color from too much sun exposure so it doesn’t change shades or go brassy.

If you’re sweating and don’t want hair to stick to your face, using a scarf as a bandana keeps strands away–and, might I add, acts as an excellent disguise for second-day hair (because who wants to bother on vacation?). If you’re by the beach, or on the water, a scarf keeps your hair put when the wind picks up. It really is a do-it-all accessory.

However you choose to wear it, a silky scarf also instantly elevates your look with a touch of elegance. Need some ideas on styling? Scroll on for five easy hair scarf styles to try.

Hair Scarf Styles:

Classic Bandana

Instructions:

1. Start with hair down, fold the scarf into a triangle shape.
2. Leaving the point of the triangle out, tie two ends of the triangle behind your ears. Tuck the loose ends into itself to create a cap.

Half Up With Scarf

Instructions:

1. Gather your hair back into a half ponytail. Secure with an elastic.
2. Fold the silk scarf until it forms a long ribbon. Tie it around the base of your half ponytail.

Headband Scarf

Instructions:

1. Fold the scarf into a long ribbon.
2. Over hair worn down, tie a knot at the base of your neck to create a headband.

French Braid Ponytail

Instructions:

1. Start at the top of your head with three small sections of hair. Start braiding down your head, gathering more hair at each pleat.
2. At the base of your neck, gather the hair into a ponytail.
3. Fold the scarf into a ribbon and tie at the base of your ponytail.

Braided Top Knot

Instructions:

1. Gather the hair into a ponytail and secure it with an elastic.
2. Form a ribbon with the scarf and tie it around the ponytail.
3. Start braiding the hair, using the satin scarf as the third strand. Weave it in until you reach the end of your ponytail.
4. Secure the scarf and braid with an elastic.
5. Twist into a bun and secure it with a twisted bobby pin, or bobby pins of your choice.

Did you try any of these hair scarf styles? Show us how you’re wearing your hair in a scarf on Instagram or TikTok @lulus using #lovelulus––and score more in our Accessories Shop!