By Oliver Harry - Founder and Creative Director, Ghini Como, a silk scarf brand based in Argegno, Lake Como
Quick facts: silk scarf around neck
- The standard neck knot requires a folded triangle band of approximately 5 to 6cm wide placed around the neck - narrower than this and the knot lacks visual weight, wider and it is too bulky to knot cleanly
- Silk twill holds a neck knot through a full day of wear because the diagonal rib structure creates friction between fabric layers at the knot point - silk satin and polyester satin slip and require readjustment throughout the day
- 14 momme is the minimum weight at which a silk scarf holds a neck knot without slipping (below this weight the fabric lacks the body to maintain the knot's position through movement)
- The scarf ring method holds the scarf at choker height without any tying, which means no slipping and no readjusting - the ring does all the structural work
- Neck scarves as a fashion accessory have been documented since the Croatian mercenary soldiers of the Thirty Years War (1618 to 1648) wore linen cravats at the throat - the word cravat derives from Croat, and the accessory spread through European courts from there
How to wear a silk scarf around your neck: 5 knots explained
The neck is where most people start with a silk scarf and then promptly give up. Usually its because the knot will not hold, the tails are the wrong length, or the whole thing looks better in theory than it does in the mirror.
Thankfully, as frustrating as this feels, silk scarves are easy to style once you learn a few basic styling methods. What starts as a fumbled attempt can be transformed into a chic, elegant and effortless accessory for any outfit.
The five methods below cover every neck position worth knowing, from the foundational classic knot to the scarf ring, which is the one that stays in place longest without any effort at all.
1. The classic neck knot
Fold the 70x70cm silk scarf diagonally in half to form a triangle. Starting from the long edge, fold the fabric into a band of approximately 5 to 6cm wide.
Place the band around the back of the neck with both ends forward and of equal length. Cross the right end over the left, tuck it under, and pull through to form a simple knot. Position the knot at the centre of the collarbone or slightly to one side.
The tails should fall to approximately mid-chest. If they are too short, the band was folded too wide. If they are too long, the band was too narrow.
The correct width produces tails of 15 to 20cm on a standard neck, which is the proportional length at which the knot reads correctly against a collar or neckline. This is the knot that everything else is a variation of.
2. The open knot
Tie the classic neck knot but instead of pulling the second end all the way through to complete it tightly, leave it partially pulled so the knot itself is large and loose.
Both ends of the scarf will be shorter as a result, sitting closer to the neck rather than falling to mid-chest. The knot reads as a deliberate sculptural detail at the throat rather than a functional tie, and it works best with a bold print where the knot itself shows enough of the design to be worth looking at.
The Piazza Navy in this position puts the geometric print at the throat as the focal point of the outfit.
3. The scarf ring choker
Fold the silk scarf diagonally into a triangle, then roll from the long edge into a narrow band of approximately 2 to 3cm wide.
Thread one end through a scarf ring, wrap the band around the back of the neck, and feed the other end through the ring from the front.
Pull both ends through until the ring sits at the centre of the throat at choker height, with the two trailing ends hanging down the front of the chest.
The ring holds the position without any tying. Keep the trailing ends at unequal lengths for a less symmetrical, more contemporary result.
4. The nautical knot
Style the silk scarf diagonally into a triangle, then roll from the long edge into a band of approximately 4 to 5cm wide.
Drape around the back of the neck with both ends forward and of equal length.
Cross the right end over the left, loop it underneath and pull through as you would for a standard knot, but before tightening, bring the same end back over and through a second time to create the additional wrap that gives the nautical knot its distinctive raised, rope-like twist at the centre.
Pull both ends to tighten, then let the tails fall straight down.
5. The collar tie
Fold your silk scarf into a narrow band of approximately 3cm wide. Thread the band under the collar of a button-down shirt, bringing both ends forward.
Tie once in a flat knot directly under the collar button, with both ends at equal length and lying flat against the shirt front. The effect is a silk tie worn inside the collar rather than over it, which reads as contemporary rather than formal.
The Laglio twilly works particularly well here because its narrower proportions produce a flatter, more precise band than a folded square.
Why the knot holds or does not hold
The two variables that determine whether a neck knot stays in position through a full day of wear are the weight of the silk and the weave construction.
At 14 momme in a twill weave, the fabric has enough body to hold a knot without it migrating or loosening over time. Below 12 momme, the fabric is too light to hold its shape under movement.
Satin weave, regardless of momme weight, has a smoother surface that provides less friction between the fabric layers at the knot point, which is why satin scarves slip and require readjustment throughout the day in a way that twill never does.
Oliver Harry is the founder of Ghini Como, a luxury silk scarf brand which sources its silk exclusively from the Province of Como, Italy. He lives in Argegno on the western shore of Lake Como.
