Fashion

Exactly How to Wear the Cutest Hair Scarves of Summer

Tied up and ready to rock.

By Katherine Fluor

Hair scarves: a tried and true summer accessory that’s currently dominating our Instagram feeds — influencers and celebrities alike are sporting scarves this season, and while they can be a little tricky to get right, you just need to know a couple key tips to master them. Since there are so many different ways to wear summer’s best accessory (your neck is just one option!), we’ve broken it down by style and rounded up our favorites– silk, cotton, oversized, and everything in-between — that will help bring a pop of color and style points to any outfit.

image by danikha nunez for style report mag

ponytail head scarf

image by free people

Ponytail

One of our favorite ways to wear a hair scarf in the summer is tied around a low and snug ponytail. This style is perfect for when you want your hair off your face, but still want to show off your beach waves and add some personality to your outfit — the longer strands of the scarf will flow behind you and give your locks some added oomph too, which is always a plus! We love scrunchie-style scarfs to effortlessly achieve this laid-back look, or a semi-sheer square scarf works just as well, too. Just roll it up, and tie around a secured ponytail.

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hair scarfimage by free people

Top Knot

If a top knot is your go-to hairstyle for the summer months (hello, Texas heat!) then the good news is that the scarf-bun combination is a serious hit. If you want to keep the tails of the scarf dangling down, you should wrap the scarf around your bun once and tie. But, if you want to keep the tails short, keep wrapping until you’re happy with the length or opt for a smaller, handkerchief-sized scarf for balance. This style is perfect for my fellow thin haired ladies who are always looking for hacks to make their bun look fuller –the scarf adds an illusion to the volume and makes your bun look bigger– no extensions required. Yasss, plz!

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headband, head scarf

image by love shack fancy

Headband

Not sure what to do with your hair on a summer Friday? Meet the headband scarf, aka your dry shampoo’s new bestie. Luckily, headbands have made their way back into our favorite stores, and there’s some super cute styles that will help make your two (or three…) day dirty hair look effortlessly chic. Don’t like the tight headband feeling on your head all day? You can also tie a long silk scarf at the nape of your neck to create an Alice band style with flowing tails –just fold over to get the width you want and tie a knot on the underside of your hair. Or make more of an Alicia Keys statement with colorful designs by wrapping it into a knot at the top of your head – a look we think looks especially great when worn with hoop earrings.

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neck tie scarf

image by anthropologie

Around Your Neck

Try knotting a skinny, lightweight scarf around your neck to add an easy pop of color to any neutral outfit. We love dressing up jean shorts and a white v-neck tee with a classic bandana — or if the western hipster look isn’t for you, opt for any floral or patterned design to nail this trend.

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purse, bandana, hair scarfimage by free people

Tied on a Tote

Or, if you’re worried about having something around your neck on super hot days, tie it around your purse instead! This is one of my favorite ways to create a fresh look with an older bag and make it feel brand new.

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