How NOT to Wear a Scarf & Ways to Make It Modern

1-How Not to Wear a Scarf Around Your Shoulders

Rectangle scarves

This is a medium size rectangle scarf that is quite beautiful. In fact, it used to be Rob’s mother’s scarf and it even has sequins and baubles on it.

I’ve worn it on the blog with a black dress years ago but truthfully, I don’t really like how I wore it at that time.

While my first thought was to show off the extra details of the scarf by keeping it open, I think it would work better with the example below where you make it part of the clothing.

Wrapping it around your shoulders in the photos above is easy and it’s not the worst thing ever. But I am including it as how not to wear your scarf because it seems too old-fashioned.

How to Style the Same Scarf Instead

Creating a fabric necklace is more modern with this scarf. Heck, even layering it with a necklace gives it more personality and looks fabulous.

2-How Not to Wear a Scarf on your Head

Head scarves

I’m all about headscarves especially when you have a bad hair day. Wearing a scarf over your head and tying it under your chin reminded my husband of a babushka. This is exactly the definition of babushka and brings to mind those 100-year-old grandmas.

How to Style the Same Scarf Instead

Use the scarf as a headband. Headbands are very popular right now, and the advantage of a scarf is you can make it to fit the size of your head.

Insider tip: To get the silky scarves to stay put, I use 2 bobby pins in the back. Feel free to use more to make it feel secure.

Another option if you wanted to cover more of your hair would be to wear it like the babushka option but tie the ends in the back instead. Either that or tie the ends up over the triangle of material if it’s a larger scarf.

3-How Not to Wear a Scarf with a T-Shirt

 Skinny scarf

Here is both the how not to wear this skinny scarf and the way I liked it better.

It’s easy to just throw the scarf around your neck and let the ends hang down. Both my mom and Lesley do this occasionally with their outfits, but the difference is they will also be wearing a cardigan or jacket.

The scarf and t-shirt worn like this look haphazard. Like there was no planning and it isn’t intentional. By wearing the cardigan with the scarf, now the scarf almost looks like the trim of the sweater and it has more definition.

If you want the scarf to stay in place, use Glamour Maggies’ Magnets so the scarf doesn’t move around. The Glamour magnets are smaller and you can place them in a couple of spots along the front of the jacket or sweater.

I have a discount code 15JODIESTYLE that you can use for any of Maggie’s products for a limited time.

4-Don’t Matchy-Matchy with your Scarf

One way to look older than we want is to always match everything we are wearing. It’s much more modern to incorporate a different color into the mix.

Both of the scarves above are hand-knitted and wonderful. In fact, my beloved aunt knit the burgundy one for me years before she passed. But it doesn’t add the same personality that the turquoise contrasting scarf does.

If you are having trouble with this option, then find a multi-colored scarf with both the color of the sweater and other colors in it.

Insider tip: Turquoise is a universal color that goes with everything. Make sure you have a couple of scarves in this color in your collection.

Creative Ways to Update Your Scarf Styling

Now let’s turn our attention to a couple of ways to make sure you’re wearing your scarves in modern ways. These are creative options that will have people complimenting you nonstop that you won't want to miss on my site.

Remember, we are the boss of our clothes, and you can make many things be different from what they were designed.

BTW, if you are looking for inexpensive scarves and don’t enjoy thrifting, then try Shein or Temu.