Under the Sheets: How to Wear a Scarf to Keep Warm in Winter | Australian Fashion

Although the shortest day of winter is behind us, we are still in the heart of the coldest months of the year and adding warmth to outfits is a necessity.

Right now, my go-to is a fine merino wool turtleneck that I wear under everything from shirts to three-ply cable knits. But that’s only because last winter I lost my favorite scarf. It was a huge, brown-gray yak wool scarf that managed to be dense and lightweight. The other scarves in my wardrobe, while beautiful, don’t compare.

Scarves remain a great way to add warmth to outfits. Here, Australian fashion pros share their favourite ways to wear scarves in winter.

A hoodie and scarf in one

Writer and bookstore owner Jordan Turner's favorite way to wear a scarf in the winter is to wrap it once around her neck so that one end falls across her chest and the other across her back.

If it's a cool morning [while walking the dog] I’m going to turn it into a hoodie and scarf in one, creating a hood with the middle of the scarf and then using the same wrap one more time, he said. If it’s windy, I’ll make two [loops around] so both sides of the scarf are behind me.

Turner says long scarves work best for this look. If each end can almost touch your toes when you hang it around your neck, then it's perfect, he says. I always go for one I bought from Jac + Jack because it's twice the length of my height.

To create this look, find the center point of the scarf and place it at the back of your neck (or for the hooded version, place the center point of the scarf on top of your head). Let the sides fall over your shoulders, then take one end and throw it over the opposite shoulder.

“My idea is to recreate a way of feeling as if I were still under my duvet in my bed at home,” he says. “I like to feel warm and snuggled up in a scarf that could almost be a blanket.”

A silk scarf under a button-down shirt

Costume designer and stylist Maria Pattison goes for a look that's both luxurious and a little romantic. It involves wearing a rectangular silk twill scarf under a button-down shirt, with a touch of scarf peeking out at the collar. It can make a huge difference. [warmth-wise] if you want to wear a shirt in the winter, Pattison says.

Wrap the scarf around your neck and cross it over your chest so that it sits under the buttons of your shirt. Pattison advises choosing a color that complements the rest of your outfit. “I like to wear a cream scarf with a white shirt,” she says. But a pop of color to draw your eye is also a good trick here.

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Add a belt

Stylist Jessica Steuart-Hoyler prefers to style a scarf by creating an asymmetrical scarf around your neck and one shoulder, then cinching it at your waist. This style works best when worn with volume and purpose, so the scarf sits high to protect you from the elements, she says.

To create this look, vintage collector and founder of luxury second-hand fashion site Reception You will need a large scarf, with some width and drape. Start by placing the scarf over your right shoulder so that most of the length is at the front of your body. Then wrap the long end across your chest, over your left shoulder, across your back, and over your right shoulder and upper arm. This should reveal the full width of the scarf as it falls across the front of your body.

“I add a belt to hold the scarf in place,” Steuart-Hoyler says. She coordinates her jewelry and belt accessories to the color of the scarf. For example, silver accessories on the belt and all silver jewelry to complement a gray scarf.

The head and ear warmer

Raquel Boedo loves using a scarf as a hood to keep her head and ears warm. “I always check the weather to figure out which scarf to choose and how I’m going to wear it,” says the McIntyre Merino co-founder. “It all depends on my mood.”

To create this look, use a long, wide scarf. Start by placing the scarf at the front of your neck and crossing the two ends behind you. As you bring the two ends of the scarf in front of you, tuck them inside the first loop you created. This allows you to pull the middle of the scarf from the back of your neck to the top of your head. Now you're ready to take on the world, says Boedo.

She suggests using a scarf that gives an otherwise simple outfit a pop of color, like hot pink.

The One Shoulder Look

“I love a scarf that you throw on your shoulder once,” says Boustred. “I think they look effortless and chic, but they’re also warm and practical.”

The artistic director of her eponymous fashion brand favors scarves that are neither too big nor too thick because she doesn't like the volume of the scarf to hide the outfit. For more versatility, Boustred also opts for neutral colors like cream, black or chocolate.

I think scarves are more suited to daytime outfits or more casual looks, so I mostly wear them with jeans or a suit, she says.