I Found The Chicest Way To Tie a Scarf On Your Head

Lately, I've been dreaming about infusing my summer wardrobe with a decidedly retro appeal. I've been looking at a lot of images of Sophia Loren and Monica Bellucci to inspire me, as well as old photos of Italian beachgoers in the '60s. There's just something so classic about how they styled a scarf on their head, whether at the beach or beyond. Naturally, I knew I had to re-create the look, and as soon as I tried to, I realized just how easy it really is. I used a large printed silk scarf, but all you'll need is a scarf that's cut in a square shape.

To show you just how straightforward it is to tie a scarf on your head like I did, see my two-step how-to guide so you can get the look for yourself. Then shop a few of my favorite scarves right now.

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(Image credit: @annaflorencelaplaca)

I styled my scarf with a summery puffy-sleeve top and my favorite vintage jeans.

Step 1: Fold in half diagonally.

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First, you'll want to lay your scarf down on a table and fold it diagonally across, matching opposite corners. Depending on the size of your scarf, you might have to do a little extra folding like I did. Since mine was on the larger end, I folded the longest edge over on itself by two inches and repeated this three times to shorten the scarf's overall size.

Step 2: Take the longest edge on top of your head, and tie the edges underneath your hair.

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Now, you'll want to take the folded scarf with the longest edge facing forward and tie it on your head with the triangle facing the back of your head. I like to take out a small strand of hair on each side of my part before tying the scarf on, but that's an optional step. Then, tie the scarf in a knot at the nape of your neck, making sure it's underneath your hair. This can be a bit tricky, so you might have to tie your hair in a ponytail while putting it on.

Shop some of my favorite scarves:

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(Image credit: @shopsuperstreet)

Choose a scarf in a fresh color for summer, such as this light green shade.

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(Image credit: @troprouge)

Classic bandanas work just as well and complement your mainstay jewelry pieces like the gold hoops here.

Now you know how I'll be styling a square scarf for beach days and travel all summer long.

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.