Your mother was right: you should be wearing a scarf. From a practical perspective, the best men’s scarves will help prevent the cold from penetrating your confines. winter jacket, and will act as a helpful face covering when icy winds blow in your T-zone. More importantly, though, they just want to looks goodwhich is no small thing when the weather turns so awful that your outfit options are limited to heavy-duty parkas and dumps in size snow boots. (And frankly, the aesthetic value alone should be the reason you should invest in one now, before temperatures really start to hit sub-arctic lows.) To help you find just the right scarf to add some much-needed pizzazz to your fall and winter fit, we examined dozens of the finest neck warmers from budget-friendly malls, age-old British brands and everything in between. Here are the best scarves for men to tie up pronto.
The best shopping guide for scarves
The best scarf to bless your neck
Look, we get that $430 is a lot for a scarf. But you’re here for the best, right? And Begg & Co., the 154-year-old Scottish wool connoisseurs, unabashedly make the best. Their scarves are all the things a good scarf should be: knits of rich and tightly woven cashmere that keep things as mild as a late June afternoon and feel smoother than a Persian kitten against your skin; enough surface area to fold and wrap any way you want; available in a wider range of colors and patterns than you would find in the Met; and not for nothing, just the right number and length of tassels. We’re particularly fond of this color-blocked indigo muffler, which has all the versatility of navy blue in a way that’s more striking.
The best scarf for guys who hate scarves
Do you want to get the maximum amount of warmth from the smallest amount of scarf? Nanamica has designed this puffer jacket for your neck so that it is as compact and efficient as a Japanese sedan. The specially treated Kodenshi down traps warmth like no other, and the snap closure keeps it all in place despite its minimal length.
The best scarf that won’t break the bank
Ever since Uniqlo started incorporating cashmere into its repertoire of winter-ready gear, the days of shelling out top dollar for a quality piece of the fabric are numbered. The Japanese patron saint of perfectly executed basics now uses the ultra-luxe material in a range of cold-weather accessories such as hats and scarves. At just $50 per full price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better ratio of comfort to dollar anywhere on the market.
The best 2-in-1 scarf worth spending on
Around this time every year, Burberry’s ubiquitous checkered scarf begins to appear with staggering frequency on the necks of Upper East Side doyennes and downtown cool kids alike. If you dig the brand’s particularly cozy cashmere but prefer a little more toned down alternatively, consider this reversible monogram number instead. The unbeatable, go-with-everything color palette is still very much present and standing, but it’s reinterpreted as a solid hit of black and beige on both sides for double the versatility (and twice the fun). The only indication that you flex an accessory from the first name in luxurious outerwear? The gold logo hardware, discreetly placed on the corner edge.
The best scarf to build an entire outfit around
You know that hit of dopamine you get when you stumble across such a great piece of clothing – that perfect pair of flared jeans, or that vintage football shirt you’ve been looking for – your brain immediately starts imagining ways to wear it? Sometimes all it takes to trigger that rush (and lay the foundation for your most inspired fit yet) is a really sick scarf—in this case, a graphic reversible joint from underground legend Anna Sui. The designer returned to menswear earlier this year with an exclusive SSENSE collection packed with punchy textures and cheeky designs, a heady mix of rock ‘n’ roll glam and early nostalgia that remains her calling card. Staying warm never looked so cool.
