The Best Scarves for Men, Tested and Reviewed
Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
Scarf season has every style boi thinking to himself, Oh là là, watch me accessorize! And trust us, mon frère, there is little like a well-deployed piece of neck candy to elevate that fit. A pop of colorful cashmere or soigné silk will take anyone’s game up three notches. But here’s the thing: The scarf has some serious style work to do. It can’t exactly mirror the rest of an outfit. Instead, it needs to work alongside it, neither grabbing all the attention nor retreating into the (chin) shadows. Here’s how to do it right.
Today's Top Deals
How Did We Test Scarves for Men?
Wait for it to get cold, then layer the hell up. I live in Maine, and thankfully, New England autumn is highly obliging for scarf testing, offering not just the appropriate weather but also the right activities. (Think: brisk November football games, hikes by the sea, pre-dawn dog walks, and mornings so miserably cold you need to go full Arctic dress while the car warms up.)
I tested for comfort and style. Comfort, of course, is how the scarf feels on my bare skin and how well it keeps me warm. On the style side, I’m looking for versatility, but also an elevation from the everyday black, gray, and navy. (Too often, men go conservative with their accessories when they should be going bold. A navy pea coat doesn’t need a navy scarf — it’s already a navy scarf for your torso.)
Not every scarf hits every note, and not all scarves are designed for both. But if a scarf doesn’t hit either one, get the heck off my neck.
Todd Snyder x Joshua Ellis' Modern Tartan Scarf
Buy Now
Style: A leading name in cashmere since 1767, Joshua Ellis has been winning the heritage game for over 200 years before A Continuous Lean called “Play Ball.” With a handsome tartan woven in Yorkshire, England, this scarf has a decidedly classic feel and delivers the level of softness that only cashmere can offer.
Also, there’s no menswear collaborator more ubiquitous than Todd Snyder, but this particular pairing really works. Snyder has a nice eye while Ellis has a nice hand, making this an ideal scarf — not just to wear, but to give as a gift. I recommend opting for something festive with the tartan colorway, but for those who are more conservative, there are over a dozen to choose from in this collection, including your old friends black, olive, and charcoal.
Warmth: With cashmere, I’m looking for density of weave and softness to the touch. This scarf has both. I’ve found it entirely up to the task of keeping me warm on brisk Maine mornings in November. However, with good cashmere, like this, expect to pay for it. I’ll leave the cashmere economics to the ever-steady Derek Guy but also will note that going downmarket will likely mean getting fleeced. This is good cashmere. Bad cashmere, no matter how steep the discount, will pill, stretch, and leave you out in the cold.
J. Press Yale Art School Muffler Scarf
Buy Now
Style: OK, Harry Potter, time to leave Hogwarts and go to university. J. Press calls this extremely collegiate bit of kit a schoolboy muffler — and, accordingly, no matter how it’s styled, its Ivy-via-Oxford origins feel inescapable. Preps will find lots to love in J. Press’s many colorways and soft wool wrappers. Personally, I love the Yale School of Art muffler. A nearly gauche clash of kelly green, orange, and purple (are these really the art school colors?), this scarf stands well outside the pack of tasteful, if dull, stripes.
Warmth: As one would expect from a built-for-the-homecoming muffler like this one, it gets an A in warmth. I sported mine all over town — on drizzly hikes and even to a local high school football game — and have nothing but hip hip hoorays to report. I was even called “fancy” by a fellow spectator. Also, the scarf is 100% wool and made in England, which means there’s no futzing around when it comes to keeping out the damp and cold. The wool is perhaps a shade rougher than the cashmere from Todd Snyder, but it shouldn’t be a problem unless there’s a wool allergy.
Drake's Brown Unicorn Print Scarf
Buy Now
Style: Will Drake’s ever lose the style battle? Not anytime soon, from what I can tell. I adore the brand’s printed scarves, whether they’re festooned with Mughal hunting scenes, Renaissance-inspired mythical beasts, or some kilim motif. The Drake’s print archive goes back decades — they started with printed scarves back in the late 70s — and suggest nothing so much as a man entirely at home roaming the Cloisters. Style-wise, these scarves are a bit fussy, though therein lies the charm. Find a man carelessly sporting one of these Italian-made scarves and you’ve found a true bon vivant. (Then, ask him what concert he just saw and where he buys his wine.)
A note on wearing them carelessly: They will billow more than they’ll lay flat. They’re light and just this side of gauzy, though the rich earth tones of brown, forest green, orange, and burgundy keep them floating away. Because so much of a gent’s outerwear is black, navy, charcoal, or olive, they’re the perfect ballast to all that dark acreage.
Warmth: Warmth is not the game we’re playing here. A blend of wool and silk, the Drake’s scarf is nearly pure ornament, a signal to the rest of the world that the wearer is playful and sophisticated, a natty aesthete who cares not for such base material concerns as core temperature. Which is to say, this scarf does only the lightest duty in the thermal department. If it’s below freezing, leave it at home and grab the serious wool.
Buck Mason x Eddie Bauer Cascade Down Field Scarf
Buy Now
Style: Every fella needs a statement scarf — one just needs to be sure what kind of statement they want to make. Maybe it’s Drake’s-level sophistication. Maybe it’s a shocking crimson silk opera scarf. Or, as in the case of this hot collab between better-than-you-realized brand Buck Mason and OG outdoors outfitter Eddie Bauer, it’s a bit of kit that looks like it belongs around the neck of a B-52 pilot making runs over Vichy, France.
I absolutely love the retro romance and obvious performance of this scarf. I find myself reaching for it constantly. It pairs perfectly with a Barbour Bedale or under my Gloverall; I wear it with my vintage tweedy Ralph Lauren topcoat and have even thrown it over a jacket and tie. The trick is in the drape. Though it’s a bit bulky, It sits wonderfully well around the neck. Plus, when I feed it through the loop, it has a comme il faut quality that’s rare in high-performing down outerwear.
Warmth: Did I call a pea coat a navy scarf for your torso? Well, this collab between outdoorsy Bauer and Buck is a down vest for your neck! Made from ripstop nylon, this hot little number is box-quilted with 650-fill premium down and it feels and wears like a long strip of down jacket. I found myself merely wrapping it around my neck without trying to tie it for fear of overheating. Clearly, the designers knew what they were doing. It comes with a cotton loop through which you feed one side of the scarf to keep it secure.
Merz b. Schwanen Classic Scarf
Buy Now
Style: Earlier this fall, we named Merz B. Schwanen’s Waffle Beanie as our favorite of the season. It’s rugged, refined, handsome, and easy to wear. All the same holds true for the German brand’s classic, ribbed merino scarves. The real style move to be made, here, is with color. I was immediately drawn to the Swan Blue, a hue that will jazz up a black or charcoal overcoat, harmonize with olive, and provide a cobalt pop to any typically drab outerwear. Runners-up are the Honey and Clay colors, which also caught my eye. A word to the wise: It’s tempting to double down on a matching set of a Merz scarf and beanie, but resist the impulse. One would never match a tie and pocket square. Don’t start with a hat and scarf. By all means, go full Merz with the woolen accessories, just be sure to vary the palette.
Warmth: Is there anything merino wool can’t do? An utter workhorse in style and warmth — and at half the price of good cashmere — this should be a baseline wool. The Merz merino is soft, warm, and comfortable. It’s not too bulky when looped twice around the neck but still feels cozy. It also drapes nicely when just thrown over the shoulders, imparting a bit more versatility than the always-on thermal experience of the Buck Mason x Eddie Bauer scarf.
More Top Deals from SPY
Best of SPY
