In the ‘00s, it wasn’t uncommon for celebrities like Kate Moss and Hilary Duff to wrap thin pieces of knit fabric around their necks and hit the red carpet. The skinny scarf has since become something of an internet joke with its Disney Channel associations, but recently, we’ve spotted it in the wild — with a sophisticated twist.
At a recent 50-person wedding, I saw three women wearing skinny scarves that matched their gowns, like elegant cloth necklaces. Stella McCartney offers an ethereal one-shoulder gown with a scarf already attached. Abercrombie’s new wedding shop includes an elegant white dress with a dramatic long, thin scarf. And Buci sells an exquisite ivory mohair skinny scarf to match its mohair tube top and maxi skirt.
“Ladylike dressing is huge right now,” says fashion writer Liana Satenstein, who wrote “In Praise of the Thin Useless Scarf” for Vogue. “I think that also might be why you’re seeing a resurgence of the useless scarf on the red carpet — because it’s a very ladylike style from the ‘40s.”
A for-show-only neckpiece can also add personality — or swag, as Williamsburg-based musician Regotheresshego puts it. Rego, who says she was inspired by a photo of Rihanna at a 2015 Met Gala after-party, recently paired a long, skinny scarf from Editked with a faux leather gown from Rent The Runway to officiate a wedding. “The scarf added a layer of elegance, but there’s still an edginess to it because my dress was leather,” she says. Rego says she plans to wear the accessory again, this time styled with a low-cut halter top to give her collarbones “a little oomph.”
Satenstein, too, says she appreciates the subtle sexiness of a thin scarf. “You’re not highlighting the bust, and you’re not highlighting the butt,” she says. “The neck is a much more elegant thing to highlight.”
