Why Is Everyone Wearing Their Scarves Like This? (Again)
Plus, Barbie’s AAPI flex, scarves as Mother’s Day power plays & more
I’m acknowledging this quiet hum of a look. That scarf. Tied under the chin. Not tossed or draped, but framed.
It’s ‘50s elegance with 2025 audacity.
Roll call: Coretta. Jackie. The Queen.
But also: A$AP Rocky. Joey Bada$$. Billie Eilish.
That’s the beauty: the references shift depending on where you’re from—and who raised you.
When I see it, I don’t think Jet Set Euro Summer first. I think Coretta Scott King. Regal. Composed. Unshakeable. (We need her energy in this country now more than ever—but I digress.)
I’ve written about turbans and other head accessories in my past lives, so it’s clear I love a headwear moment. This one’s no different.
And if you’ve been following along in this newsletter, you already know I have a soft spot for things that were once demure, but now scream blissfully bold, unbothered and self-assured — see: ear cuffs, pearls, and this time, the headscarf’s lingering presence.
Call it visual lineage. A cultural remix. The scarf has attitude.
Now, A$AP may have officially reintroduced the babushka to fashion's collective consciousness in 2018, but Eastern European grandmothers never quit the assignment. Most recently it commanded center stage at Margiela, Miu Miu, and Loewe's fall 2025 collections.
For those of us who’ve braved actual winters, the headscarf moment has been building—interchanged with balaclavas and snoods that hugged our faces for warmth more than style.
The weather’s shifted now and it’s time to let our accessories catch up. So this spring I’ve been over here raiding my dresser drawers. Shopping my own stuff and tying up silks.
I’m reimagining scarves not just as accessories—but as low-effort outfit-lifters and stylish protective-hairstyle subs.
And one styling law remains true: It always hits with a trench.
How I’m Wearing It: This isn’t a shy moment. So don’t be shy.
Top half:
🕶 Sunnies (the bolder the better). I love the early aughts shapes, rimless and rectangle. Tinted shades are also fun.
✨ Large and chunky earrings, hidden or not, preferably door knockers.
💁🏾♀️ Hair that lets the scarf breathe—baby bangs, coils standing at attention, dancing tendrils, or soft curls and waves peeking out
Full look ideas:
Barrel jeans + a white tee + trench + lavender french manicure = classic
Shorts + socks + loafers + a ball cap = downtown deli-run chic
The slinkiest of slip dresses + mesh ballet flats + light pastel cardigan = both sweet and radical
The scarf does the heavy lifting. You just live in your energy.
P.S. The ball cap/headscarf hybrid was bound to happen—and honestly, it might be the most 2025 thing I’ve seen. Functional, fly, and a little absurd. I’m watching closely.
After rediscovering my scarf drawer, I'm eyeing these next for myself but they might inspire you, especially while Mother’s Day shopping. Peep my wishlist-meets-gift-guide.
Next-level
Magda Butrym XL crochet scarf in cream: Wondering about the price tag? These intricate florals are wearable heritage. Handmade in Koniaków using 140-year-old Polish crochet techniques, each piece carries generations of tradition.
Dreamy
Treat yo self
Marine Serre regenerated silk scarves veiled cap (An example of the ball cap/headscarf hybrid I mentioned 👀)
Four Objects 4Worn work shirt in XL plaid chambray with scarf: Made in NYC from rare Japanese deadstock fabric (aka leftover material from old collections that would otherwise go to waste), this two-in-one shirt says: "I'm busy, not basic."
High style without the high price
Anna Sui Florida silk voile headscarf: It’s the scalloped edges for me.
3 things I’m loving
Speaking of Anna Sui—hers was one of the first New York Fashion Week shows I ever attended. I remember how proud I felt getting that invite and watching a true 7th Avenue legend (and a woman of color) show her collection IRL. Now she’s got her own Barbie, released in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month. You already know how I feel about affinity months and specialty days, but I will say: I’m glad Mattel did this one.
What’s even better: According to the CFDA, proceeds from the doll will go to APEX, Anna’s chosen nonprofit, which supports underserved Asian and immigrant youth from low-income families in NYC. The Anna Sui Inspiring Women Barbie Doll drops for pre-sale May 1 on Mattel Shop and annasui.com.
If niche was a person: So there’s a such thing as a Hermès scarf historian. I stumbled on a collector on Instagram who identifies and breaks down the historical context of Hermès scarves seen in movies and film. Can you guess what movie this is from, what scarf Lucy Liu is wearing? Yeah, me neither.
I really enjoyed T Magazine’s Japan Issue, worth checking out on any platform, especially for its acknowledgement of how DEEP the Japanese influence on fashion, food and culture really goes.
Collab I’m feeling (scarf-related)
One of my favorite under-the-radar collabs from last year came from Echo, the iconic scarf brand. To celebrate their 100th anniversary, they invited 100 creators from around the world to design the scarf of their dreams. Some partnered with charities, but what really stood out was the creative, community-first spirit of the project.
One highlight (among several): a design by Andrea Ferolla and Daria Reina, inspired by the childhood joy of holding a seashell to your ear and hearing the ocean. This scarf is dedicated to all the children hidden inside us.
Based in Rome, the duo co-founded Chez Dede and co-authored Italian Chic (Assouline). Ferolla is an artist and illustrator whose work appears in major fashion and travel magazines; Reina is a stylist and photographer with a love of timeless design who consults for luxury brands.
Their scarf supported Associazione Peter Pan in Rome, which helps children from around the world receive cancer treatment.
“50s elegance with 2025 audacity”🙌🏾
excellent newsletter, friend!