How To Tie A Scarf: Six Ways That Work On A Silk Horse Print

Key Takeaways

• How to tie a scarf comes down to the fold, a band or a triangle, and where the knot sits: at your neck, in your hair, or on a bag.

• The loose knot, the Parisian loop, and the faux knot are the three easiest neck knots, and each takes under a minute once your hands learn it.

• The bandana tie comes from the working side of horse life, where riders have worn the wild rag for warmth and against dust for generations.

• With a horse print, choose the motif you want to show first, then pick the fold that puts it in view.

• Around horses, keep knots snug and tails short or tucked so nothing flaps or snags on tack.

• Knot the scarf high at the collar and let a medallion necklace fall below it so the two pieces never compete.

Knowing how to tie a scarf comes down to two choices: the fold and the knot. Fold a square into a long band for neck knots, headbands, and bag ties, or into a triangle for a bandana tie. Then knot, loop, or tuck the ends where you want them to sit. Once your hands learn the moves, most of these take less than a minute.

A horse print tells you right away if a knot puts the horses front and center or buries them in the folds. Take a look at our scarf with the rest of our equestrian apparel collection, beside the logo hats, tees, and sweatshirts.

This scarf tying guide covers six methods, each with short steps, a note on scarf length, and where the print lands. There are ways to tie a neck scarf at the collar. One is a bandana tie with deep roots in riding culture. The last two move the scarf into your hair and onto your bag.

Find The Horses In The Print Before You Tie

Lay the scarf flat, print side up, and choose the part of the design you want people to see. Every fold hides some of the print and puts the rest on display. A band fold mostly shows the center of the scarf. A triangle shows the corner that becomes the point, and a bag tie shows the ends.

With a horse print, the first step in how to tie a scarf is picking your horse before you pick your knot. If the motif you love sits near a corner, a bandana tie frames it just below your collarbone. If it runs through the center, a band fold carries it around your neck. When the first try hides the horses, turn the scarf a quarter turn and fold again.

Two folds cover all six methods in this guide:

• Band: fold the square in half corner to corner, then fold from the long edge toward the point in 2 to 3 inch sections. This bias fold gives you the longest band a square can make.

• Triangle: fold the square in half corner to corner with the print facing out, and stop there.

How To Tie A Scarf Around Your Neck: Three Knots

The loose knot, the Parisian loop, and the faux knot are the three easiest neck knots, and all three start from the band fold. They suit different lengths, so check your scarf first. A square handles the loose knot and faux knot well, while the Parisian loop needs an oblong scarf or a large square.

As a rough guide, a large square of about 35 inches handles all six methods, though the Parisian loop will sit snug. A smaller square near 27 inches covers the loose knot, bandana tie, headband, and bag tie, but it runs short for the loop once it's folded into a band.

The loose knot

The loose knot is the simplest way to wear a scarf at the collar, and it shows the most print. It looks relaxed with a crewneck or an open shirt collar.

1. Drape the band around the back of your neck with both ends in front.

2. Tie the ends in a single knot and leave it slack.

3. Slide the knot an inch or two off center and fan out the ends.

Silk slips more than cotton or wool, so if the knot drifts during the day, tie a second loose knot over the first.

The Parisian loop

The Parisian loop pulls the ends through a folded loop, which gives a neat, close knot that stays put. It covers more of your neck than any other knot here, so it's the one for cold mornings at the barn.

1. Fold the band in half so one end forms a loop.

2. Drape it around your neck with the loop on one side and the tails on the other.

3. Pull both tails through the loop and snug it up toward your throat.

To take it off, hold the loop and slide the tails back out instead of tugging, which keeps silk from creasing at the fold.

The faux knot

The faux knot looks tied but slides, so you can adjust it all day without starting over. It works on a square or an oblong scarf, and it's the most polished of these scarf knots.

1. Drape the band so one end hangs about twice as long as the other.

2. Tie a loose knot halfway down the long end, without pulling it tight.

3. Thread the short end up through that knot, then adjust both until the knot sits where you like it.

Keep the knot soft. The point is the shape, not the grip.

How To Tie A Neck Scarf As A Bandana

For a bandana tie, fold the scarf into a triangle, set the point at the front, and knot the tails behind your neck. It's the one method here that comes from the working side of horse life.

The American Quarter Horse Association describes the wild rag as a square scarf, usually silk or a silk blend, worn around the neck. It has likely been part of cowboy dress since the trail drives of the late 1800s, worn for warmth and pulled up against dust.

1. Fold the square into a triangle with the print facing out.

2. Hold the long edge, set the point at the front just below your collarbone, and take the tails behind your neck.

3. Tie the tails in a square knot at the nape, or cross them and bring them back to tie over the point.

Reach for this tie when your favorite horse sits near a corner, since the point frames it at your collar. With no long tails to flap, it's also one of the most practical ways to tie a neck scarf on a barn day.

How To Tie A Scarf On Your Head

To wear a scarf on your head, fold it into a narrow band, set it at the nape of your neck, and knot it on top. It keeps hair off your face once the helmet comes off, and it turns helmet hair into something that looks deliberate.

1. Fold the scarf into a band about 2 inches wide.

2. Place the middle of the band at the nape of your neck, under your hair.

3. Bring the ends up over your head and tie a small double knot on top, slightly to one side.

For a softer version, tie the band at the nape instead and let the ends fall over one shoulder with a low ponytail.

How To Tie A Scarf On A Purse Or Bag

On a bag, all a scarf needs is a thin band, a knot at the base of the handle, and a few wraps. It's the easiest way to carry a print into places where a neck scarf would feel like too much. It also puts the ends of the scarf on display.

1. Fold the scarf into a thin band, 1 to 2 inches wide.

2. Tie one end around the base of the handle with a double knot.

3. Wrap the band around the handle in a spiral and knot the other end at the opposite base.

For a quicker version, skip the wrap. Tie the band around one side of the handle in a single knot and let both ends hang.

Scarf Knots At A Glance

Pick your knot by where you want the scarf to sit and how much of the print you want to show.

How To Knot A Scarf So It Stays Put Around Horses

Around horses, keep the knot snug and the tails short or tucked, so nothing flaps or catches on tack. A loose end lifting in the wind is the kind of thing a young horse notices. A tail caught on a buckle isn't worth the look either.

Silk is smooth, which is why it drapes so well and also why a single knot can work loose over a long morning. Double any knot you'll wear while grooming or tacking up, and tuck the tails into your collar. The bandana tie and the Parisian loop hold best, so save the loose knot and faux knot for after barn chores.

Before you get on, take the scarf off or tuck it fully inside your jacket. That's the real lesson in how to knot a scarf for horse people: tie for the job first, and for the print second.

Pairing A Scarf With Horse Jewelry

A scarf and a necklace work together when they sit at different heights, so knot the scarf high and let the pendant fall below it. A loose knot or bandana tie at the collar leaves room for a medallion on a longer chain to settle a few inches lower. With the Parisian loop, which fills the neckline, move the jewelry to your ears or wrists instead.

Metal matters less than you'd think. Sterling silver cools a warm print, and solid gold picks up the golden tones in a bay or chestnut coat. Our horse necklace collection carries the Medallion in sterling silver, solid gold, and diamond, all handcrafted in the USA.

Learning how to tie a scarf also changes what you wear under it. A crewneck gives a bandana tie a clean base, and our guide to styling a horse sweatshirt covers the crewnecks that pair best with one.