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Your mom was right: you should be wearing a scarf. From a practical perspective, the best men's scarves will help to keep the cold from infiltrating the confines of your winter coat, and will double as a helpful face covering when freezing winds are singeing your T-zone.
The Best Scarves Shopping Guide
- The Best Scarf for Blessing Your Neck: Begg x Co. Arran Reversible Cashmere Scarf, $575
- The Best Scarf for Guys Who Hate Scarves: Nanamica Down Muffler, $140
- The Best Scarf That Won't Break the Bank: Muji Wool With Pocket Stole, $50
- The Best 2-for-1 Scarf Worth Splurging On: Burberry Reversible Monogram Cashmere Scarf, $360
- The Best Scarf to Build An Outfit Around: A.P.C. x JW Anderson Jolly Scarf, $335
More importantly, though, they'll just plain look good, which is no small thing when the weather gets so dreadful your outfit options are limited to heavy-duty parkas and dump truck-sized snow boots. (And frankly, the aesthetic value alone should be all the reason you need to invest in one now, before temperatures really start hitting subarctic lows.) To help you find just the right scarf to add some much-needed pizzazz to your fall and winter fits, we surveyed dozens of the finest neck warmers from budget-friendly mall chains, age-old British brands, and everything in between. Here are the best men's scarves to knot up pronto.
The Best Scarf for Blessing Your Neck
Look, we understand that $575 is a lot for a scarf. But you're here for the best, right? And Begg & Co., the 154-year-old Scottish wool savants, unabashedly make the best. (There's a reason we only picked one scarf for our inaugural All-Stars class.) Their scarves are all of the things a great scarf should be: knit from rich and densely woven cashmere, which keeps things as balmy as a late June afternoon and feels suppler than a Persian kitten against your skin; enough surface area to fold and wrap in any manner you wish; available in a wider array of colors and patterns than you'd find in the Met; and, not for nothing, the exact 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 more striking package.
The Best Scarf for Guys Who Hate Scarves
Looking to get the maximum amount of warmth from the least amount of scarf? Nanamica designed this puffer jacket for your neck to be as compact and efficient as a Japanese sedan. The specially-treated Kodenshi down traps warmth like nobody's business, and the press stud closure holds it all in place despite its minimal length.
The Best Scarf That Won't Break the Bank
With the cold weather quickly picking up, you might find yourself looking for a quick (and relatively cheap) fix to keep from freezing. This simple yet versatile stole from Muji delivers on style and function, minus the headache-inducing price tag. Crafted from temperature-regulating merino wool that’s been brushed for softness, it’s cut wide enough to drape over your shoulders for a look that softly screams elegance—and doubles-up to wear as a traditional scarf. Plus, it comes with two deep pockets to keep your hands from going ice-cold. Wear with your favorite beanie and the frigid weather won’t stand a chance.
The Best 2-for-1 Scarf Worth Splurging On
Around this time every year, Burberry's ubiquitous checked scarf starts cropping up with a dizzying frequency on the necks of Upper East Side doyennes and downtown cool kids alike. If you dig the brand's especially cozy cashmere but prefer a slightly more toned-down alternative, consider this reversible monogram number instead. That unbeatable, goes-with-everything color palette is still very much present and accounted for, but it's reinterpreted as a solid hit of black and beige on either side for double the versatility (and twice the fun). The only indication that you're flexing an accessory from the first name in luxury outerwear? The gold logo hardware, discreetly placed on the corner edge.
The Best Scarf to Build An Entire Outfit Around
There are plenty of scarves that will keep you warm just fine, but few of those could be considered genuine statement pieces. This festive (and aptly-named) A.P.C. x JW Anderson knit scarf, though, most definitely is. Made from an ultra-soft wool and mohair blend, it’s a gloomy-weather-busting accessory equipped to spice up even the most basic fits. When the traditional plaid scarf isn’t giving you that extra oomph, go long—and go technicolor.
