I learned a valuable lesson from watching well-dressed women walk around New York City’s SoHo neighborhood this past weekend: a silk scarf knotted around the neck is all it takes to leave a lasting, elegant impression. The neckerchief—or, if you’re feeling fancy and French, a foulard—can be a triple-digit designer piece or just $14.99, bought new for the season or thrifted secondhand. It can be worn with a freshly pressed skirt suit or an outfit as basic as blue jeans and a white T-shirt.
The particulars don’t matter because the effect is the same: a woman with a silky little scarf looped around her neck looks like she has her life together. With a twilly tucked into her shirt collar or an ascot twisted into an organza choker—even if she doesn’t actually own anything from Hermès, she has the vibe of someone who’s befriended a Birkin sales associate and keeps their contact details in her phone.
