26 Best Men's Scarves 2024, According to GQ Editors
GQ RecommendsThere's no excuse for an exposed neck—or a missed opportunity to flex.By Louis CheslawNovember 21, 2024Photo: Getty Images; Collage by Sarah CassutoSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.Are any accessories as essential, yet mysteriously overlooked, as the best men's scarves? First, they warm your neck (and face, and chest) like nothing else. Second, they put a style-forward, cheery, colorful bow on pretty much any outfit. And yet, these soft little miracles are all too often an afterthought in the menswear world. Even if you’re the type of guy to painstakingly lay your fits out the night before, chances are when it comes to your scarf game, you’re still reaching for one you picked up in a rushed pinch from Nordstrom Rack, or at a frigid college football game.This is, of course, fine. But it’s also sort of a tragedy. Because when you pick up a truly great scarf, everything changes. Swaddling your neck in cashmere (or cashmere-emulating fabrics) doesn’t just provide a soothing all-day embrace through bracing winds. It also, like a necktie, creates an opportunity for a flash of personal style, right under your handsome face. Even better, because scarves use less fabric than coats and knitwear, they’re also a great way to own some of the best materials in our industry for far less scratch.To help you pick the one you’ll soon be recognized by, I surveyed hundreds of scarves from across the fashion (and budget) spectrum, journeying from mall chains, to historic British manufacturers, to the buzziest makers today, and everything in-between. Below, the final 26 best men's scarves to knot up this winter—and next winter, and the one after that.Best Under $100Land's EndCashTouch Winter Scarf Pattern$30 $20 NordstromA red scarf not only brightens your day, but everyone else’s around you. This one was carefully designed by Lands’ End to feel like cashmere, at a noticeably non-cashmere price. MujiPocket Stole$50 MujiThat minty green shade would’ve been enough for inclusion, but when you add two large pockets, all for less than $50, you make yourself undeniable. Our LegacyMiniature Scarf$100 SSENSEIf you don’t love the feeling of excess fabric falling down your chest, spring for Our Legacy’s much warmer take on the neckerchief. MHLScout Scarf$74 NeighbourAnother bandana-shaped option from a fashion-guy approved brand, Margaret Howell’s 100% lambswool scarf covers every area you need it to and none you don’t. Anderson & SheppardPolka-Dot Cotton-Voile Neckerchief$90 Mr PorterAs the two picks above show, shopping for scarves allows you to enter the luxury realm for much less. Here’s another example: Legendary London tailor Anderson & Sheppard sells practically nothing else for under $100. Plus, those dots are sophisticated as anything. Polo Ralph LaurenMuffler Scarf$65 $55 SSENSEOr keep it patriotic with this all-wool stole from Polo—some extra horsepower’s never a bad idea. MadewellWool Scarf$78 MadewellNo shade to the M, but I had to double-take when I saw that Madewell made this. The color blends here are so subtle, but so special. BarbourWool & Cashmere Scarf$90 NordstromTrue cashmere is hard to find at this price point, but sometimes weaving just a little of the stuff into your wool—as Barbour has done here—softens everything up just so. Best Under $250Banana RepublicItalian Wool-Cashmere Scarf$130 Banana RepublicWant to go bright red, but with real cashmere this time? Banana Republic has got you. (And in five other colorways, too.) Joshua EllisClassic Cashmere Scarf$184 Todd Snyder100 percent cashmere, woven in England, and in a color that will never lose its royal associations? Right this way, sir. MfpenWool Scarf$160 $142 SSENSEIt’s not cashmere, but it is understated, versatile, and accompanied by mfpen’s fashion-insider bat signal logo patch. Clifton WilsonGlen Plaid Wool Scarf$225 NordstromIt’s always nice to find a plaid print that doesn’t stay too loyal to muted Scottish patterns. This green is almost neon, but see that pink, too? It calms things down just enough. NanamicaDown Muffler Scarf$110 $63 SSENSEAnd now for something completely different: Nanamica’s scarf is basically a tiny down puffer. That’s right, this scarf has feathers. Joshua EllisCashmere Pinstripe Scarf$184 Todd SnyderPitch-perfect with or without a suit to match, I see this as the more serious alternative to the Barney-purple scarf above (from the same collaboration.) If you can spring for both, you’ll never need a third. Best Under $500Drake'sMughal Hunter Print Wool-Silk Scarf$425 Drake'sWe now enter the world of exquisite, stare-at-all-day designs. Before Drake’s was the menswear behemoth it is today, it made its name from the intricate patterns of its silk scarves. This Mughal print has been a brand mainstay since the late 1970s—you’ll be wanting the print on your rug next. Acne StudiosMohair Checked Scarf$350 SSEN
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Are any accessories as essential, yet mysteriously overlooked, as the best men's scarves? First, they warm your neck (and face, and chest) like nothing else. Second, they put a style-forward, cheery, colorful bow on pretty much any outfit. And yet, these soft little miracles are all too often an afterthought in the menswear world. Even if you’re the type of guy to painstakingly lay your fits out the night before, chances are when it comes to your scarf game, you’re still reaching for one you picked up in a rushed pinch from Nordstrom Rack, or at a frigid college football game.
This is, of course, fine. But it’s also sort of a tragedy. Because when you pick up a truly great scarf, everything changes. Swaddling your neck in cashmere (or cashmere-emulating fabrics) doesn’t just provide a soothing all-day embrace through bracing winds. It also, like a necktie, creates an opportunity for a flash of personal style, right under your handsome face. Even better, because scarves use less fabric than coats and knitwear, they’re also a great way to own some of the best materials in our industry for far less scratch.
To help you pick the one you’ll soon be recognized by, I surveyed hundreds of scarves from across the fashion (and budget) spectrum, journeying from mall chains, to historic British manufacturers, to the buzziest makers today, and everything in-between. Below, the final 26 best men's scarves to knot up this winter—and next winter, and the one after that.