Silk is the easiest place to start because it knots softly and goes with everything. Madewell's Medium Silk Bandana is dusty merlot and white in a block stripe, and it is 100% silk, so it works at the neck, in your hair or on a bag. Echo's Striped Silk Bandana runs burgundy and plum diagonals inside a chartreuse border, which is louder than it sounds. AllSaints' Evia Adena is dark teal silk twill scattered with moody burgundy lilies. The rag & bone Kit is an Italian-made silk bandana scarf in a watercolor navy floral. Call It By Your Name's Silk Bandana Small works as a headscarf, and its Large is a green paisley I would tie at the waist. Madewell's Oversized Silk Bandana is a pink paisley, the classic print in silk, and Acne Studios' Vasco Teddy is a 90 cm silk satin square for when you want the statement. Tip: pair a patterned silk with a plain crewneck and let it be the only print.

These are cotton, which means they hold a knot, and they get softer every time you wash them. Madewell's Medium Cotton Bandana is ivory with a red and black paisley border, the closest thing here to the classic. Henelle's Cotton Bandana puts a coral vine print on charcoal with a bright pink edge, and it can go on your neck, in your hair or over a bag. Damson Madder's Check Organic Cotton Bandana is magenta and navy gingham with pink picot trim. Treasure & Bond's Pottery Floral is sunflowers and pink daisies. Madewell's Embroidered Cotton Bandana has olive embroidery, Clare V.'s Le Text is a printed cotton bandana made for the neck, rag & bone's Floral Western is a 100% cotton square, and Polo Ralph Lauren's Rugby Stripe is the one linen option, which wears looser. What I would skip: wearing the floral with another floral. Give it a quiet denim jacket instead.

If you want the scarf to be the whole outfit, start here. Pucci's Printed Silk-Twill Bandana is a khaki, chocolate and pink print, so it reads warm against a camel coat. Kate Spade New York's Interlocked Silk Bandana is a black square printed with interlocking jewelry chains and heart charms, which is a fun trick: it is jewelry you tie on. Lost Pattern's House of Frida is a pink silk square with green birds and ribbon, from a collection made with the Frida Kahlo family. Eighteen Forty Two's Tiger Outline is purple twill with a gold tiger, 20 by 20 inches. Tip: tie the big prints into a small knot so the pattern stays visible.

A trimmed edge makes a bandana look finished even when you tie it badly. Madewell's Beaded Bandana in Cotton Blend is a blue geometric print with a bead-embellished border. Treasure & Bond's Beaded Cotton Bandana is black with red and pink florals and colorful beads at the edges. Their Eyelet Embroidered Bandana is terracotta with scalloped edges, and Madewell's Embroidered Floral Eyelet bandana is chilli pepper red organic cotton, worn like a handkerchief. Tip: fold the trimmed edge so it sits on top, where you can see it, and wear it with a plain white tee.

Fall wants a warmer version, and these are cut as triangles that tuck inside a coat. Extreme Cashmere's Bandana scarf is a dark gray cashmere-blend triangle, soft enough to tie in a small knot. Free People's Carmen Knitted Triangle Scarf is a wine-red knit with a bandana motif, blanket-stitched edges and a chain with a safety-pin closure. Eileen Fisher's Cashmere Handkerchief Scarf is ash gray ribbed cashmere, made from Italian fibers and cut as a triangle. Eighteen Forty Two's Austin is burnt orange and ivory with longhorn, paisley and racing-flag art and a fringed edge. LE BOP's Brushed Cashmere Bandana Scarf is the soft, brushed version, Guest in Residence makes The Wild Rag as both a bandana and a triangle in cashmere, and Favorite Daughter's Stripe Knitted Triangle is the casual knit. Further down the grid, Chan Luu's Embroidered Floral Bandana and STAUD's Sonya cotton scarf are the easy squares, and the rest is a looser mix of designer scarves, wraps and collars for when you want the warmth more than the bandana shape. Tip: point the triangle down your chest, then tuck the ends under your lapels.

If you are new to this, buy a square before anything else. A square can be a neck scarf, a headband, a bag charm or a hair tie, and the triangles and knits only do one of those jobs. Pick the print you would not normally wear, tie it small, and keep everything else around it plain. If it still feels like too much after a week, move it to your bag handle, which is where a bandana scarf looks most relaxed. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Scarf Era and Hermès Scarf Dupe.