In March 2012, WWD reported that Hermès had asked Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto to bring his “Colors of Shadow” Polaroids to silk twill. Twenty images, seven scarves per design, 140 in all, were due to appear in Basel during Art Basel that June. Silk scarf, to me, is the small canvas that can move between the wall and the collar without changing its point of view.

The house’s first one arrived in 1937: Jeu des omnibus et dames blanches, created by Robert Dumas. Brides de Gala followed in 1957, created with illustrator Hugo Grygkar and inspired by a harness in Émile Hermès’ personal collection. That history gives the print more to say than “match the jacket.” I like a scarf that can be read closely, then folded down to one bright edge.

For a clean collar, I would reach for Tory Burch’s Forest Silk Square, the yellow landscape print against an ivory shirt, or COACH’s Multi Belt Print for its black-and-brown belt motifs beside a dark blazer. Liberty London’s Lodden is softer: pink flowers, a bright orange border, and a compact proportion that would suit a chunky cardigan. Echo’s Summer Bounty keeps the palette lighter with blue, green, peach and lavender flowers on cream.

Ferragamo’s Floral Silk Scarf brings yellow and dark blooms; McQueen’s Classic Skull Print adds red skulls across black pleats. I would choose one print as the outfit’s color cue, then keep the rest simple enough for it to show. Before choosing, check the listed dimensions: a 17-inch square and a 35-inch square fold into very different amounts of neck coverage.

A narrow scarf is about line, not coverage. Hermès’ guide describes a single knot on a carré 90 as graceful and two as bolder; I borrow that scale note here, keeping skinny ribbons close to the collar rather than building a big bow.

Burberry’s Skinny Check Silk Scarf pairs sand-beige check twill, fine contrast borders and an equestrian knight. I would let the border peek from an open white shirt, not stack it on top of another check. Elizabetta’s Raffaella is sage-green with double-sided floral twill, so the reverse can flash in a loose loop over a cream knit. Lost Pattern’s Dream keeps the palette brown and the floral dots small, an easy choice when the blouse is already printed.

Centinelle’s Cat Garden Gnome ribbon gives a red cat-and-gnome scene on both sides; COACH’s navy Cherry Print has angled ends that can tie at the neck, wrist or bag handle. Dolce & Gabbana’s Velata Floral adds a pink flower print and a crisp striped edge. I would pick one pattern as the punctuation and let the rest of the outfit be quiet.

What I would skip: a huge bow over a busy collar, where two prints start arguing. Before choosing, compare the scarf’s length with the route you want it to take: 2.5 inches by 45 inches makes a thin ribbon, while the 5-by-55-inch shape gives a broader loop.

A head wrap is easier to plan as a band: fold the square, cross the ends, then knot them at the nape. That is Hermès’ Carré Club sequence for its Turban Croisé, and it gives this small category a practical starting point before I think about print.

Elizabetta’s Clara sets soft pink watercolor blooms inside hand-rolled piping, while its Odetta uses lavender and cream petals for a quieter version of the floral idea. Free People’s Intimately FP So Silk Bandana goes the other direction with chocolate paisley, and its care notes say hand wash and dry flat. Kate Spade New York’s Brooch Collection keeps small illustrated icons on ivory; Lost Pattern’s Season in Park builds a black square around bright Central Park scenes, with hand-rolled, hand-stitched edges.

For a neckerchief under a jacket, I would choose Echo’s navy Dotty with the yellow trim; Longchamp’s Evasions takes a travel-postcard route in pale lichen. AllSaints’ hay-yellow Fleur De Lis has a bold centered motif, so I would keep it against a plain knit or a white tee. These compact prints reward a simple backdrop.

Check the square dimensions before choosing the fold: the 20-inch options can be folded into a band, while Echo’s roughly 21-inch Dotty gives a little more fabric. If tying it at the neck, I would decide how much point I want at the front before making a snug knot.

Proportion is the whole question with a shoulder wrap. Hermès suggests tying a 140 square or Giant Triangle around the neck in a large bow over a monochrome shirt or dress; I would borrow that one-color backdrop when wearing a bigger print.

Elizabetta’s Dafne uses beige-and-gray patchwork tiles on airy chiffon, while Carmen goes blush in georgette and a long 27-by-78-inch shape. Echo’s Wildflower Crinkle lays bright blooms over black, and its 26-by-72-inch length could fall straight over a coat. The Block Floral Oversized square puts pink blossoms and fringe against chambray, so it becomes the more graphic shoulder line.

For evening, the navy Silk Chiffon Wrap is long and sheer; Camilla’s Navas Nouveau adds garden scenes, crystals and tassels to its long crinkled chiffon. The Wanderlust square brings jungle foliage and birds inside an ornate border, while SILKSILKY’s black-and-ivory geometric rectangle offers a quieter shape. I would keep whichever one I choose over a solid dress or coat, not another print.

What I would skip: layering a heavily printed wrap over a dress already crowded with beads or sequins. Before choosing, compare the dimensions with the coverage I want: the 40-by-80-inch navy wrap makes a long line, while a 55-inch square sits differently across the shoulders.

A scarf worn in hair should have a clear plan for its loose ends. Hermès has reimagined Brides de Gala as a twilly and a bandana, a reminder that a print can scale down and switch roles.

Hello Updo’s yellow-and-cream 34-inch square is the graphic choice for a head wrap; POST SWIM’s Chemo Club Head Scarf turns the same scale purple. For a hairline band instead of crown coverage, Centinelle’s Fortune Twilly is double-sided silk twill with dice, cats and eyes, while Echo’s Modernist Geo narrows the black ribbon to two inches.

Elizabetta’s Hawaii Bloom gives a vanilla ground and tropical flowers on a longer 5-by-55-inch strip, an option for a low ponytail or bag handle. LELET NY’s sky-blue Isla is a sheer embroidered triangle with self-tie cords, and Dolce & Gabbana’s Carretto bandeau brings a denser print into a slim black outline. I would let just one of those patterns sit near the face.

Before deciding, compare the width with the knot: a 2-inch ribbon can tuck into a braid, while a 34-inch square can be folded into a broad band or tied around the crown. I would keep the care instruction close for delicate edges or embroidery.

I would start with one printed square in a color already in my closet, then add a skinny ribbon for a ponytail, collar or bag handle. A compact bandana makes sense next; it can be folded or knotted without asking the rest of the outfit to change.

For shoulder coverage, I would go straight to a long wrap and check its dimensions against the coat or dress it needs to sit over. WWD’s Sugimoto story still sets the mood for me: color gradations translated from Polaroids onto silk twill, then carried to Basel. My version is smaller: one square, one knot, and an artful way out the door.