The Bandana Edit: Five Lessons in How to Wear a Bandana Without Overthinking It

I am the person who notices a square scarf before the rest of an outfit, and within approximately four seconds I have an opinion about the print, the knot and whether it belongs at the neck or in somebody's hair. I want to know its name, the angle of its point, whether it was a gift. I have no shame about this.

But somewhere between folding it into a triangle, knotting it at the neck and recasting it as a top, scarf styling has gotten a little overcomplicated. We are told to let a print speak and also keep every other detail quiet. We are told the scarf is a finishing touch and then asked to make it the outfit. That is quite a job for a square.

Which brings me to London in 2014. At the V&A's Object Pitch Day, research assistant Avalon Fotheringham made a Bengal silk handkerchief length from Berhampur the subject of a three-minute talk. The spotted, tie-dyed cloth was designed to become individual squares, and its route from India to Britain makes the small accessory feel less like an afterthought than a piece of textile history.

Some of it made me reconsider scale. Some of it reminded me a knot can change the whole silhouette. And some of it proves the cloth has a history older than our outfit plans. Phia's shopper data shows bandana interest rose 38% over the last 90 days vs the 90 days before. So, here are five lessons in how to wear a bandana, from cotton and silk to the big square that practically asks for a second job.

A cotton square does not need to be tied tightly to look deliberate. The V&A connects the name bandanna with bandhani, the tie-dye technique behind a Bengal silk kerchief, which is a useful reminder that a print begins with cloth and the way it is marked. For how to wear a bandana, start with the point: under the chin gives a little romance, while a knot at the nape lets the hair stay in charge.

The House Cotton Silk square from Centinelle has illustrated houses in a pale blue border, so I would keep the rest simple. The Beach Daze square from Free People brings pink flowers to a warm brown ground and is shown as a head wrap. The Organic Cotton square from Cotopaxi has a geometric pattern with a dark green edge, a good companion to a solid tee.

Hollywood Vine by Henelle has a hand-rolled edge and leafy print; Faherty puts its Star Geo square into lavender; and the red floral Western scarf from rag & bone is a little brighter without losing the square shape.

The mirror test: fold each one into a triangle, then move the knot from under the chin to the nape and notice which line feels more balanced with your collar. What I would skip: pairing a busy print with another busy neckline. Although the smallest detail can still set the tone.

Silk changes the question from print to light. The V&A's surviving Bengal piece was a continuous length of silk intended to be cut into handkerchiefs, which makes me think of the fabric before I think of the outfit. A narrow fold with a simple front knot suits an open shirt; a larger square can fall on the bias when a collar has room.

The Medium Silk square from Madewell pairs indigo flowers with a satin twill finish. The So Silk Printed square from Free People is ivory and can move between neck, hair and bag. Echo makes a Holly Silk scarf in a compact black floral, while its Summer Series square mixes blue, aqua and coral for a more noticeable neck tie.

The navy paisley square from Quince is 34.5 inches across, so it has enough length to fold without becoming a little knot. The Tomatoes square from Centinelle turns red fruit into a playful print, and the double-sided rainforest artwork from Jessie Zhao New York frames vivid florals and spotted cats. The red silk square from Knottery & Co has an equestrian print and ornate border.

My test is to fold a square twice, then once, and see whether the knot sits near the collarbone or disappears under the lapel. Although silk can make even a simple fold feel like a decision.

An oversized scarf is all about placement. The V&A describes Kashmir shawls whose paisley motifs were formed by hand inserting colored weft threads against a diagonal twill ground, and the pattern is known in northern India as buta or boteh, meaning flower. When a motif already has that much detail, I would let the fabric do the talking and keep the fold uncomplicated.

The Big from The Great is an army green, 53-inch cotton square with a classic paisley look. The Large Hachiko from Kujten is an oat white cashmere square with a soft fringe. The coral bloom silk square from Madewell measures 41 inches, while Echo prints Bookworm on a denim blue square, a literary print on a denim blue ground.

COACH uses black belt motifs in its Multi Belt Print as the main event. Echo also has a Beach Picnic square that mixes ultramarine graphics with checks, and Dolce&Gabbana's floral silk twill has vivid flowers framed by contrasting borders.

Phia's shopper data shows bandana interest rose 12% in the last 30 days. The proportion test: drape the square over one shoulder, then fold it on the diagonal and check where the point lands against your jacket. What I would skip: layering another large print on top. Although the best accessory sometimes needs the quietest outfit.

A neckerchief is less about having the right print than finding the right amount of fabric. Vogue Arabia's simple method is to fold a scarf into a slim strip and tie a small knot at the front, with an oversized shirt or structured blazer as the partner. I would begin with the collar open, then decide whether the knot sits high or rests just below the throat.

The Small Hachi from Kujten puts black paisley on ivory cashmere in a compact square. The Forest Silk by Tory Burch has fine linework, and the Hot Air Balloon Silk by Tory Burch uses tiny navy motifs on a bordered ground. Lost Pattern's Daisy is cut into a tapered diamond, so the ends already do some of the work.

The Nasturtium Garden square from Centinelle brings green leaves to a cotton silk blend. SILKSILKY keeps its light green charmeuse plain, which gives the knot a clean outline. The navy skinny scarf from Quince is already a long strip, and Elizabetta uses Dianthus silk, with a red edge around pink flowers.

The collar test is easy: knot the scarf, button one more button, then see whether the fabric still has space to move. A print can soften tailoring without covering the whole shirt. Although a small knot is never quite as small as it looks.

Printed clothes want the pattern to feel like a choice, not an accident. Vogue Arabia notes that oversized squares can become tops, and that a triangle tied under the chin or at the nape works as a head covering. That is the bridge from a small accessory to a shirt or hair scarf: keep one piece in focus, then let the rest of the outfit settle around it.

The Flowing Printed Shirt by maje puts paisley and dots into a navy border; the Contrast Collar shirt by maje uses a sky blue ground and white collar. The cropped shirt from SANDRO has taupe paisley with contrast piping. The Katie top from Re/Done mixes cotton and silk with tassel ties at the split neck.

Live Unlimited offers a magenta chiffon V neck framed by paisley, and Playa Lucila gives its brown cotton top a pointed hem and a tie at the back. For hair, the Bridgette silk scarf from Free People drapes into a triangle with long ties, and the skinny scarf from Lost Pattern has adjustable ends.

For a quick check, keep the shirt untucked over a plain trouser, then try a half tuck if you want the border to show. With a hair scarf, tie the ends at the nape or layer it over a cap. The outfit does not need to repeat every color. Although the print may try to recruit it.

I keep thinking about the V&A's Bengal silk length, made to be cut into individual handkerchiefs. A piece of cloth can start with one practical purpose and end up with a dozen ways to wear it.

That is what these lessons add up to: cotton for an easy triangle, silk for a soft knot, a large square for a drape, a narrow scarf for a collar, and a print that can carry into a top or hair. The shape stays simple. The decision is where to put it.

I will still notice the square before the rest of the outfit. It is my least practical skill and, conveniently, a reliable conversation starter.