Printed silk squares bring color, pattern and a polished finish to an outfit. I look for a smooth twill, a print with enough contrast to read at a distance, and a tidy rolled edge. The balance of color, design and silk gives a scarf its appeal, while the square shape makes it easy to style. A printed silk square can work at the neck or on a bag, and a silk square can be worn in more than one way.

This edit focuses on printed silk squares, twill scarves and clean edges, with different sizes and patterns to wear now.

Starting with the squares. The Kate Spade New York Surreal Leopard has an orange, cream and burgundy leopard inside a burgundy border, and the Poppy Garden is a black square with a bold floral print. The Echo Menagerie is cream with a carousel of animals and a green and gold border. For a lightweight, non-stretch silk twill with a paisley print, the LIBERTY Lodden is 27.5 inches square. In my fashion dreams she is crossing the street in a camel coat with that Lodden knotted at her collar. Check the border sits straight and the print runs right to the edge before you commit.

Twill is a weave with parallel, diagonal ribs, and it generally drapes well, which makes it a natural choice for a long, slim scarf tied around a bag handle. The narrow shape is easy to style at the neck, wrist or bag, and its length lets the ends fall in a soft ribbon.

The leopard print skinny scarf is 100% silk twill, five inches by 65 inches, long enough to knot more than once. The COACH Cherry Print comes in navy with angled ends made to tie at the neck, wrist or bag, and the Posey Cluster in brown has the same tapered ends with a small floral cluster. I would also look at the Bond & Grace Heroines twilly in plum, a hand-drawn toile with striped ends, and the Lost Pattern desert cactus print, which is silk twill at 47 inches long.

Test it by tying a single knot and letting the ends hang. Silk twill should hold the knot and fall into a soft ribbon, not slide undone. Look at the ends too: angled, clean and even.

What I would skip: a very thin scarf on a very chunky handle, where the ends will barely reach. Pick the two-inch ones for narrow handles and the wider five-inch cut for a neck.

A hand-rolled hem gives a small silk scarf a neat finish, and it is the first detail I would turn a small scarf over to check. The edge is where a well-finished square shows its quality, even when laid flat.

The Lauren Ralph Lauren Paisley in dark green is described with rolled edges, which is the detail to look for here. The same brand's Polka Dot is a small black square, 22 inches, that ties into a tight knot. The Tory Burch Hot Air Balloon is a navy silk twill neckerchief printed with balloons and airships, and the Echo Luggage square is cream printed with vintage luggage and travel stickers. For something quieter, the LIBERTY Prospect Trail is a light blue silk twill neckerchief with a floral border, only 17.75 inches square and made in Italy.

In October I would knot one of these under a crew neck sweater or a trench collar, with the knot off to one side. The DONNI. in sage is a charmeuse, so it has more shine than a twill and sits softer.

What I would skip: a bulky knot under a thick turtleneck. These small squares are made to sit flat against the collarbone.

A generous square can be folded into a wide band, a triangle, a head wrap or a bag accent. Around 35 inches offers room for those styling options; anything much smaller gets tight.

The OLAH Barcelona is a 35 inch silk square with a blue mosaic border and a cityscape print, and the Echo Summer Bounty has a wildflower and strawberry border around a blush center, edged in tan. The Echo Lost at Sea is a navy square with fish and turtles. For a tailored feel I would look at the Altuzarra Bluebell, a 100% silk twill measuring about 42.5 inches, and the Loeffler Randall Beverly in cream and blue, also 100% silk twill. The Frances Valentine Abstract Meadow is silk twill with a half inch fringe, a slightly different finish from a rolled hem.

Fold a large one diagonally, then roll it into a band and tie it loosely at the neck. A silk twill square should keep a clean fold, and the colors should feel layered rather than flat.

What I would skip: the biggest squares for a small bag, where they overwhelm the handle. The 35 inch ones work best around a neck or in the hair.

Bandanas have a looser attitude than a large square: smaller, softer, with a repeating print and a border you can see at the edge. The shape is relaxed and easy to wear.

The THE GREAT. Silk Bandana is a cream silk twill with a black paisley print at 20.5 inches. Call It By Your Name has a small navy satin twill with a white paisley print, 100% silk. The Madewell Medium Silk Bandana is an indigo satin twill with a petit flower print, and the oversized version in coral bloom, 41 inches, is a satin paisley made for draping. The Echo Dotty has black and cream polka dots with a tan border, and the Kate Spade New York Brooch Collection is a cream bandana scattered with brooches, flowers and stars.

I would tie a small one over a ponytail with a denim jacket, or through a belt loop. Check that the border is printed crisply and the silk does not feel stiff.

What I would skip: a bandana over freshly washed hair, because smooth silk slips. Add a pin underneath.

I would begin with the hem and the weave. Roll the edge between your fingers, then look for a twill with a diagonal rib that drapes. After that, pick the shape: a square for the neck, a skinny one for a bag.

Then choose the print you would actually wear with navy and camel in October, not the loudest one. The best scarf is the one you will knot in a hurry on a Tuesday.

Choose the one that makes you smile at the mirror. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together a belt buckle edit.

If you love the Hermès scarf, I would consider these pieces too.