London's Best Scarf Hunting, Shop by Shop

Why Silk Scarves Matter Now

A silk scarf is the cheapest way into a serious label. The prints are small paintings, the hand-rolled edges are proper craft, and a good one costs less than a mediocre dinner. It is also the one accessory that works in every season.

That means a scarf tied just so, never pristine. It should look like it has been to a few parties and survived a Tube ride.

I have been hunting scarves in this city for a decade. My best find was a 1970s Liberty print, bought for £8 at a charity shop in Crouch End. It had a tiny moth hole, but the colours were electric. I wore it for years until it fell apart. The point is not perfection. It is character.

How to Wear It

Knot it at the neck, loose, over a crew neck or an open shirt. Nothing fussy. Let the ends hang unevenly. Tuck one end into your collar if you want to look like you did not think about it.

Tie one to a bag handle, it dresses up a plain tote instantly. I have a black Longchamp that has worn a series of scarves for a decade. It is the cheapest way to change your outfit without changing your clothes.

Use it as a belt through denim loops. Fold it long and narrow, thread it through, and let the knot sit off-centre. Or fold it into a headscarf for wind and sun. Audrey Hepburn did it in 1954 in Paris. You can do it in Shoreditch.

For a more polished look, try the classic neckerchief: fold diagonally, roll, tie in a small knot at the front. Pair with a blazer and jeans. That is a London uniform.

Where to Find Yours in London

Rokit Brick Lane (101 Brick Lane) - dependable, huge, strong on denim and outerwear, from around £20. Go early on a weekday. The staff are busy but helpful. They have bins of scarves near the accessories wall. Dig deep.

Blitz London (55-59 Hanbury Street) - department-store scale, everything properly sorted, from around £45. This is a good place to find labels like Hermès or vintage Yves Saint Laurent, but you have to check the condition carefully. I once found a 1980s Givenchy with a pulled thread. They priced it fairly, but it was still a risk.

Portobello Road Market (Portobello Road, Notting Hill) - Friday and Saturday for the serious dealers, from around £60. The best stalls are on the left as you walk from Notting Hill Gate. Look for dealers who specialise in textiles. Ask to see their stock. They often have boxes of scarves under the table.

Retromania (6 Upper Tachbrook Street) - charity-shop prices, genuinely good finds, from around £90. This is a small shop near Victoria Station. The owner, a woman named Sue, has been collecting for thirty years. She knows every piece. She will tell you the story of a scarf if you ask. Her stock is curated, so prices are higher, but you are paying for her eye.

Go on a weekday morning if you can. The rails are fullest before the weekend crowd arrives, and staff have time to show you what came in overnight. I once got a 1960s Pucci at Rokit on a Tuesday. It was £35. The weekend crowd would have grabbed it.

What to Look For

Hand-rolled edges are the tell: run a finger along the hem and feel for a small rolled ridge rather than a flat machine stitch. This is the mark of a quality scarf from the mid-twentieth century. Machine stitching is fine for modern scarves, but vintage hand-rolling is a sign of craft.

Check the signature in the print corner. Many designers signed their work: Emilio Pucci, Hermès, Liberty, Dior. A signature does not guarantee authenticity, but it is a good start. Look for the name printed in the fabric, not on a label. Labels can be replaced.

Hold the silk to the light, a fine, even weave with saturated colour on both sides means it was printed properly. If the colours are faded on one side, it has been washed too aggressively. If the weave is uneven, it is lower quality.

Check for stains, especially at the edges where it was tucked into a collar. Those are hard to remove. Snags are easier to fix; you can pull them through with a needle. But a stain is permanent.

One last thing: try it on properly, walk around in it, and sit down. A silk scarf that only works standing still is not going to survive your actual life. You need to be able to move, to reach for a bag, to lean over a table. If it falls off, it is too loose. If it strangles you, it is too tight.

Caring for Your Find

Once you have your scarf, do not wash it in the machine. Hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent, or dry clean. Do not wring it. Roll it in a towel to remove excess water, then lay it flat to dry. Iron it on low with a pressing cloth.

Store it flat, not folded, to avoid creases. If you must fold it, use acid-free tissue paper between the folds. Keep it away from direct sunlight, which will fade the colours.

A silk scarf is an heirloom. My grandmother's Hermès from 1965 is still in perfect condition. She wore it every winter for decades. It will outlast me. That is the point.