
Slim, sequinned, silky: Scarves and neckerchiefs steal the fashion spotlight
Once functional, now fashion-forward, the neckerchief is claiming its place in trendsetters' wardrobes, adding both edge and elegance.
Long associated with scout uniforms, where it represents values like friendship, loyalty, and community, it now serves multiple purposes.
Some wear it as a practical collar to absorb sweat or shield the neck, while others tie it on simply for flair.
Whatever your reason, it works brilliantly to refresh any outfit in your wardrobe.
Best of all, there's a wide variety of neck scarves to choose from to complement or enhance your style.
Louis Vuitton's neck scarf sparkles brightly with gold sequins against a silver fabric, with golden tassels anchoring the slim piece in place, swaying slightly as the model walks, adding a touch of drama and glamour.
Part of the French brand's Cruise 2026 collection, the shiny neck scarf is a standout statement piece that elevates any outfit, day or night, bringing a festive feel to even the simplest of silhouettes.
Read more: Ask The Expert: How to make sportswear look stylish, not post-workout
Softly wrapped at the neck, this neckerchief in a neutral tone brings instant polish to any look. Photo: Tod's Whether styled with a sharp blazer or a flowy dress, it demands attention in all the right ways.
An understated version sans sequins and tassels can be had from Italian label Tod's Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection.
The neckerchief in a crinkled material is worn casually knotted with an ensemble of brown tones, effortlessly tying the look together.
In a striking magenta shade, the neck scarf from Paul Smith's Spring/Summer 2026 line is for the bold, fashion-conscious male.
Tied nonchalantly and worn beneath a green shirt that is part of a brown double-breasted suit, the silky accessory adds a pop of colour for a look that's anything but buttoned-up.
For a more rebellious twist, tie it like Miu Miu where a printed silk scarf tied just off-centre, is styled to look undone but deliberately placed.
The bow sits at the side of the neck, grazing the lower cheek for a hint of attitude.
So effortlessly dishevelled, yet very chic!
At Ralph Lauren, an ornate lace jabot is love at first tie.
Romantic and slightly rebellious, the decorative ruffle has a bit of an edge as part of the sheer fabric has frayed edges.
It gives the black trousers, brown sweater, and blazer it is worn with a style that is both soft and striking.
Read more: Still obsessed with Labubu? Sorry, fashion did the bag charm trend first
A versatile creation is the twilly, which is a long, narrow silk scarf often associated with Hermes, said to have been introduced in the 1930s when the French Maison debuted it as part of its silk accessories range.
Twillies are adaptable and can be styled in numerous ways.
Wrapped around handbag handles, tied in the hair, worn as a bracelet or necktie, or even used as a belt, they go a long way in your wardrobe.
As seen on British rapper Little Simz at an event hosted by Gucci recently, she wore a silk twilly, by the Italian brand, of course, around her neck to make her olive green ensemble pop, as the twilly is bright red with a print of florals and bugs.
Talk about adding buzz to neckwear!
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2 hours ago
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Italian anti-Mafia author weeps in court as mob boss convicted
FILE PHOTO: Screenwriter and author Roberto Saviano poses during a photocall to promote the movie "La Paranza dei Bambini" (Piranhas) at the 69th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 12, 2019. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo ROME (Reuters) -Italian anti-Mafia author Roberto Saviano wept in court on Monday as judges upheld a conviction against a notorious mob boss who was found to have threatened him. Francesco Bidognetti, a former leader of the Neapolitan Camorra mafia who was already serving life for a slew of other serious crimes, was sentenced to 18 months for intimidation. The Rome court of appeals confirmed a 2021 ruling by a lower court, as it also upheld a 14-month sentence for Bidognetti's former lawyer, Michele Santonastaso, for the same crime. After the verdict, Saviano, 45, sobbed profusely as he hugged his lawyer. He told reporters that Camorra mobsters had "stolen his life", forcing him to live under 24-hour protection. The convictions are related to a message Santonastaso read out in court in 2008, during another trial, on behalf of Bidognetti and another Camorra boss. The message contained an "invitation" to Saviano and another journalist to "do (their) job properly", interpreted as a not-so-subtle hint to stop writing about the Neapolitan mafia. Saviano has lived under police escort since 2006, when he published "Gomorrah", an expose on the Camorra that has also been made into a film and a TV series. The book's huge success turned Saviano into a public figure but also into an enemy for Bidognetti's ruthless Camorra clan, the Casalesi. (Reporting by Paolo Chiriatti, writing by Alvise ArmelliniEditing by Keith Weir)


The Star
2 hours ago
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Bari's big moment
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Vasile sees opportunities for all of Puglia, from farmhouse inns to seaside villages, but also for his city of 330,000 people. Vasile, the head of Puglia's airports, sees opportunities for all of Puglia, from farmhouse inns to seaside villages, but also for his city of about 330,000 people. — Gianni Cipriano/The New York Times The port city on the Adriatic was once little more than a stopover, a gateway to the resplendent beach towns of southern Puglia or Greece via ferry. Bari was too sleepy and sketchy for most tourists, its old town so dangerous that even residents considered it off-limits. Puglia's many charms – a stunning coastline, beautiful architecture, relaxed feel – turned the region into a buzzy destination first. Regulars include Madonna, Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep. Lamborghinis await in the rental car garage. Last year, Italy picked Puglia for the G7 summit, hosting dignitaries in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia. Now Bari, with its 14.5km seafront promenade and the tomb of the real St Nicholas, is beginning to capitalise on the region's growing appeal, its old days of mob crime mostly behind it. 'This great appeal to tourists has made the people of Bari rediscover a little bit of pride,' mayor Vito Leccese said. 'The more tourists come, the more important we feel, because it means our city is well-liked.' Yet there is also some trepidation among residents that – although Bari is hardly Florence, Rome or Venice – it, too, could be overrun by tourists, or at least profoundly reshaped by them. Does a city that only recently remade its identity now risk losing it? A man riding his bicycle through Piazza Mercantile in Bari. Foreigners – and residents – long avoided Bari's old town, which had been plagued by mob crime and now, with direct flights from the United States starting, residents are excited but wary. — Gianni Cipriano/The New York Times Tourists walking by the Norman-Swabian Castle, built around 1132 by Norman King Roger II, in Bari. — Gianni Cipriano/The New York Times Rents have surged in the city centre as many landlords have turned their properties into short-term rentals. Older people on fixed incomes have had to move farther away. So have students of the city's two universities, who represent the very demographic that local leaders say they want to keep, to help reverse decades of brain drain that have affected all of Italy, especially the south, as young people seek better jobs elsewhere. 'Bari is seen as a destination you pass through and then leave,' Mery Coppolecchia, a 22-year-old political science student, said as she sat in a bustling central plaza on the university's urban campus. 'It's a shame because if graduates and students don't stay here, then who does?' Even if they stay, tourism 'is not something stable', said Gabriele Tedesco, 21, a law student, noting that many hospitality jobs are seasonal or low paying. 'It is not something that can sustain, even in the long term, a city's economy.' For tourism to fuel economic development, local governments would also have to invest in public transportation to benefit residents and businesses, said Maria Grazia Cito, an adjunct professor of applied economics and tourism in Bari. It takes her an hour to drive into the city for work – or three hours on public transit. 'Residents should come first,' she said, or the city could lose its character. (Think Venice, which is charging a fee to day trippers who pack the city's antiquated streets, crowding out residents.) 'It's like Disneyland. It loses all its authenticity,' she said. Officials know they have much to do. 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And foreigners join the throng of visitors to Arco Basso street, where women sell ear-shaped orecchiette pasta despite accusations that some sell store-bought goods and the periodic crackdowns on local restaurants that buy untraceable pasta. For now, Vasile understands that most of Bari's tourism will be centred on the warmest months – unlike Rome and Venice, which have plenty of visitors all year. Tourism slows so much in Bari's winter that many of its souvenir shops were still shut down in this season's waning days. Standing near the airport tarmac with a view of the Adriatic during that visitor lull, Vasile allowed himself to imagine a future in which Bari becomes a year-round destination. The flights from New York, he hopes, could just be the start. 'We have become aware of new possibilities,' he said. — ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.


The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
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