Some of your customers have probably been long-time fans, others might have joined the party recently while watching the royal family hunting in Balmoral in the last season of Netflix’s The Crown, but there’s no doubt the silk scarf has come back strong these days as the ultimate fashion accessory to complete an outfit. Iconic and versatile, there are plenty of ways to put it to good use. To help your customers wear it in the right way, here’s a brief history of the silk scarf and a guide on how to wear it.

With a story that dates back to the BC era, with no less than Egyptian Queen Nefertiti and Chinese Emperor Cheng as early adopters, the silk scarf officially became a symbol of status and class during the 17th century, when it differentiated higher rank Croatian soldiers from their lower rank colleagues (equipped with a cotton one). During the 19th century silk became synonymous with nobility and luxury, and coming the 20th century it had officially gained popularity as a worldwide fashion accessory.

Queen Elizabeth II made it iconic by wearing it as a headscarf, and all the main Hollywood icons from the 50s and 60s gave it a further boost: from Grace Kelly to Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot to Jackie Kennedy, the glamorous power of a silk scarf around the head or neck was set off. While it laid low during the 80s and 90s, the silk scarf came back in force after the 2000s, and has since then been seen on streets as much as catwalks, worn in the most varied ways.

Now let’s get to practice: here are seven silk scarf styles you can suggest to your customers.

Traditional Headscarf

Iconic and evergreen, a silk headscarf is one of the chicest ways to update a modest outfit. Suggest your customers go traditional, with a firm knot under the chin to keep the hair in place, as Queen Elizabeth favors; or help them channel their inner Grace Kelly and drape the silk scarf over the hair and around the neck for a more glamorous look.

How? Simply fold the square scarf in half to make a triangle and then drape it over the head, deciding how much hair to expose. Tie a knot under the chin for option one, or cross the two ends around the neck and tie a knot at the back of the neck for option two.

Bandana Style Scarf

For a more modern look that winks at the 70s’ bohemian attitude, help your customers wear the silk scarf as a classic bandana: tie the ends of the triangle into a knot at the back of the head and leave the hair loose or in a low bun. This is a favorite style for summer, even more powerful if bold in color and completed with a pair of big sunglasses.

Loose Tie Scarf

Simple but fail-safe, a woman's neck is where scarves are meant to be. Wearing a tie scarf comes in handy to protect from the cool breeze, while also allowing a fashion statement. Keep it loose, with a lower knot on the chest, casually hanging from a blazer or jacket. If yor customer loves wearing dark colors, this is an easy way to put a colorful spin to her looks.

Choker Scarf

Another cool way for your customers to wear a silk scarf around the neck is to have it as a choker, right in between a girl scout look and a more grungy vibe. Fold the silk scarf into a triangle and roll it up. Wrap it around the neck, securing it with a knot on the front side. If you have a long silk scarf in store, go for the necklace effect: wrap the longer end around the neck twice, while leaving the other end loosely on the side.

Bag Strap Scarf

A quick tip to elevate the bags you have in store is to tie a printed silk scarf onto them. As easy as it sounds. Wrap it evenly around the bag handle for a more refined effect, or simply knot it at one end of the strap and let it hang casually. And voilà: that bag, but different.

Wrist Wrap Scarf

You customers might not have thought about it yet, but a slim silk scarf can double as jewelry too, working as a bracelet-like soft wrap around the wrist. You will need a skinny silk scarf to show them this technique, or a small square scarf to fold into a triangle and twist into a thin silhouette. Simply wrap it around the wrist, tie a knot, and that’s it!

Hair Scarf

A truly fun and feminine use of the silk scarf is to wear it as a hair accessory, in many different ways. You can wrap it around your customer's ponytail or her low bun, letting it hang loosely down the back; or roll it up and drape it around the head as a headband, with a knot either on the top of the head or underneath the hair at the back of the skull.

Now that you master the silk scarf game, just help your customers choose their favorite style and have fun!

Image credits:

• 1 and 4: Lee Shou Chih

• 5, 11 and 15: Acielle / Style du Monde

• 6: thestreetfashion5xpro

• 8: Tyler Joe

• 12: Diego Zuko