10 best men’s scarves to wrap up in now winter is coming

When football manager Pep Guardiola starts pacing the touchline up to his ears in wool, it's usually a good indicator that you should start looking for your new winter accessory. If you haven't been watching the footy, that time is now.  

Though Guardiola is usually well ahead of the game, the cold weather is well and truly here. Miserable as it is to admit, it's not going anywhere for at least another four or five months.  

Rather than moan about how baltic it is outside, like we do every year, why not do as the Scandis do and get prepared? That means investing in cold weather gear, including the most shunned piece of winter kit of all: the humble scarf.

It's thought Queen Nefertiti, one of Ancient Egypt's most famous icons, was one the first adopters of the scarf. Before Ludwig van Beethoven, the world-renowned German composer, began rocking a silk number as a fashion accessory to impress the ladies in the 19th century. Since then, however, it’s become a signature staple of modern day style legends, like Paul Weller and Jeff Goldblum.  

Unfortunately, in the mainstream it is still the middle child of winter accessories, sandwiched between hats and gloves despite being just as vital in keeping you warm during winter – nobody likes when the bitter wind creeps down your neckline.  

But how do you go about choosing a scarf? Don't overthink it, go for something soft, well-insulated and easy on the eye.  

To save you the trouble of bouncing from website to website, we've put a range of the best men's scarves through their paces. 

We took into consideration softness, price and aesthetic appeal when we tried them out on cold autumn mornings. Our selection features everything from simple cashmere classics to bold scarves that'll cheer you up on the darkest days.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.