The scarf coat is the outerwear staple you never knew you needed. In terms of functionality, anyone who’s been met with an unexpected wind vortex on the city streets can appreciate the ease of having a scarf that’s already readily available. In terms of pure design, the monochromatic swoop of fabric (wool, cashmere, or some blend of the two) swathed around your neck, that coordinates perfectly with your outerwear, is a siren call to streamlined style lovers who like their minimalism with a little wink. Whether you take your coat long or short, wrap your scarf insouciantly around your neck, or theatrically around your head, is entirely up to you.

Vogue’s Favorite Scarf Coats

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Toteme chain stitch wool-blend scarf jacket

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Photo: Charlotte Stouvenot / Courtesy of Maria McManus

Su Mustecaplioglu / Gorunway.com / Courtesy of Altuzarra

The treasure trove that is the Hermès archive’s simplicity is matched only by its ingenuity (the Jean Paul Gaultier years in particular). The scarf coat is just one of the effortless but wonderfully dramatic moments to emerge from the house that set the bar (very high) for cashmere. Iconic brands that range from Yohji Yamamoto to Max Mara to Rick Owens have also delved into the look. Yeohlee Teng became known for her scarf/coat hybrid in the 1980s, producing the kind of understated glamour that the decade is not always synonymous with. More pragmatic labels like Pendleton have also created similar, if sportier, styles throughout the years.

Photo: Courtesy of Toteme

Fast forward to November 2021, when Toteme first launched its scarf coat—it became so ubiquitous among a certain minimal-leaning fashion maven you may have thought the label invented it—when in fact the Scandi brand simply helped remind the world how fantastic they can be. And it’s still going strong. But lest you’ve become fatigued by the viral version, the brand has reimagined the coat into a few different colors this season, in a chic black on black, grey, and camel brown—plus one with fringe accents on the collar and sleeves. Overall, your breadth of options in the realm of the scarf coat now is many—shop 20 that will keep you cozy from now well into winter.