Wearing a scarf protects your neck from the frigid cold air during the fall and winter seasons. Basically, it’s there to cover anything that the collar of your jacket can’t reach. So, it goes without saying that it’s important to find the right scarf size.
Typically, scarves measure anywhere from 3 to 10 feet long while measuring 3 to 12 inches wide. However, the right scarf size is one that wraps comfortably around your neck without restricting head movement.
In this guide, I’ll speak more about scarf sizes, why the scarf size even matters, as well as how to size a scarf based on your physique and personal preference.
Scarf Sizes
If you want to crochet a scarf on your own, you can make the scarf any size you want. What’s important is that it’s long enough to wrap around your neck and shoulders and that it’s wide enough so that you don’t have to coil it too many times.
Buying a scarf is more effortless, but it still requires finding the appropriate scarf size. There is less freedom in scarf design and motif, but at least you won’t have to mess around with scarf calculators to find the right length.
The standard scarf will measure anywhere from 3 to 10 feet in length while measuring between 3 and 12 inches wide. The wide measurement range allows for flexibility when coming up with different scarf designs.
If you’re looking for a more traditional scarf size, the following chart can help you figure out how to size a scarf based on age and length preference.
| Age | Size | Width | Length |
| Children (4 to 7 years) | Small | 3 to 3.5 in. | 36 in. |
| Medium | 4 to 4.5 in. | 44 in. | |
| Preteens (8 to 12 years) | Small | 4 to 4.5 in. | 50 in. |
| Medium | 5 to 6 in. | 55 in. | |
| Large | 5 to 5.5 in. | 60 in. | |
| Adults (Men and Women) | Small | 6 to 8 in. | 60 in. |
| Medium | 6 to 8 in. | 65 in. | |
| Large | 6 to 8 in. | 75 in. | |
| XL | 6 to 12 in. | 120 in. |
Infinity Scarf Sizes
There is a second type of scarf worth looking at—infinity scarves. An infinity scarf is a scarf that forms a loop. The following table will describe the width and length of infinity scarves by size.
Like regular scarves, you should take into account the length and width of your material. The following table will describe the various lengths and widths of an infinity scarf.
| Length Size | Measurement | Width Size | Measurement |
| Cowl | 30 to 35 in. | Skinny | 3 to 4 in. |
| Short | 40 to 45 in. | Thin | 5 to 6 in. |
| Regular | 50 to 60 in. | Regular | 7 to 8 in. |
| Large | 65 to 70 in. | Wide | 10 to 12 in. |
| XL | 75 to 80 in. | Blanket-Style | 15 to 30 in. |
To use this table, simply choose a single length size and width size. For instance, you can make a skinny, short infinity scarf (3 to 4 inches wide by 40 to 45 inches long).
Why Does Scarf Size Matter?
Most people will wear scarves during the fall and winter seasons to protect their throat and lungs from the cold. Some have even suggested that you can ward off the cold by warming wearing a scarf, which heats up the air you breathe in.
Research shows that this might not be 100% true, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear a scarf during the cold. At the very least, a soft, thick scarf will keep your chin, lips, and nose from becoming chapped. However, it all starts with getting the appropriate scarf size.
When looking at the size charts above, you probably noticed how they focus on a scarf’s length and width. This is because the length of the scarf determines how many times it can wrap around your neck, while the width determines how much of your neck will be covered by each coil.
A scarf that is too long will mean that you will have to wrap it around your neck more times in order to keep the ends from drooping too low. And if the scarf is too wide, it might force your chin upward and possibly limit your neck’s range of movement.
How to Size a Scarf
Scarves are accessories that you can wear to boost your appearance during the colder seasons. As such, wearing a scarf isn’t just about keeping warm but also looking fashionable at the same time. Many people will advise wearing a scarf with one or both ends that go down to your hips.
To size a scarf, you should take note of the following things:
- The width of the scarf
- The circumference of your neck
- The distance from your neck to your hips
Here’s how you to get the correct measurements for the perfect scarf:
- Use the palm of your hand as a reference for measuring the width of the scarf. Alternatively, you can use any of the measurements provided in the tables above.
- Use a measuring tape roll to measure the circumference of your neck. This figure will let you know how much material is needed to wrap the scarf. Multiply that figure by how many times you want to coil the scarf around your neck and add 1-2 inches for each additional coil.
- Use a measuring tape roll to measure the distance from your neck to your hips and multiply it by 2.
The following demonstration will show you how the sizing procedure is done:
- Width = 5 inches
- Neck circumference = 14 inches × 2 coils + 2 inches
- Distance from neck to hips = 24 inches × 2
- Total area = 5 inches × 78 inches = 390 square inches
Although infinity scarves are more difficult to make, getting the right measurements is much easier than sizing a traditional scarf. The most common method of wearing an infinity scarf is by looping it once around your neck and letting it settle on your chest. However, based on naohms’ infinity scarf video, the fancier the loop or tie, the longer the scarf should be.
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