Whether it’s the rice in Y2K fashion or the younger generations’ focus on sustainability, there has been an interesting trend of turning soft silky scarves into crop tops. There are multiple ways to turn a scarf into a top, so you can create lots of new outfits with one scarf!
If you haven’t already seen these hacks plastered over social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok, then we have you covered.
Learn in this article how to make your very own crop top from a scarf.
What Do I Need?
The styles featured here use square scarves, which means it’s a one size fits all situation. If you want the scarf to cover more of your bust or body, then a larger scarf will need to be used. Any style and color combination can be used for any of these tricks!
Bandeau Top
This is one of the more popular ways to style a scarf top as it tends to offer a lot more coverage than other styles.
First, lay the scarf out flat.
Take two opposite corners of the scarf and tie them together.
The knot you’ve just created needs to be placed in the center of your chest whilst you pull the other two ends behind your back.
Tie these ends as tightly as needed.
Pros
Allows more coverage than other styles
Works with many bust sizes
Easy to do
Cons
Depending on the material, the scarf may slip so use double-sided tape to prevent this
Halter Neck Crop Top
Your scarf can easily be folded to create a cool halterneck look, however, this does tend to show a lot of torso skin, so unless you have an issue with that then this could be your new favorite style!
Fold your scarf in half to make a triangle shape.
Wrap the scarf around your torso so the two endpoints are in your hands at the front of you and the last point of the triangle is dangling down your back.
Cross the two ends of your scarf over one another around your front so you can tie them around the back of your neck.
Adjust as needed.
Pros
Easy style to do
Trendy style
Cons
Unless the edges on your torso are held down with tape, some people may find their chest will become exposed if they lift their arms
You can’t wear a bra underneath it
A bigger scarf will be needed to work with different body types and bust sizes
Triangle Crop Top
This is one of the classic styles that made this trend so popular. You’ve probably seen this style all over social media.
Lay the scarf out on a flat surface.
Fold the scarf in half to make a triangle shape.
Take the two ends from the longest side of the triangle and tie a knot behind your back.
Adjust this as necessary.
Pros
Really simple to do
Works for a range of body types
A strapless bra can be hidden underneath this style more easily and less noticeable than others
Knotted Halter Crop Top
This is a great style to provide full coverage and create a really lovely, elegant-looking top. Please note you’ll need a bigger scarf to execute this style.
Lay the scarf flat and fold it in half to form a triangle.
Focus on the top corner, taking the two ends of the doubled-up scarf and gently cross one under the other and tie them behind your neck.
Now fix the scarf at the front so it’s comfortable and looks how you’d like it to look.
With the remaining corners, tie these as tightly as you’d like behind your back.
Pros
Effortless looking style
Full coverage style
Cons
You need to ensure that you have a scarf big enough to make the style work
One Shoulder Crop Top
One-shoulder tops have dominated stores recently, since coming back into fashion there has been a range of variations on the classic style. Did you know you can make your own one-shoulder top with a scarf?!
Lay the scarf out on a flat surface.
Take the two adjacent corners of the scarf and tie them up over one of your shoulders. Make sure the scarf goes under your armpit and over the front of your chest.
Tie the last two corners behind your back in a tight knot.
Adjust the look of the scarf to suit your preferences.
Pros
This makes a cute one-shouldered crop top
Cons
Depending on the size of your scarf, there might be an excess of fabric at the front of the top so there might be a lot of adjusting to make the top look a certain way
Knotted Front Bra Crop Top
This style goes well with a high waisted pair of pants or shorts for a cute summer look. It is an easy way to create a small crop top for the beach with any type of scarf.
Lay the scarf flat out in front of you and fold it in half to create a triangle shape.
Tie the two longest ends of the triangle behind your back, in the exact same way you would for the classic triangle look.
With the last point of the triangle facing downwards along your torso, take the outer corner of this and pull it up and under the remaining piece of scarf.
Pull these tightly and knot them together to create a bow shape at the front of your chest.
Pros
Creates a unique and chic style top
Easy to do
You can try to adjust this method to incorporate a strapless bra
Cons
You might not be able to do this with a larger bust, so size up the scarf accordingly
Not a lot of coverage or support if worn by itself
The Bottom Line
We hope you enjoyed learning about these different scarf hacks! There are so many more you can experiment with, we just included our favorites.
Hi, I’m Jessica Strouss and I was born a fashionista.
When I learned as a child that fashion and beauty go hand in hand with “suffering and pain”, I decided to make a difference.My love for animals is as important to me as my love for fashion. That’s why I’m devoted to promoting cruelty free and vegan options for clothes, shoes, accessories and make-up.
I truly hope that my website inspires you to make wise choices when it comes to buying clothes or beauty products.When we all contribute a little, we can make the world a better place.
