Most men reach for a scarf when they’re cold and stop thinking about it there. The thin scarf is doing something different. It’s not about warmth. It’s about the bit of an outfit between your collar and your coat that would otherwise just be nothing. A fine wool or silk blend scarf looped loosely through a jacket or draped over a coat collar adds something considered without announcing itself. That’s the job.

We’ve been particularly drawn to the ones that work in the shoulder seasons, when a chunky knit would be too much and nothing at all would leave an outfit feeling unfinished. Width matters more than most people think. Too wide and it reads as a statement. The right width just sits there and does quiet, useful work.

These are not weekend scarves or dress up scarves. They are the ones that end up in your bag most of October, all of November, and more of spring than you’d expect.