The New York City-Approved Triangle Scarf Trend Wins Over Dakota Johnson With a $750 The Row Rendition

New York City is in the throes of a beanie shortage this winter. The once-seasonal staple has been dethroned—not by another slouchy style, but an anti-hat trend instead. Meet the triangle scarf: the hair shield co-signed by Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz, and most recently, Dakota Johnson.

As a longtime bangs owner, Johnson knows the struggle of wearing hats in the winter. Beanies, baseball caps, or trapper hats paste your previously-perfect fringe to your forehead. Triangle scarves, on the other hand, delicately adorn your hair without leaving stringy bangs in their wake.

Naturally, Johnson was ready to seamlessly integrate the triangle scarf trend into her wardrobe. The Row's Yeli Trench Coat began her Sunday afternoon set—its oversize cashmere-silk blend keeping her cozy in NYC's chill. Statement lapels just barely revealed her stark white T-shirt underneath, which likely boasted The Row tags, too. She tucked it into straight-leg jeans in her signature mid-wash shade.

The earthy color story continued with The Row's Hit Scarf, which Johnson tied loosely around her chocolate brown hair. By double-knotting the $750 knit beneath her chin, the diagonal hems flared atop the coat's epaulettes.

Last month, fashion features editor Emma Childs predicted triangle scarves would be the "underdog trend of this winter, and boy, do I love being right," she tells me. "Dakota's is a thicker, more substantial knit neckerchief, but the effect is the same as even the daintiest triangle scarves: cozy, vaguely French, and too cool to care."

Chunky socks and boots might've been the obvious choice for trekking through the city's sidewalks. Instead, the Materialists actor slipped on Mary Jane-inspired ballet flats from (you guessed it) The Row. The single-strap flats were made of black lambskin leather, like most The Row footwear on her shoe rack.

Sunday afternoon marked the $820 flats' second outing with Johnson. Two days prior, she wore them at the Red Sea Film Festival, alongside a T-shirt-style little black dress.

Johnson's The Row scarf almost stole the show from her four-figure tote bag, courtesy of Valentino. Creative director Alessandro Michele gifted his new ambassador the Panthea Shoulder Bag, after she modeled it for the brand's Cruise 2026 campaign. (It also recently joined Anne Hathaway, Jenna Ortega, Bella Hadid, and Rihanna's purse collections.)

Blink and you'll miss Johnson's other accessories, which barely peeked out beneath the cashmere triangle. She re-styled Phoebe Philo's silver Medallion Necklace over Completedworks Depths of Time Necklace, after the Red Sea Film Festival on Dec. 5. The duo complemented Johnson's statement ring from Sophie Buhai, a celebrity-adored L.A. jeweler for rare sparklers.

It's about time Johnson boarded the triangle scarf bandwagon. Everyone from Jennifer Lawrence to Zoë Kravitz has endorsed its rise to hero item status. Kravitz first tested the headpiece around NYC in late October. Her dark brown rendition also hailed from The Row, but unlike Johnson's, it hasn't sold out yet. The $670 Leomine Scarf instantly elevated her oversize hoodie, corduroy pants, and Vans sneakers. The Row's oval-shaped Ella Sunglasses upped the '50s film star energy.

If a category five triangle scarf trend takeover has touched down in your town, shop the Johnson-inspired selects below. Besides, your tried-and-true beanie could probably use a season off.

Shop the Triangle Scarf Trend Inspired by Dakota Johnson