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NYC loves its nonnas.
Italian grandmas are at the epicenter of the hottest accessory craze as summer moves into fall — silk scarves that sizzle as the new/old headpiece-de-resistance.
“It” girls are eating up and scarving down the latest vintage, voguish vibe — a styling movement known as “nonnacore,” made haute by tastemakers from Rihanna to the runway to sirens on the subway.
And any Gotham gal can acquire the look for themselves — by finishing an outfit with a colorful kerchief tied tautly atop one’s tresses, à la sexy granny in her prime.
It’s an effortlessly luxe look that first went viral among A-listers and influencers, such as Beyoncé and Hailey Bieber, who stunned in the headgear way back on their respective, splashy summer 2024 vacations.
Now, everyday divas are following suit.
“It’s simple, chic and ties a look together,” Arianna Lombardo, 30, a hairstylist and self-crowned “fashion maximalist,” from Long Island, told The Post.
The brunette recently dazzled over 82,000 social media fans with a detailed nonnacore headscarf how-to.
“Being Italian, I’m loving that the nonnas are getting this well-deserved fashion nod,” she said.
It’s sampled swag, much like the “Mob Wives” dressing frenzy, which inspired glamour gals to wow in gangster garb, or the “Tomato Girl Summer” of 2023 — a moment dedicated to veggie-inspired duds.
But more than a bit of borrowed pizzazz, nonnacore offers budgeted fashionistas an effortless, affordable way to elevate any ensemble, according to NYC stylist Dawn Del Russo.
Owing to tariffs and inflation — economic bugaboos forcing clotheshorses to get creative when building their wardrobes — Del Russo said investing in a timeless piece — such as a scarf, be it designer label or a thrift-store find — is a haute hack for the pennywise.
“Bright, quality scarves are having a movement because they’re versatile and recession-proof,” the en vogue expert explained to The Post while vacationing in Italy.
“Wearing one around your head is very popular right now, but you can also transform that same scarf into a cute necktie, crop top, belt or sarong,” she said.
Repurposing fab finery is how nonnas would traditionally keep it cute, Del Russo noted.
“Those old-world Italian grandmas didn’t splurge,” she said. “They probably took extra fabric from curtains or tablecloths, wore them on their heads and bodies, and made it fashion.”
It’s make-do splendor that Emily Bargeron, 40, a vintage clothes curator from Savanah, Georgia, and her wallet really appreciate. In fact, the millennial tells The Post the nonnacore scarf is like a mini Mediterranean trip for your head.
“If you can afford to visit Europe this summer, you can bring Europe to you with this look,” said Bargeron, whose modish nod to Italian grannies has garnered over 1.4 million TikTok views.
“Almost everyone has a silk scarf in their closet — it’s inexpensive, iconic and gets you tons of compliments,” she explained.
Hollywood’s hottest, however, are more concerned about slaying than saving.
Rihanna recently turned heads with a $650 Valentino Garavani Toute La V Silk Scarf over her chocolatey locks in Beverly Hills.
The pregnant Grammy winner, 37, paired the popular add-on with a plain white button-down shirt, dark-wash cuffed jeans and croc-print heeled flip-flops from Amina Muaddi.
Anya Taylor-Joy, 26, rocked a show-stopper this month, too, wrapping a pleated green scarf around the full perimeter of her dome as did yesteryear bellas like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, as well as Italian starlets Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.
Kim Kardashian snapped saucy selfies and posed in a headscarf while promoting her Skims collaboration with Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli, and little sister Kendall Jenner, 29, let a silk number shine as the mane attraction as a model for Gucci.
But Arianne Antonio, 31, a publicist from Bushwick, is grateful that the unfussy fashion trend isn’t limited to the rich and famous.
The Brooklynite says a little nonnacore scarf can make a big difference to one’s duds, as well as their mental health.
“With everything going on in the world right now, people are stressed and exhausted,” she said, noting the sea of headscarves she saw at this year’s Lollapalooza music festival — an annual celebration of music and fashion. “People need a colorful dash of fun in their lives.”
“[Nonnacore scarves] are comfortable, cute and you can play around with them in so many different ways,” Antonio added.
“They’re that little something that can completely transform an otherwise boring outfit,” she said.
Lombardo agrees.
“They add a funky edge to everybody,” she said. “If you’re a wealthy celebrity or an everyday guy or girl in New York City, a headscarf can add to your aura.”
Here is Lombardo’s step-by-step how-to for achieving nonnacore:
- Open a large square scarf by two corners
- Diagonally fold the scarf in half, from corner to corner, creating a triangle
- Place the triangle on your head so that the flat (or folded) side is on your forehead, and the pointed end of the triangle is toward the back
- Wrap the right and left ends of the triangle behind your head, and tie them together, securing the scarf on your head with two knots
- For extra anchoring, apply a few small pieces of double-sided tape to your forehead, and adhere the scarf to the head
- Let the tails of the scarf ends hang freely for additional swank
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