With cooler weather comes a desire to accessorize in ways that will help keep the wearer warm while looking great. While scarves can be a way of keeping the winter chill out of the neck of a coat, they can also be a wonderful way to accent and brighten any wardrobe. Pashmina scarves are a light, warm and soft way to accessorize that can be worn by anyone, no matter what their personal style.
What is a Pashmina?
While the word “pashmina” has come to be synonymous with scarves or shawls, the word actually defines a specific type of wool. Goats living high in the Himalayan Mountains grow a thin, outer coat of hair which is harvested to make cashmere scarves and wraps.
What is now defined as a pashmina scarf is a blend of pashmina, or cashmere wool with silk. The ratios can vary, although most will be a blend of 70% pashmina, and 30% silk. This blend is woven into scarves, wraps and shawls, and is available in a wide variety of colors and designs.
Ways to Wear a Pashmina
There are multiple ways to wear a pashmina scarf or wrap. Begin by selecting the desired size of scarf. Pashminas are available in multiple sizes, and are most commonly found in shawls of 36” x 80”, wraps of 28” x 80” and scarves of 12” x 60”.
Wraps are among the most versatile of sizes, as they can be rolled thin enough to use as a belt or scarf, or shaken out to be used in a shawl fashion. However, the selection of the pashmina size can vary by the height of the wearer, as well as the fashion in which it is desired to be worn. With their extremely light, but warm feeling, pashminas can make wonderful accessories to be worn over thin clothing, or by wearers who will be moving between warmer and cooler climates.
- Try rolling a pashmina wrap or shawl loosely and tying it around the neck with a large, loose knot. One end of the pashmina can be looped over the shoulder, while the other is left down the front of the wearer.
- When moving from a warmer to a cooler area, unroll the pashmina, and drape it across the back, just below the shoulders, and across the arms above the elbow. Tie a loose knot in the center of the abdomen, just below the rib cage. This will keep the wrap in place, while allowing the wearer full movement, and providing an extra layer of warmth.
- As a way to dress up a wool, winter coat, take a pashmina wrap and fold it in half, width wise. Tuck the edge of the wrap just inside the collar of the back of coat, across the shoulders of the wearer. The ends can be brought around to the front, and used to keep the winter chill from entering the top of coat by leaving the top button of the coat undone, and tucking the ends of the shawl inside.
- Try wearing a scarf style pashmina either as a scarf looped loosely around the neck and tied in the front, or wound tightly and used as a belt, looped through the belt loops of jeans or corduroys to help dress up these casual pants.
- Scarf style pashminas can also be wound tightly and tied in long hair as a head band. Roll the scarf tightly, and brush the hair away from the face. Place the scarf just behind the hair line, and tie below the hair in the back at the nape of the neck. Allow the ends of the scarf to fall down the back, highlighting the look.
Pashminas are available in solid colors and fabrics, in tone on tone embroidery, and in multiple color styles. They are light enough to be worn in the summer in air conditioned buildings, and warm enough to add an extra layer to winter coats, while providing some brightening to a dull winter’s day. Try adding them to a wardrobe and bring any style to life.
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