There’s no remedy for winters but to stay warm.
Everyone wants to stay warm during the cold winter days. The dropping mercury levels bring scarves and neckwear into action. Heavier knitted and woolen wraps replace lighter chiffon and silk scarf.
As the cold weather casts its spell scarves for women as well as mens scarves become an important dressing accessory. This lose piece of garment also become favorite gift items during the winter season.
Designers seek interesting scarf patterns for neck as well as head scarves. Labels such as Aquascutum and Louis Vuittion add interesting scarves to their ready to wear collection. In addition to cashmere and pashmina, fashion gurus seek newer and improved fabrics for style and convenience.
The word scarf brings to mind ‘a wrap for the neck and shoulder’ but trust me there is a lot more associated with this word!
No doubt, scarves are mostly shawl wraps of different knitting pattern used as head or neckwear to stay warm in the cold or light weight silk scarf to accessorize and outfit during the summers.
However, new and contemporary ways of utilizing the scarf include wearing it as a skirt and as a poncho.
A scarf simply wrapped around the lower body can work as an excellent skirt. Likewise, scarves draped around the shoulders and pinned at the center can take the form of a poncho.
There garments are easy to craft and can be made with scarves of different size and material.
Square and rectangular scarves make good skirts and sarongs. Whereas, longer and oblong once are more suitable for ponchos.
All types of material including cashmere, pashmina, cotton chiffon, woolen and silk scarves work equally well for this style. Be it tartan, paisley or mission all styles seem admirable when a scarf of either is worn as a skirt or a poncho.
When it comes to thinking of scarves we normally think of a warm shawl snuggled around as a neck scarf. Scarves are an accessory which can be worn year round depending on the material it is made of.
A cotton, light weight linen or pure silk scarf would be one’s summer accomplice. On the contrary, woolen knitted shawls and those with a higher percentage of cashmere or pashmina would make good winter scarf accessories.
A cashmere silk scarf is quite a unique add on as slightly playing around with the blend can make it adjustable for either weather. The standard ration is 70% cashmere to 30% silk. This blend makes the scarfs quite warm. Altering the ratio by adding more cashmere would make it warmer with 100% pashmina being the warmest. On the other hand, reversing the blend by adding more silk and lesser cashmere would make it lighter and more suitable for cooler climates.
Scarves have always been an integral part of women’s clothing. A scarf falls under the clothing accessories section and serves various purposes.
The main purpose of a scarf is protection. In cooler climates wool and knitted scarves are used to stay warm. In moderated climates, lighter materials such as a silk scarf are used as fashion scarves.
As compared to the past, today men’s scarf are becoming as popular as women scarves.
Designer scarves are available in a variety of crochet and knitting patterns. Cashmere and pashmina shawls available in a wide variety of patterns add color to a simple outfit white providing protection against the cold. May it be a black scarf, a red scarf, green scarf, a white silk scarf or any other color it is sure to add style and serve as an expression of personal taste.
Scarves used as uniforms help identify civil authority figures and different groups.
Ladies scarves and wraps worn as head scarves promote religious dress codes such as Judism and Islam.
Thus, a scarf originally known as a “sudarium” and used as a sweat cloth has many great uses today.
Pashmina scarves also known as cashmere scarves are made of wool derived from the pashmina goat indigenous to the Himalayas. Having its roots in the 15th century Kashmir today, these shawls are marketed throughout the world.
Being famous for its warmth and soft feel this gauzy and open weave fabric can be dyed and spun and knitted into clothing of all sort including scarves.
Today, the most common blend of cashmere fabrics are 70% pashmina/cashmere with 30% silk and 50% pashmina/cashmere with 50% silk to enhance durability and strength.
These lightweight shawls drape well and are available in a variety of colors and sizes. Though the natural color of pashmina is white, gray and brown but it can be dyed into any color.
The price of a cashmere scarf can vary from a couple of dollars to thousands of dollars depending on the content and quality of pure pashmina wool.
The falling temperature creates a demand for extra covering from head to toe. Snood scarves are replacing caps and hats this season as they look more fashionable. A snood is an ordinary scarf which can be worn like a hooded scarf covering the head against the blistering cold.
These fashion scarves can be knit from wool, made from a simple silk scarf or any other material such as cashmere, pashmina, velvet etc… You can attach accessories such as furs and fringes or even pompoms to make them into a luxury item.
This winter accessory can be of any length ranging from three feet and going up till six feet depending on how many times you want to wrap it around your neck, head and ears. The general trend is to have very long snoods, wrapped around several times for extra protection and added style.
The color of a snood scarf or snood shawl can vary from a black scarf to a white scarf and anything else in-between such as a red scarf. But the most hip color of the season is a purple scarf.
Buy lots of shawls and scarfs this season and enjoy wearing them as a snood scarf!
My passion for scarves began as a teenager. Teenage is the time when all young adults love independence and are keen to explore new horizons. I shall never forget my 18th birthday as it brought forward a hidden passion within me.
As a child, I loved to have lots of clothes and always wanted to wear a new outfit every time I went somewhere. My dad’s job at the time was such that we would travel around a lot and I don’t remember living in one for over three years. Unfortunately, with all this travelling I could not carry a large wardrobe with me all the time since packing and relocating was a big concern for us.
I had always admired my grandma who had always lived in the same house she was born in. She had large cartons stored in the attic of used unwanted clothing and other things and never had to think of packing or extra storage space. Whenever we’d go to granny’s house I’d go to the attic and enjoy playing with the tons of extra clothing.
By chance, we happened to be visiting granny at the time of my 18th birthday. Each year she would ask me what I wanted as birthday gifts and would get me whatever I asked for. This time only two days were left till my birthday and she had not even once mentioned anything about a birthday gift. I kept on waiting till late the night before but still she didn’t ask and I disappointedly went to bed thinking she has forgotten my big day.
To my surprise when I woke up the next morning I was covered with a warm shawl wrap instead of my routine blanket and a bundle wrapped in a silk scarf lay by my side. The shawl wrap was so soft and comfortable that I wrapped it around my shoulders and reached for the bundle which was tied with a velvet ribbon. A small card attached to the gift said “There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents and only one for birthday presents – With Love from Grandma”. To my amazement, as I pulled at one end of the ribbon knot the bundle opened and beautiful colored scarves lay in front of me. There were pashmina, wool, silk, cotton, velvet, cashmere, linen and all sorts of fashion scarves in different shapes and sizes.
Just then grandma opened my bedroom door and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ walked towards me. Breathless with joy I dashed out of bed and hugged her. I was so happy that I did not have the words to thank her.
This was the best gift ever. There were so many scarves yet upon folding they took so little space. I was so happy as I got so many scarves and could carry them with me everywhere we travelled without having to think of packing space.
Since that day my passion for scarves began as I realized how convenient it was to travel with scarf accessories and add style to your ordinary clothing.
I love wearing scarves and shawls. Contrary to the traditional manner of wearing a women’s scarf as neckwear, headwear and as a shoulder wrap today’s modern woman wears the same piece of cloth as a trendy accessory.
Be it pashmina or a simple silk scarf you can tie it around a million objects and flaunt your style.
Use it as a hair ribbon to hold loose hair or simply wrap it around your neck or wrist as a necklace or bracelet. When bored of your old jeans pass a scarf through the loops and enjoy a colorful belt. Tie a scarf matching your shoes to an everyday handbag and wear it to work. During outdoor fun you attach scarves to your umbrellas, keys and sunglasses and impress your friends.
Eid 2009 dates have been announced marking Nov. 28 as the day of celebrations and prayers. Muslim all over the world are looking forward to celebrating eid ul adha with their loved ones.
Everyone wears their best clothing and visit friends and family.
Women enjoy eid time the most as it gives them an additional chance to indulge in their lust for a bigger wardrobe. They shop a variety of clothing items ranging from scarves, dresses, shoes to anything their purse allows.
New designs of abayas are introduced in the market each year near the eid season as the demand is highest as this time of the year.
The trend for women’s scarves is also high as they fall under the hijab category and are mandatory for all Muslim women. Women search for the best available shawls and scarves including pashmina and silk.
Another important part of eid celebrations is feasting. Lavish and extravagant meals are prepared and everyone is invited.
Eid is a time of celebration and festivity for Muslim all over the world. Eid ul fitar marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and eid ul adha is celebrated at the end of the pilgrim hajj.
Eid is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year as all friends and family get together and join in festivity. Everyone anxiously waits to know when is eid so they can exchange gifts and greetings.
Scarves and shawls have become a popular eid gift item as eid this year happens to be during the winter season. Demand for wool, pashmina and silk scarf of all sorts is on a high trend. People enjoy giving and receiving gifts according to the weather and scarfs make a wonderful present as it is suitable for the young, elderly, men, women and all.