Women’s day magazines are circulated everywhere and women’s day events are organized.

Young and old pay homage to their mothers by giving mothers day gifts, cards and flowers.  You can be creative and unconventional this year and gift your mother a hand painted ladies silk scarf.  And if you want a little something extra you can add tying scarf accessories such as pins and brooch.

Happy mothers day!

This year UK Mothers Day 2010 falls under the International Women’s Week.  Women as mothers play a key role in our lives.

Women’s day magazines are circulated everywhere and women’s day events are organized.

Young and old pay homage to their mothers by giving mothers day gifts, cards and flowers.  You can be creative and unconventional this year and gift your mother a hand painted ladies silk scarf.  And if you want a little something extra you can add tying scarf accessories such as pins and brooch.

Happy mothers day!

But the first time I truly understood the meaning of valentine was after my engagement to my boyfriend.  This was going to be my first true valentine where I could express my inmost feelings and share my thoughts with someone.

I’d heard Martina Mcbride sing ‘My Valentine’ a million times but did not understand its true essence till now.

This time I wanted my valentine gift to be unique and very personalized.

I searched through the web for fresh gift ideas but every site landed me on flowers, sweets, balloons, chocolate, perfumes, toiletries e-cards etc…. I wanted something very personal which I would not locate even after hours of net surfing.

I finally gave up and went to make myself a mug of hot chocolate.  The kitchen was quite cold as I’d left the window open to vent the fumes from the cooking.  Brushing my face, the icy breeze blew away my hair and sent a chill wave down my spine.  I felt like a frozen snowman with only a scarf wrapped around its neck to keep it warm.  Yes, only a ‘scarf’!

Wow, I know what my valentine gift is going to be.  Its gonna be a scarf.  A hand painted red silk scarf.

Some might think of it as a silly idea but I believe this is the most romantic valentine gift as it would be hand crafted by me for my love.   I’ll paint a cupid and hearts on my scarf and make it my personal valentine’s gift.   I’ll add a white chocolate bar and wrap both the chocolate and scarf in a plain white wrapping paper with a red ribbon on it.

Yes, this would be the best valentine gift ever!

Millions around the world celebrate Feb 14 through exchanging personalized gifts.

Some chose traditional presents such as fresh flowers, chocolate, cakes,candy and balloons.  Others go for unusual presents such as personalized gift baskets which may include anything ranging from  a simple silk scarf to roses or laptops and mobiles.

There are no hard and fast rules of what a valentine’s gift should be.  It is your own special way of expression your own feelings and no one dictates your heart.

A variety of gift ideas are available around the web and many of the mentioned items are even available online.  They can be delivered to your sweetheart in cheesy wrapping paper with personalized ‘I love you’ notes.

Many e-cards sites give you the option of sending free messages and love poems.

So imagination is the key and the expression is yours!

Being a person of this nature and walking around the picturesque streets of Paisley I feel like preserving every scene through my digital camera.  The sublimity of nature and its untamed qualities remind me of the presence of the Almighty.

Downloading the pictures on my laptop and browsing through them casts a magical spell reminding me of all the lovely sceneries.

One picture amongst my album is quite different and unique.  It is of a paisley I once saw on a scarf in a small boutique.  This is the best picture among my collection as it is congruent with the name of the town, Paisley.  I wish I had bought this cashmere paisley shawl but don’t remember the location of the shop.

Having a passion for scarves and putting my thinking hat on, I plan to monogram the paisley onto a chiffon silk scarf and keep it as a souvenir from my trip to Paisley, Scotland.  I have lots of silk and cashmere scarves but none would be like my paisley silk scarf.

My black scarf with a paisley monogram would be my breath taking piece of art and might one day make me famous like William Blake.

Scarves

Shawl

Neckwear

Scarf accessories

Wraps

Pashmina

Shawls

Silk scarf

Women’s scarf

Scarfs

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.

This time my dilemma lies between choosing one from two of my favorite brands, Gucci and Louis Vuittion.

The Gucci scarf my heart is set on is a GG pattern shawl.  It is a dark purple scarf with black GG on it.  The blend is 70% cashmere and 30% silk.  The size is 45.3”L X 49.2”H.  And it costs USD 395.

The other one is Louis Vuittion’s Leopard and Monogram Scarf.  It is a crepe silk scarf with two Louis Vuittion signatures, the monogram and the leopared print.   The size is 70.7”L X 7.9” H.  It is 100% silk and costs USD 281.

Both of the above are excellent fashion scarves and would make great scarves for women.  They can either be worn as a head scarf or as a neck scarf.

The above information confuses me as to if I should go for the purple scarf or the leopard monogram scarf. Both have become my heart throbs but would be too costly for me to buy two.

Can someone please help and advice me what to do?

Red Scarf

Purple Scarf

White Silk Scarf

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.

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.