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Traditionally made by the artisans of Kashmir in India for the longest time being, each of the individual fibers for these shawls has been hand spun and woven by hand to make them as personalized as possible. The artisan's ingenuity and creativity is reflected in the intricate designs. The raw material upon which the shawl was made is from a distinctive specie of mountain goat that can only be found in the Himalayan regions of India, Persia, and China.
These then were primarily intended to keep the bodies warm in these otherwise cold and unforgiving regions. Only a few, mostly those in the royalty, ever used these as a fashion accessory or as a symbol in some ritual.To meet the demand, the goats are now commercially reared in the Gobi Desert area in Inner and Outer Mongolia. The region has identical harsh weather conditions to those of the Himalayan region, and is thereby apt for the goats to grow this inner wool, but also has acres of grazing ground to produce cashmere economically and commercially. During spring (the moulting season) the goats shed this inner wool, which regrows in winter. The inner wool is collected and spun to produce cashmere. The quality of the cashmere produced in the Gobi Desert is just as high as that produced in the Himalayas, while the costs are less.
A softening process is used by manufacturers of 100% pashmina products, which gives the pashmina a soft, almost silken quality. Sometimes Pashmina is a blend of pure pashmina wool and silk. This gives strength and durability to the pashmina. As a general rule though, the higher content of pashmina wool, the more expensive the textile.
Today the shawl has definitely transcended the utilitarian borders of its existence. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of early tradesmen who introduced the material to the Western world through the flourishing Silk Road. Shawls now are mainly used as a decorative piece to highlight or enhance one's clothing in order to project some form of sophistication and elegance.
For the ordinary person, these still retain their primary purpose of protection especially in those living in cold regions. People can always find comfort in these pieces of garments because they have been especially made from a kind of woollen fabric that is considered great for warming the body underneath. One can be protected from extreme cold and still be fashionable about it rather than going the usual jacket.
Whether one uses shawls for its fashion sense, protective purpose, home decorative purpose, or plain symbolism is purely a matter of personal preferences. Choosing how these can best serve you is best decided on when you understand what you want in life. Understanding your own peculiarities will bring forth appreciation of its many uses. Once you know who you are and what you want out of life, making full use of the shawl should not be that hard.
Avoid faux Pashmina. The common telltale-signs of fake Pashmina is the low durability, poor heat retention and lack of shape and body. Sure they're cheap and have some luxury fabric in it but at the end of the day, they won't be worth your time and money. Invest in real Pashmina that will last a very long time. One way to figure out if it's genuine is to carefully examine the web site and item description. If it says that it consists of viscose, acrylic, or polyester which are the common artificial fabrics that reduce the quality of Pashmina.
Understand the silk and cashmere percentage. 10-20% silk blend gives the right amount of softness, however higher silk percentages should be reconsidered as they are finer and more fragile. If you choose the 70/30 silk mix make sure you don't wear anything that will easily hook on to the fabric and create small holes and loose threads. So avoid wearing it with jewellery such as long earrings, charm necklaces and cocktail rings.
Secure a couple of versatile styles. That means buy solid coloured and neutral colours such as classic black, dark brown and white as they'll match with absolutely everything. Also big Pashmina are appropriate for most occasions and styles, on the other hand narrower ones are more for special events or a decorative touch-up thing.
Don't be afraid to go bold. If you already have the Pashmina scarf in black and other versatile colours, then it's time to try fresh-looking and trendy styles such as pink, red, teal, blue or other bright colours. They are also available in sombre (colour effect where the colour gradually changes from light to dark. Pretty neat.) and exotic prints. If you like layering your clothes then I recommend looking for scarves with fringes to accentuate your casual personal style.
Select the right size. When reading the item description make sure it is in the right size for your needs. Like for example if you're after a Pashmina wrap to roll several times around your neck or cover most of your shoulders then look for bigger sizes.
Make sure that the colours flatter your skin tone, hair and eye colour. It'll give your face a healthy glow! Basically, blue-based colours suit cool-toned women (blond, ashy brown, blue-black hair, pink or pinkish skin) and yellow/orange-based hues flatter women with warmer colouring (golden/reddish hair, yellow/peach skin).
Buy it as a gift. If you need to buy a gift for someone then you never go wrong with Pashmina wrap scarf. It's versatile for both women and men, and people of all ages and styles.
The chic way to wear a Pashmina is to gently twine it over your shoulder, letting both of the ends dangle loosely from each side (think French style), or if you want a more practical yet trendy approach to this type of scarf, then wrap it snugly (not tight) around your neck wearing it as a warming protection when it's cold outside.
Here are other cute ways to wear to wear Pashmina scarves:
French style number 2. Another French fashion-looking style is wrapping it around your neck with one end over your shoulder.
Parisian knot. Tie the scarf in front of you and let the end hang down. This is a casual look that works well for day or night.
Double it up with another colour with another colour for a dramatic two-toned effect. Twist both of them together for an original look.
Combine it with heaps of necklaces. This is trendy look for fall and winter months, and a favourite among traditionalist who love layers. Add whatever necklace you like. Pearls with black Pashmina for black & white and classy look, multiple chain necklaces with crimson red for an edgy and bright outfit, or ethnic print beaded necklace. The choice is yours!
